5 Teas That Will Help Relieve Your Sore Throat

Few things make a cold or respiratory infection more miserable than a sore, scratchy throat.

Swallowing hurts.

Talking becomes uncomfortable.

And even a sip of water can suddenly feel like work.

A warm cup of tea won’t cure the infection causing your sore throat, but it can be one of the simplest ways to make yourself feel more comfortable while you recover.

The CDC recommends warm beverages and plenty of fluids as part of home care for a sore throat, while Mayo Clinic specifically lists warm liquids such as caffeine-free tea or warm water with honey among the options that can soothe throat discomfort.

Certain teas can be especially pleasant because they combine warm fluid with ingredients such as ginger, chamomile, peppermint, green tea, or licorice root.

Our five favorites are:

Chamomile tea
Ginger tea
Peppermint tea
Green tea with honey
Licorice root tea

There is an important distinction, however:

These teas may soothe symptoms. They do not treat strep throat, influenza, COVID-19, or another bacterial or viral infection.

Most sore throats are caused by viruses and improve on their own, but bacterial strep throat requires proper diagnosis and may need antibiotic treatment.

With that in mind, put the kettle on.

Here are five teas worth trying when your throat needs a little comfort.

⚡ Best Teas for a Sore Throat at a Glance

Tea	Why People Like It for a Sore Throat	Caffeine?
Chamomile	Mild, soothing, caffeine-free	No
Ginger	Warming, spicy, easy to combine with honey	No
Peppermint	Cooling menthol sensation	No
Green tea with honey	Warm hydration + honey + tea polyphenols	Yes, unless decaf
Licorice root	Naturally sweet and traditionally used for throat complaints	No

🍵 Why Does Tea Help a Sore Throat?

Sometimes the simplest explanation is the most important.

Tea is:

warm liquid.

Warm liquids can help keep an irritated throat moist and temporarily make swallowing feel more comfortable.

The CDC recommends both warm beverages and adequate fluid intake for sore-throat relief.

Tea also makes it easy to add another useful ingredient:

honey.

Honey can coat the throat and may help relieve coughing associated with respiratory infections.

That matters because coughing repeatedly can make an already sore throat feel much worse.

Tea Doesn’t Need to Be Medicinal to Be Helpful

This is important.

You will see dramatic claims online that certain herbal teas:

Kill viruses
Destroy bacteria
Cure strep throat
Eliminate inflammation
Shorten every cold

Those claims generally go far beyond the evidence.

For many sore-throat teas, the most dependable benefits are much simpler:

Warmth
Fluid
Moisture
Pleasant flavor
A soothing sensation
An easy vehicle for honey

Those are worthwhile benefits even without turning tea into medicine.

🌼 1. Chamomile Tea

Chamomile may be one of the nicest teas to drink when you’re feeling under the weather.

It has a mild floral flavor, contains no natural caffeine, and is gentle enough that many people enjoy it in the evening.

That makes it particularly useful when a sore throat is interfering with sleep.

Why Chamomile May Feel Soothing

Chamomile has a long history of traditional use for respiratory complaints, including coughs and colds.

Research has also examined chamomile preparations for irritation and inflammation of tissues in the mouth.

However, direct clinical evidence proving that a cup of chamomile tea specifically treats an ordinary infectious sore throat is limited.

So I wouldn’t describe chamomile as a throat medication.

Its practical advantages are:

It’s warm
It’s hydrating
It’s caffeine-free
Its flavor is mild
It pairs extremely well with honey

Sometimes that’s exactly what you want.

🍯 Chamomile Tea With Honey

Try:

1 chamomile tea bag or loose-leaf equivalent
8 ounces hot water
1–2 teaspoons honey

Steep the chamomile according to package directions.

Allow the tea to cool slightly before adding honey.

Drink it warm rather than painfully hot.

Why Not Boiling Hot?

An already irritated throat doesn’t need an additional thermal insult.

The goal is:

comfortably warm

not:

as hot as you can physically tolerate.

⚠️ Chamomile Safety

Chamomile is generally considered safe in normal food and tea amounts for many people.

However, allergic reactions can occur.

Be particularly cautious if you’re allergic to related plants such as:

Ragweed
Chrysanthemums
Daisies
Marigolds

Chamomile may also interact with certain medications, including warfarin and potentially sedative drugs.

If you take prescription medication and plan to use herbal products regularly or in concentrated amounts, check with your healthcare professional or pharmacist.

