When cold and flu season comes around, one of the first home treatments many people think of is hot tea. Besides helping with cough and sore throat, some regular and herbal teas have properties that might help with other common cold and flu symptoms, such as aches and pain, high fever, and inflammation.
If you want to prepare yourself and your family for the possibility of having to deal with colds and other viral infections, including influenza A viruses, then it may be time to stock up on teas. The following list represents some of the many options available and their specific advantages.
You can purchase traditional and herbal teas as tea bags or loose leaf. Some varieties have added vitamin C, which is a potent antioxidant. You also can combine various dried teas together to create your own cold-and-flu-fighting beverage.
Chamomile
You might think of this tea as one to enjoy to help you sleep, but research published in the European Journal of Pharmacology in 1990 found inhaling chamomile may alleviate cold and flu symptoms. Chamomile also has antiphlogistic properties, according to an article in Molecular Medicine Reports, that can help with fever.
