Feeling stuffy and congested saps your energy and makes it hard to go about your day, especially if you’re dealing with allergies, infections, or chronic irritants. Fortunately, teas for congestion offer a soothing and effective remedy.
Black and green teas are well-known for their fantastic health benefits. Many herbal tea blends are also packed with health-boosting properties, provided you are not allergic to any of their compounds.
In this guide, we’ve curated 7 of the best teas for congestion to offer you relief.
Please Note: This guide is not medical advice and should not be taken as such. Always consult a licensed medical professional when treating an ailment and before trying any new remedies that may interfere with current medications or conditions.
7 Best Teas for Congestion Relief
Any tea on this list offers advantageous health benefits. However, some may be more beneficial for you than others.
Read about the best teas for congestion below and choose the one that best matches the condition you are treating and your flavor preferences.
Peppermint Tea
Peppermint leaves contain menthol. Menthol cools and soothes, creating a good tea for a sore throat. Additionally, fresh peppermint leaves give off aromatic steam when steeped, which helps open nasal passages.
Menthol also helps break down thick mucus, making breathing easier. Overall, peppermint tea is a delicious relaxant that will soothe your symptoms and allow your whole body to relax into an optimal state for healing.
Ginger Tea
Ginger is a very powerful antioxidant. A single tablespoon of grated ginger, simmered in boiling water for 5-10 minutes, is enough to relieve pain and open nasal passages. More than that, ginger is a good tea for nausea too.
Its antimicrobial properties help fight infections from the flu to the common cold. The spice in ginger also has a warming effect that increases circulation and promotes sweating if you are suffering from a fever.
Echinacea Tea
Echinacea is a well-known herbal remedy. Echinacea is native to North America, and there are 9 known species of plants on the continent.
Echinacea was used as a traditional medicine by the Native Americans of the Great Plains. Today, it is often used as a dietary supplement in capsule form or steeped in tea to ward off colds.
Echinacea tea can reduce the length and severity of colds, though the results of clinical trials have varied.
One review of 14 clinical trials found that taking echinacea reduced the odds of developing a cold by 58%. The same study showed that echinacea reduced the duration of a cold by 1 to 4 days.
Try the delectable Pink Tourmaline Tea with Dragon Fruit White Tea blend with Echinacea from the Magic Hour Shop to boost your immune health (pictured above).
Thyme Tea
Thyme helps relax the muscles of the trachea and bronchi, making it easier to expel mucus and make breathing more comfortable.
As an herbal infusion, thyme has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling and inflammation in the respiratory tract.
Thyme also contains thymol and carvacrol compounds, which have strong antimicrobial effects. These compounds help fight off the bacteria and viruses that cause respiratory infections, reducing congestion.
Licorice Root Tea
Licorice tea contains an active component called glycyrrhizin. Glycyrrhizin has antiviral and antibacterial effects that combat infections that cause or worsen congestion. Glycyrrhizin is so effective at treating respiratory infections that it was explored as a possible treatment for COVID-19 in the early days of the pandemic.
Green Tea
Green tea is one of the healthiest teas you can drink. It helps everything from obesity to heart disease.
Famous for its vibrant green color and unique, earthy taste, green tea is an ancient and delicious hot beverage that you can enjoy even when you’re not feeling ill.
Its bioactive compounds treat the symptoms of congestion. Specifically, green tea contains epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), which reduces inflammation in the respiratory tract.
Elderberry Tea
Elderberry tea is a brew derived from the berries and flowers of the Sambucus plant. Like echinacea, it has a long history as a natural medicine.
Recently, a study from the University of Mississippi revealed that elderberry extract increases the production of cytokines, which are crucial for immune responses against infections that cause congestion.
How to Prepare Tea to Relieve Congestion
When preparing tea for congestion, it’s important that you treat the root cause.
Knowing the cause of your congestion will allow you to choose a more effective blend.
Once you know what you are trying to treat, you can select the types of herbal tea. You may choose to create a blend to maximize the healing qualities of more than one tea.
Once you’ve blended your herbs, it’s time to steep or simmer.
Steep leaves and flowers: Boil water and let cool for two minutes. Pour it over your herbal tea blend and steep for 5-10 minutes. The longer the brew time, the stronger the taste, so be mindful of your preferences.
Simmer roots, bark, seeds, and dried berries: Place your desired blend into a pot with water and bring to a gentle boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea into a cup and enjoy.
If you are using a blend that requires both simmering and steeping, simmer the tougher ingredients first. Then add the delicate leaves and flowers and steep.
Double up on the healing properties of your tea by inhaling the steam as your brew steeps or simmers. This helps you absorb the benefits of the tea and helps open your airways.
Recommended Teas For Congestion
Magic Hour offers several excellent products for congestion relief. Here are some top choices:
Mantra Mint: Cooling mint blended with sweet rose and comforting vanilla. Relax and breathe easy with the Mantra Mint.
Hibiscus Elderberry: Tart and refreshing, this blend combines the anti-inflammatory power of both elderberry and hibiscus.
Wellness Sampler: This herbal tea sampler box contains seven healing herbal teas, including blends made with ginger, peppermint, turmeric, elderberries, and dandelion root.
Try Adding Honey and Lemon
Honey and lemon offer powerful benefits when added to teas.
Honey coats and soothes the throat, reducing irritation and cough. It also has antimicrobial compounds that can help fight off infections.
Lemons are an excellent source of vitamin C, which is crucial for maintaining a healthy immune system. Vitamin C intake reduces the length and severity of cold symptoms.
Combined, lemon and honey offer:
- Enhanced taste: The combination of honey’s sweetness and lemon’s tanginess makes the tea more palatable, encouraging more fluid intake, which is essential for staying hydrated and thinning mucus.
- Overall relief: Honey soothes the throat and has antimicrobial properties, while lemon’s vitamin C and antioxidants bolster the immune system. Together, they create a good option of tea for cough, cold and congestion symptoms.
Some practical tips:
For honey, add 1-2 teaspoons of honey to your tea after it has cooled a bit. This preserves honey’s beneficial properties.
For lemon, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into your tea. For an extra boost, add a few slices of lemon peel as well.
Feel Better Sooner
Tea is a powerhouse beverage when it comes to treating congestion. With its well-documented antibacterial and immune-boosting properties, you can indulge in as much tea as you like with the knowledge that it is helping you heal.
Create a blend that is the most beneficial for the cause of your congestion. Breathe in the steam as you prepare your cup of tea for added health benefits.
When you are ready to enjoy, add honey and lemon to your tea for congestion to maximize the taste and healing properties.
To boost your immune system or relieve the congestion you are currently suffering from, browse the healing teas in the Magic Hour Shop and feel better soon.