🌿 2. Ginger Tea

Ginger tea is one of my favorite options when a sore throat comes with:

A cold
Nausea
Congestion
A general feeling of being run down

Fresh ginger creates a warm, spicy infusion that pairs beautifully with honey and lemon.

Does Ginger Cure a Sore Throat?

No.

Ginger contains biologically active compounds and has been extensively studied for several health uses, especially nausea.

But research directly showing that drinking ginger tea treats a typical sore throat is limited.

That doesn’t mean the drink is useless.

A warm ginger infusion:

Provides fluid
Keeps the throat moist
Has a warming sensation
Can carry honey
May feel particularly comforting when you’re congested

🫚 Easy Fresh Ginger Tea Recipe

Ingredients

1-inch piece fresh ginger
10 ounces water
1–2 teaspoons honey
Lemon slice, optional

Instructions

Peel the ginger if desired.
Slice it thinly.
Add it to a small saucepan with the water.
Bring to a gentle simmer.
Simmer for approximately 5–10 minutes.
Strain into a mug.
Allow to cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.
Add honey.
Add lemon if desired.

For a stronger infusion, steep the ginger longer.

🍋 Should You Add Lemon?

You can.

Lemon adds a bright flavor and works beautifully with ginger and honey.

But lemon is acidic.

If your throat feels extremely raw—or you have acid reflux—lemon may actually feel irritating.

There’s no requirement that a sore-throat tea contain lemon.

If it stings:

leave it out.

🍯 Ginger + Honey Is the Better Combination

Honey is often more useful for comfort than lemon.

A small amount can coat the throat and provides sweetness without needing a heavily sweetened beverage.

For adults and children at least one year old, the CDC includes honey among the options that may help relieve cough.

Important

Never give honey to a baby younger than 12 months.

Honey can contain spores associated with infant botulism.

⚠️ Ginger Safety

Food and tea quantities of ginger are generally well tolerated by many people.

Potential side effects can include:

Heartburn
Stomach discomfort
Diarrhea
Mouth or throat irritation

That last one is particularly relevant here.

If very strong ginger tea makes your throat burn more:

stop drinking it or dilute it.

Stronger is not automatically healthier.

People taking medications should also ask their healthcare professional about using large quantities of herbal ginger or concentrated ginger supplements because herbal products can interact with medicines.

🌱 3. Peppermint Tea

Peppermint tea provides a very different experience.

Instead of warming spice, peppermint offers a fresh, cooling sensation.

That comes largely from compounds such as menthol.

Why Peppermint Can Feel Good on a Sore Throat

Menthol produces a cooling sensation in the mouth and throat.

That’s one reason mint and menthol appear in so many:

Throat lozenges
Cough drops
Oral-care products

A warm peppermint infusion can therefore provide an interesting combination:

warm liquid + cooling mint sensation.

Peppermint tea is also naturally caffeine-free.

That makes it a good evening option.

🫖 How to Make Peppermint Tea

Using a Tea Bag

Steep:

1 peppermint tea bag

in:

8–10 ounces hot water

for approximately:

5 minutes

or follow package directions.

Add honey if desired.

Using Fresh Mint

Use:

Small handful fresh peppermint leaves
8–10 ounces hot water

Gently crush the leaves.

Add hot water.

Cover and steep for approximately 5–10 minutes.

Strain and serve.

🍯 Peppermint Tea With Honey

This is one of the simplest sore-throat drinks you can make.

Use:

Peppermint tea
1 teaspoon honey

The mint creates a cooling sensation while the honey contributes sweetness and throat-coating comfort.

⚠️ Peppermint Isn’t for Everyone

Peppermint can worsen:

acid reflux or heartburn

in some people.

And reflux itself can contribute to throat irritation.

So if your throat discomfort is associated with:

GERD
Heartburn
Acid taste
Symptoms worse after eating
Symptoms worse when lying down

peppermint may not be your best choice.

Chamomile may feel gentler.

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health also notes that research on peppermint leaf specifically is limited, even though peppermint oil has been studied for several other purposes.

So again:

Enjoy peppermint tea because it feels soothing—not because it has been proven to cure pharyngitis.

🍃 4. Green Tea With Honey

Green tea may not seem like the obvious sore-throat choice, but it’s worth considering—especially if you already enjoy drinking it.

