Sore throats are one of the worst and most uncomfortable symptoms of catching a cold. It always seems to creep up on you. Things start feeling scratchy, and then WAM! Pretty soon it’s too painful to even imagine trying to swallow.

I loathe getting a sore throat.

I would gladly trade most any other symptom to avoid it! There was one time, several years ago, when I got a nasty bug that was going around. The sore throat that ensued soon after catching it was soooo horrible, I had to spit every time I needed to swallow because the pain was otherworldly. I mean excruciating. And just in case you are wondering, I tested negative for strep too. The doctor I went to see shrugged and scribbled out a prescription for some pain meds and sent me on my way.

The pain meds didn’t work. This pained me even more because I had debated for hours over whether or not to even take them in the first place (I don’t like taking medicine, see). So I was left to figure out what else I might do to soothe the discomfort enough to where I could drink some fluids since I'm pretty sure I was getting rather dehydrated.

So here it is - a super simple tea that anyone can make at home that is effective and doesn’t taste half bad to boot!

Homemade Throat Coat Tea for Sore Throats

The best tea for sore throat, in my opinion, is one made with herbs, sipped hot.

I don't know how many times I've been asked to write about "tea good for sore throat" over the years, but it's been a lot.

Rest assured that THIS recipe will get the job done. It's hot, soothing, and helps to reduce pain and inflammation while fighting off the viruses and bacteria that are causing your sore throat.

So, hold back on using your good Talbott teas, we're getting serious here. It's time to break out the herbs.

To make Throat Coat Tea, you will need:

• ½ teaspoon or 2-3 emptied capsules of Slippery Elm Bark Powder (where to buy Slippery Elm Lozenges, where to buy Slippery Elm Bark Capsules)

The main star in this tea that really works the best is going to be the slippery elm bark. The reason for this is that slippery elm has a very special affinity for moistening and soothing red, irritated mucous membranes, which is exactly what a sore throat is! You can also substitute marshmallow root or perhaps even licorice root. They both have similar properties.

If you do not happen to have slippery elm available, don’t worry! You can gargle with strong salt water with a squeeze of fresh lemon for several minutes to help soothe the throat a bit.

Do this several times a day for best results.

• 5-6 thin slices of Fresh Ginger Root chopped into match sticks

Ginger is going to act as a great anti-inflammatory and will also ease the pain associated with sore throats. Be sure to chop it into thin sticks to get the most volatile oils out of it.

• The juice of half a Lemon

Fresh lemon juice is antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and astringent which is great for tightening irritated tissues. Lemon also contains a nice dose of vitamin C which we all know helps get rid of colds faster!

• 1 crushed clove of Fresh Garlic

It might sound strange to consider putting garlic in your tea, but believe me, it will do wonders! Garlic is highly antibacterial, antiviral, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory… it’s pure gold when treating colds, flu, and sore throats.

Simply peel and then smash the clove with flat of your knife. Throw it in your mug with the rest of the ingredients.

• Raw Honey to taste (optional) (where to buy raw honey)

Everyone knows about the benefits of using raw honey for sore throats. You may even be hard pressed to find a sore throat tea without it.

Raw honey boasts many benefits, but most of all it’s very soothing for sore throats. I usually add about 1 TB to my tea.

Loving Preparation - Throat Coat Tea Recipe

• Prepare your ingredients and toss them into your mug.
• Pour boiling water over everything and steep, covered for 10-15 minutes
***Just an FYI, slippery elm makes this tea...well...a bit slippery! If this is not your cup of tea per se, then take it separately. Perhaps in the form of Simple Slippery Elm Lozenges.

While still comfortably hot, sip the tea slowly until finished. I find that the hot temperature really helps, but feel free to let it cool a bit more if necessary.

Don't want to make your own? Get my favorite tea for sore throat HERE.

Have you made homemade throat coat tea before? Please share in the comments below!

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