If you’ve ever had to soldier through a cold all while trying to get through your daily responsibilities, then you already know how difficult it can be. So, it’s not unlikely that you reach for cold medicine when you feel under the weather. However, there is an equally effective yet all-natural way to relieve that cold – and it tastes a whole lot better, too.
Many tea blends have been concocted to act as a medicinal treatment, curing simple illnesses including the common cold. With so many different tea blends available however, it can be difficult to tell which one is the best tea for a cold. If you want to try using this natural remedy to relieve your bad case of the sniffles, follow this comprehensive buying guide.
Top 10 Teas for a Cold Comparison Chart
Buying Guide for Teas for a Cold
Not all teas are ideal for relieving a cold. So simply grabbing one off of your local grocery store’s shelf won’t guarantee results. Consider these three factors when buying a tea for your cold to ensure positive effects and relief.
- Composition. Not all teas explicitly state that they’re ideal for use to resolve a cold. Looking for these ingredients in your tea by reading the packaging should help you narrow your options to find the best tea for a cold.
- Echinacea. Used as a medicinal herb for over 400 years, Echinacea’s components are powerful immune system stimulators that help boost health and even relieve colds.
- Ginger. Ginger is a very potent spice, and when taken as a tea, it leaves a burning sensation throughout the oral cavity and throat. This helps to relieve congestion and provide relief against the symptoms of cold.
- Honey. Honey is used as a natural remedy against sore throat, which can develop as a result of a cold. Teas that incorporate honey can help with throat irritation and rawness to clear up mucus and provide temporary relief.
- Lemon. Another powerful immune booster, lemon in tea can stimulate the body’s response to virus and bacteria, thus helping speed up the process of recovering from a cold.
- Mint. Much like ginger, mint leaves a strong burning sensation in the mouth and throat, clearing up the sinuses and congested mucus which ultimately makes it easier to breathe.
- Added Flavors. Some teas are infused with different flavors that make them more palatable. However, it pays to keep in mind that often, these flavors and sweeteners can decrease the potency of the cold-relieving herbs in the blend. What’s more, added ingredients like these can aggravate the throat and worsen soreness or develop it if you don’t have it already.
- Tea Bag vs Instant. There are instant teas which are available as a powder. All you need to do is add hot water, and you’ve got yourself an instant blend. While this can also be effective, it’s important to note that blending tea the traditional way can increase the potency of its components for stronger, faster, and more effective results.
Top 5 Best Tea for a Cold Reviews
1. Traditional Medicinals Organic Echinacea Plus Tea
Traditional Medicinals is a brand of tea that specializes in herbal medicinal teas. They’re Organic Echinacea Plus Tea has been rated the best tea for a cold, according to consumer reviews. This tea incorporates a high concentration of Echinacea into its blend, making it highly effective at relieving a cold.
Aside from relieving a cold, this tea also helps with many other symptoms. Its minty flavor coats the throat and soothes raw tissues that could be causing discomfort or pain. It also has properties that make it work as an expectorant, promoting the body’s natural reflex to expel mucus and reduce congestion.
Relieving illnesses like colds, laryngitis, bronchitis, and other typical conditions, Traditional Medicinals Organic Echinacea Plus Tea has become a top pick among users. Aside from its general effectiveness, it’s also very pleasant to the taste buds, making it easy to drink for both adults and children.
2. TheraFlu Multi Symptom Severe Cold Cough
This Lipton tea has been formulated to help with the symptoms of cold and cough, incorporating ingredients like acetaminophen into its blend. Its unique combination of both herbs and actual medication make it an effective solution for reliving a cold.
One of the issues that some consumers have with TheraFlu Multi Symptom Severe Cold and Cough however is the fact that the flavor does not help with sore throat. The lemon and honey combination – while palatable – doesn’t do much for soreness because it doesn’t leave any sort of sensation in the mouth or throat. What’s more, it’s relatively sweet, further aggravating existing rawness.
Another thing to consider is that this tea does have acetaminophen and other pharmaceuticals incorporated into its blend. If you want a completely natural and organic solution for your cold, TheraFlu Multi Symptom Severe Cold and Cough may not be the best bet for you.
3. Tea of Life Tea, Immune
Tea of Life is another well-known brand of tea that offers a wide range of flavors and blends. Their Immune Booster tea blend works well to stimulate the body’s immune response to relieve the symptoms of cold and speed the recovery process all together.
Tea of Life Enhance Immunity incorporates ginger as its main herbal ingredient. This gives it a powerful flavor that coats the throat and oral cavity for instant relief against rawness. It also has several other spices in its blend that have been used for centuries as natural remedies against illnesses like colds, headaches, and other common conditions.
The only issue that some consumers have with Tea of Life Enhance Immunity is the fact that it does not taste pleasant. That’s because all of the ingredients it uses are for the purpose of cold relief only, minimizing unnecessary flavor enhancers and sweeteners to heighten the potency of the tea.
4. Yogi Teas Echinacea Immune Support
Another common choice for teas that target cold is Yogi Teas Echinacea Immune Support. From the name of the product itself, it’s easy to see that it uses Echinacea as its main herbal ingredient. This helps to boost the body’s immune response to fight off cold-causing virus or bacteria.
Another ingredient that it uses is elder berry. This particular component isn’t common among other teas, but it does work to relieve respiratory function. This makes Yogi Teas Echinacea Immune Support ideal for use if you have respiratory disturbances like coughing and sneezing as a symptom of your cold.
Much like the previous tea however, Yogi Teas Echinacea Immune Support does not have any artificial sweeteners or flavors. So if you’re not too keen on downing a drink that doesn’t taste pleasant, you should check other options. Otherwise, this would be the perfect tea to relieve your cold.
5. HEY GIRL, FEEL BETTER – Herbal Immune Booster
Don’t let the name fool you – this tea isn’t just for girls. Combining a blend of Echinacea, lemon, and honey, this tea blend can help boost immunity and provide near instant relief against a cold.
Compared to other teas however, Hey Girl, Feel Better – Herbal Immune Booster with Vitamin C is relatively sweeter. If your cold comes hand in hand with a sore throat, this may not be your best option. Taking it as a hot tea however, can reduce the sweetness and provide instant relief to the throat, thanks to the unique blend that incorporates ingredients for throat rawness.