Green tea provides:

Warm liquid
Hydration
Tea polyphenols
Mild caffeine
An easy base for honey

It comes from the Camellia sinensis plant, the same plant that produces black, white, and oolong tea.

🛡️ What About Green Tea’s Antioxidants?

Green tea contains polyphenols, particularly compounds known as catechins.

These compounds have antioxidant activity and have been extensively studied.

But that does not mean:

antioxidants = green tea cures your sore throat.

There’s no need to exaggerate the science.

The best practical reason to drink green tea while you’re sick is that it can be:

warm, pleasant, hydrating, and easy to combine with honey.

For a deeper look at what the research actually says, see Green Tea Benefits: What the Research Actually Says.

🍯 Why Add Honey?

Honey may make green tea particularly comforting when coughing accompanies your sore throat.

Research reviewed by Cochrane has found some evidence that honey can reduce acute cough symptoms in children over one year old, although the quality of the evidence varies.

You don’t need much.

Try:

1 teaspoon honey per cup.

🍵 Easy Green Tea and Honey Recipe

Ingredients

1 green tea bag
8 ounces water
1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

Heat the water.
Let it cool slightly below a full boil.
Steep green tea according to package directions, commonly about 2–3 minutes.
Remove the tea.
Let it cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.
Stir in honey.

Green tea can become harsh and bitter if steeped too hot or too long.

A sore throat probably won’t appreciate harsh, bitter tea.

⚡ What About the Caffeine?

Unlike the first three teas on this list, green tea naturally contains caffeine.

The amount varies according to:

Tea variety
Leaf quantity
Brew time
Water temperature
Serving size

If you’re trying to rest or sleep:

choose decaffeinated green tea

or one of the caffeine-free herbal teas.

Mayo Clinic recommends adequate fluid intake and suggests caffeine-free tea as one soothing choice for sore throat.

You don’t have to avoid every milligram of caffeine, but this is probably not the time for an enormous amount of strongly brewed tea if caffeine interferes with your sleep.

🌙 Decaf Green Tea Is Perfectly Fine

If the goal is throat comfort rather than alertness, decaffeinated green tea can make a lot of sense.

You’re still getting:

Warm liquid
Tea flavor
A base for honey

without as much caffeine.

If you’re interested in caffeine differences among teas, see Does White Tea Have Caffeine?.

🌿 5. Licorice Root Tea

Licorice root has probably the most interesting direct throat-related evidence on this list.

But it also requires the most caution.

Licorice root has traditionally been used in preparations for:

Cough
Respiratory complaints
Throat irritation

Research has found that licorice gargles or lozenges may reduce certain types of sore throat associated with intubation during surgery.

That is intriguing.

However, a postoperative sore throat caused by an endotracheal tube is not the same thing as a sore throat caused by:

Cold virus
Flu
Strep
Allergies

So we cannot automatically assume those studies prove licorice tea treats ordinary infectious sore throat.

Still, licorice root has a naturally sweet, coating character that some people find very soothing.

🍵 How to Make Licorice Root Tea

The easiest option is a commercially prepared licorice-root tea bag.

Follow the package instructions.

A typical preparation involves:

1 tea bag
8 ounces hot water
5–10 minutes steeping

Because licorice is naturally sweet, you may not need honey.

⚠️ Important: Licorice Root Has Real Safety Concerns

This isn’t an herb I would casually recommend drinking in unlimited quantities.

Licorice contains glycyrrhizin, a compound that can cause serious adverse effects when consumed in excessive amounts or for prolonged periods.

Potential problems include:

Increased blood pressure
Potassium disturbances
Irregular heartbeat
Fluid retention
Serious cardiovascular complications

The National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health specifically warns that even relatively small amounts may present greater risk for some people.

Avoid or Get Medical Advice Before Using Licorice If You Have:

High blood pressure
Heart disease
Kidney disease
Certain electrolyte problems
Pregnancy

Licorice can also interact with medications.

If you take prescription drugs, ask a healthcare professional or pharmacist before using licorice-root products regularly.

More Is Definitely Not Better

This is not a tea to drink by the gallon because your throat hurts.

Occasional use is very different from large quantities over many days or weeks.

🍯 What Is the Best Thing to Add to Sore-Throat Tea?

If you want one addition:

honey.

Mayo Clinic and the CDC both include honey-containing warm drinks among self-care options for throat or cough symptoms.

Try:

1 teaspoon per cup

and increase slightly if desired.

Remember

Honey is an added sugar.

You don’t need four tablespoons for the drink to be soothing.

And again:

No honey for children under 1 year old.

🧂 Tea Isn’t the Only Useful Home Remedy

Warm saltwater gargling is another simple option.

The CDC recommends gargling with salt water for sore-throat comfort.

Mayo Clinic suggests mixing approximately:

¼–½ teaspoon salt

with:

4–8 ounces warm water.

Gargle and spit it out.

Don’t swallow the salt water.

You can alternate between:

warm tea

and:

warm saltwater gargles

throughout the day.

💧 Hydration Matters More Than Choosing the “Perfect” Tea

If you’re sick, don’t become so focused on finding a special herbal remedy that you forget the most basic thing:

drink enough fluid.

Good choices can include:

Water
Tea
Broth
Warm water with honey
Ice water
Other fluids you tolerate

Both warm and cold liquids can feel soothing.

Some people love steaming tea.

Others want ice water or a frozen pop.

There is no rule that sore throats must be treated with hot beverages.

Use what feels best.

🧊 Hot Tea vs. Cold Drinks for a Sore Throat

Both can work.

Warm Drinks

May provide:

Moisture
Relaxing warmth
Easy honey delivery
Comfort from congestion

Cold Drinks

May temporarily numb the throat.

Options include:

Ice water
Ice chips
Popsicles

If hot tea hurts:

don’t force yourself to drink it.

Comfort is the goal.

🌡️ How Hot Should Sore-Throat Tea Be?

Warm.

Not scalding.

If the tea is hot enough that you need to:

Blow constantly
Sip extremely carefully
Burn your tongue

it’s too hot for an already irritated throat.

Allow it to cool.

A comfortably warm beverage will do the job perfectly well.

🍋 Is Lemon Good for a Sore Throat?

It can make tea taste wonderful.

It also encourages some people to drink more fluid.

But lemon is acidic.

For some sore throats, that bright acidity feels refreshing.

For others, it burns.

People with acid reflux may also find citrus aggravating.

So:

Add Lemon If:

It feels good.

Skip Lemon If:

It stings.

No health benefit requires you to suffer through an uncomfortable drink.

🍯 Best Sore-Throat Tea Combination

If I wanted one very simple cup, I’d make:

Ginger-Chamomile Honey Tea

Use:

1 chamomile tea bag
3–4 thin slices fresh ginger
10 ounces hot water
1 teaspoon honey

Instructions

Add ginger and chamomile to a mug.
Pour over hot water.
Steep for approximately 5–7 minutes.
Remove the tea bag.
Strain ginger if desired.
Allow to cool slightly.
Add honey.
Sip slowly.

You get:

Chamomile’s mildness
Ginger’s warming flavor
Honey’s sweetness
Plenty of warm liquid

No miracle claims necessary.

It’s simply comforting.

🌙 Best Tea for a Sore Throat Before Bed

My first choice is:

chamomile with honey.

Why?

No caffeine
Mild flavor
Warm and soothing
Pairs with honey

Peppermint is another caffeine-free option if you don’t experience reflux.

Avoid strongly caffeinated tea shortly before bed if caffeine affects your sleep.

Rest is valuable when you’re recovering from an infection.

☀️ Best Morning Tea for a Sore Throat

If you want some caffeine:

green tea with honey

is a good option.

If caffeine isn’t important:

ginger tea with honey

works beautifully.

Neither needs to be extremely strong.

🤧 Best Tea for a Sore Throat and Cough

Try:

ginger tea with honey

or:

chamomile with honey.

Honey has more evidence for cough relief than most specific sore-throat tea ingredients.

The tea gives you the warm liquid.

The honey adds a soothing coating quality.

🤢 Best Tea if You’re Also Nauseous

Ginger becomes especially appealing.

Ginger has much stronger research support for certain forms of nausea than it does for sore throat itself.

So if you’re dealing with:

scratchy throat + queasy stomach

ginger tea may solve the beverage dilemma nicely.

😴 Best Caffeine-Free Teas for a Sore Throat

Choose:

Chamomile
Ginger
Peppermint
Licorice root, with safety precautions

True teas from Camellia sinensis naturally contain caffeine unless decaffeinated.

That includes:

Green
Black
White
Oolong

Herbal infusions are generally naturally caffeine-free unless they’re blended with caffeinated tea or other caffeinated ingredients.

🚫 Teas to Be Cautious With

There isn’t necessarily a universal list of “bad” sore-throat teas.

But certain drinks can be less comfortable.

Very Hot Tea

Can irritate already-sensitive tissue.

Extremely Spicy Ginger Tea

May burn.

Strong Lemon Tea

Acidity may sting.

Strong Caffeinated Tea Late at Night

May interfere with sleep.

Peppermint With Reflux

Can aggravate heartburn in some people.

Large Amounts of Licorice Root

Can be dangerous.

Listen to your body rather than forcing yourself to finish a tea because an article called it medicinal.

🦠 Can Tea Cure Strep Throat?

No.

This is important.

Strep throat is caused by group A Streptococcus bacteria.

Tea cannot diagnose it or replace appropriate medical treatment.

The CDC notes that roughly:

1 in 10 adults

and:

3 in 10 children

with a sore throat have strep throat.

A healthcare professional can perform a rapid test or throat culture.

Confirmed strep throat is treated with appropriate antibiotics.

🩺 What Does Strep Throat Feel Like?

Symptoms can include:

Sudden sore throat
Pain when swallowing
Fever
Red or swollen tonsils
Swollen lymph nodes in the front of the neck
White patches or pus on the tonsils
Tiny red spots on the roof of the mouth

Meanwhile, symptoms such as:

Cough
Runny nose
Hoarseness
Pink eye

are more suggestive of a viral illness.

Symptoms alone aren’t always enough to diagnose the cause.

🧑‍⚕️ When Should You See a Doctor for a Sore Throat?

Most uncomplicated viral sore throats improve on their own.

However, the CDC recommends seeking medical care for symptoms such as:

Difficulty breathing
Difficulty swallowing
Blood in saliva or phlegm
Excessive drooling in a child
Dehydration
Joint swelling or pain
Rash
Symptoms getting worse
Symptoms not improving within a few days

You should also contact a healthcare professional when symptoms are severe, unusual, recurrent, or otherwise concerning.

And if strep throat is suspected, testing matters.

Tea may make your throat feel nicer while you’re arranging care.

It does not replace that care.

🧪 Do Herbal Teas Kill Viruses?

Don’t count on it.

Laboratory research sometimes finds that compounds from plants can affect viruses or bacteria under experimental conditions.

That doesn’t automatically mean drinking a cup of that herb kills an infection inside a person.

Those are completely different levels of evidence.

The benefits of sore-throat tea should be described realistically:

symptom comfort and hydration.

Not antiviral treatment.

🧪 Do Herbal Teas Kill Strep Bacteria?

Again:

You should not try to treat suspected strep throat with herbal tea.

Group A strep can cause complications if untreated.

If you think you have strep throat, get appropriately evaluated.

🍬 What About Throat-Coat Tea Blends?

Many commercial “throat” teas combine ingredients such as:

Licorice root
Slippery elm
Marshmallow root
Wild cherry bark
Fennel
Cinnamon

Some people enjoy these blends.

But remember that:

herbal does not mean interaction-free or risk-free.

Read the ingredient list.

If licorice root is present, the same licorice precautions still apply.

If you:

Take medication
Are pregnant
Have chronic health conditions

check with a pharmacist or healthcare professional if you’re unsure about an herbal blend.

☕ Does Black Tea Help a Sore Throat?

It can provide the same basic advantages as other warm beverages:

Fluid
Warmth
Comfort

But black tea contains caffeine.

If you enjoy it and tolerate caffeine well, there’s no reason you can’t have a cup.

Add honey if desired.

Just don’t assume black tea has been proven to specifically treat sore-throat inflammation.

🍃 What About White Tea?

White tea is another true tea from Camellia sinensis.

Its flavor tends to be delicate and mild, which some people may find pleasant when their throat hurts.

It still contains caffeine.

For more, see Does White Tea Have Caffeine?.

☕ What About Earl Grey?

Earl Grey is traditionally black tea flavored with bergamot.

It can be a pleasant warm beverage, but the:

Caffeine
Bergamot citrus character

may not be ideal for everyone when their throat is irritated.

If you love Earl Grey, there’s no requirement to stop drinking it.

Just choose a gentler tea if citrusy acidity feels uncomfortable.

See Earl Grey Tea Guide: Flavor, Varieties, Brewing & Food Pairings for more about the blend.

🫖 How to Brew Tea When Your Throat Hurts

The priorities are slightly different from a formal tea-tasting session.

1. Don’t Brew It Scalding Hot

Comfort comes first.

2. Keep It Mild

A very strong herbal infusion can become bitter, spicy, or irritating.

3. Add Honey After Brewing

Let the drink cool slightly first.

4. Sip Slowly

You’re trying to keep the throat moist.

5. Make Another Cup Later

Several moderate cups may be more comfortable than trying to drink an enormous amount at once.

❓ Sore-Throat Tea FAQ

What is the best tea for a sore throat?

Chamomile, ginger, peppermint, green tea with honey, and licorice-root tea are all reasonable options.

There isn’t one tea proven to be universally best.

Warmth, hydration, and what feels comfortable to you matter greatly.

Does tea actually help a sore throat?

Warm liquids can help soothe throat discomfort and maintain hydration.

Tea provides an easy way to consume warm fluid and can be combined with honey.

What tea is best for sore throat and cough?

Ginger or chamomile tea with honey are excellent options.

Honey has some evidence for relieving acute cough symptoms, particularly in children older than one year.

What tea is best before bed?

Chamomile is naturally caffeine-free and mild.

Peppermint is another option if it doesn’t aggravate reflux.

Does green tea help sore throat?

Green tea can provide warmth, hydration, and tea polyphenols.

It hasn’t been established as a treatment for infectious sore throat, but warm green tea with honey may feel soothing.

Does peppermint tea help sore throat?

Peppermint’s menthol creates a cooling sensation that some people find soothing.

Research specifically proving peppermint tea treats sore throat is limited.

Does chamomile tea help sore throat?

Chamomile is mild, caffeine-free, warm, and traditionally used for respiratory complaints.

Direct evidence for ordinary sore throat is limited, but it can be a very comfortable beverage.

Does ginger tea help sore throat?

Ginger tea provides warm fluid and a warming sensation.

It has not been conclusively established as a treatment for sore throat.

Make it mild enough that the ginger itself doesn’t irritate your throat.

Does licorice tea help sore throat?

Licorice preparations have shown some benefit in studies involving postoperative sore throat after intubation.

That doesn’t prove licorice tea treats ordinary viral or bacterial sore throats.

Licorice also has important safety risks when consumed excessively.

Is honey good for a sore throat?

Honey can coat the throat and may help relieve cough.

Never give honey to an infant younger than one year.

Is lemon good for a sore throat?

Some people find lemon refreshing.

Others find the acidity irritating.

Use it only if it feels comfortable.

Should tea be hot or warm?

Warm is enough.

There’s no benefit to drinking tea so hot that it burns or irritates the throat.

Does tea kill strep throat?

No.

Strep throat requires medical diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic treatment when confirmed.

Can you drink coffee with a sore throat?

You can if it feels comfortable, but coffee’s caffeine and acidity may be less appealing when you’re sick.

Warm caffeine-free tea is often a gentler choice.

How long does a sore throat usually last?

The CDC says most sore throats improve on their own within about one week, although duration depends on the underlying cause.

Seek medical care if symptoms are severe, worsening, or not improving.

🏁 The Bottom Line

When your throat hurts, you don’t need an exotic medicinal concoction.

Often, what feels best is simply:

warm liquid + gentle flavor + a little honey.

Five teas worth trying are:

1. Chamomile

Best for a mild, caffeine-free evening drink.

2. Ginger

Best if you like warming spice or also feel nauseous.

3. Peppermint

Best if you enjoy a cooling mint sensation.

4. Green Tea With Honey

Best when you want traditional tea and don’t mind some caffeine.

5. Licorice Root

Potentially soothing but the option that requires the most caution because excessive licorice can cause serious side effects.

None of these teas should be viewed as a cure.

Most ordinary sore throats are caused by viruses and improve with time, hydration, rest, and symptom care.

Strep throat is different and may require antibiotics.

So make the tea because it feels good.

Add honey if it’s appropriate for you.

Keep the drink comfortably warm rather than scalding.

Rest your voice.

Drink plenty of fluid.

And if your symptoms suggest something more serious—or simply aren’t improving—get appropriate medical care.

The best cup of tea for a sore throat isn’t necessarily the herb with the most extravagant health claims.

It’s the cup that helps you stay comfortable and hydrated while your body recovers.