Herbal Tea for Sore Throat, Cough and Colds: What the Research Shows
What the evidence says about herbal tea, hot drinks and honey for sore throat, cough and colds, with sore-throat red flags, cautions for babies and children, and EU traditional use.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
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Read this first: red flags and who should be careful
- Emergency signs. The NHS lists difficulty breathing or being unable to swallow, drooling, a high-pitched sound when breathing (stridor), or severe symptoms that are getting worse quickly in a person with a sore throat as needing immediate emergency care. [1] In the US, call 911; do not give a tea instead of getting help.
- When to see a clinician. The NHS advises a GP visit for a sore throat that has not improved after a week, for a child under 5 with a sore throat, or for a sore throat with a lump in the mouth or neck or a mouth ulcer lasting more than 3 weeks. [1] For cough, it advises a GP visit after more than 3 weeks, or with unexplained weight loss or a weakened immune system, and urgent advice for coughing up blood. [2]
- Babies and young children. The NHS says hot lemon and honey is not suitable for babies under 1 year old and not to give hot drinks to small children. [2][3]
- Pregnancy. The EU monographs for elder flower and marshmallow root say safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established, and use is not recommended. [4][5]
- Medicines. The EU marshmallow root monograph says absorption of other medicines may be delayed. [5] Ask a pharmacist; see how interactions work.
The short answer
Warm drinks are a long-standing comfort for sore throats and colds. For herbal tea in particular, the sources we read describe EU traditional use but no good trials of the tea, and the better evidence is for plain hot drinks and for honey. Teas cannot treat an infection, and the NHS says antibiotics are not normally needed for a sore throat because most are caused by viruses. [1]What the sources found
"EU traditional use" means the effect is judged plausible from at least 30 years of use even though clinical trial evidence is insufficient. [4]| Question | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Form and people studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hot lemon and honey drink | The NHS says it can have an effect similar to cough syrup, but that evidence is limited for hot lemon and honey and for herbal medicines easing a cough. [2] | Limited evidence | Drink; no herbal tea involved |
| A hot drink for cold and flu symptoms | In 30 people with a cold or flu, a hot fruit drink gave immediate and sustained relief of several symptoms, including sore throat, and the same drink at room temperature gave less; the authors discuss a placebo effect. [6] | Preliminary | One hot fruit drink, not herbal tea |
| Honey for upper respiratory infections | A systematic review of 14 studies found honey better than usual care for symptoms and cough frequency, but called for better placebo-controlled trials. [7] | Promising but limited | Honey; see honey |
| Elderflower tea (Sambucus nigra L., flower) | The EU lists relief of early cold symptoms as traditional use and notes the lack of clinical studies with elder flower. [4] | Traditional use only | Dried flower tea |
| Marshmallow root (Althaea officinalis L., root) | The EU lists irritation of the mouth or throat with dry cough as traditional use; syrup studies in about 900 children had no comparison treatment, and a small adult study of drops used a preparation not sufficiently described. [5] | Traditional use; limited | Root preparations, mainly syrup and drops |
| Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizome) | The EU lists relief of common cold symptoms as traditional use, for powder or tincture. [8] | Traditional use only | Not tea |
| A demulcent (soothing) multi-herb tea for acute sore throat | In a 2003 US trial of 60 adults with acute pharyngitis, a commercial demulcent herbal tea was compared with a placebo tea, and throat pain on swallowing was significantly reduced for up to 30 minutes after a dose. [9] | Promising but limited: one trial, one product, short-term pain only | One commercial blend (not named here); adults at 3 clinics |
| Herbal tea for chronic pharyngitis (a throat inflammation) | A systematic review of 6 trials of traditional Chinese herbal teas found low methodological quality and no credible conclusions about benefit. [10] | Insufficient evidence | Multi-herb teas, trials in Chinese journals |
| Echinacea, vitamin C, garlic | The NHS says there is little evidence that these supplements prevent colds or help you get better more quickly. [3] See echinacea tea. | Little evidence | Supplements |
Proper evidence not found for a human trial of a single-herb tea (chamomile, sage, thyme or others) for a sore throat or cough: our PubMed search for sore throat, pharyngitis or cough with herbal tea found 6 records; apart from green tea gargling trials (true tea, not herbal), the human herbal-tea records were the multi-herb ones above. [11]
What else the sources recommend
For a sore throat, the NHS lists fluids, cool or soft foods, resting, salt-water gargling (not for children) and pharmacist-supplied pain relief and lozenges. [1] For colds it suggests rest, plenty of fluids and a hot lemon and honey drink to soothe a sore throat. [3] The NHS cough page also mentions a herbal medicine called pelargonium for people aged 12 or over, again with limited evidence. [2] For honey, lozenges and syrups, see cough and sore throat remedies, lemon-ginger-honey tea claims checked and herbal syrups, lozenges and throat sprays.Frequently asked questions
Does herbal tea help a sore throat?
The sources we read describe EU traditional use for some teas but no good trials of the tea itself. Warm fluids are among the NHS self-care suggestions. [5][1]
Does honey and lemon tea work for a cough?
The NHS says hot lemon and honey can have an effect similar to cough syrup, with limited evidence. It is not suitable for babies under 1 year. [2]
Is elderflower tea good for colds?
The EU accepts it for early cold symptoms as traditional use and notes there are no clinical studies. [4]
When is a sore throat an emergency?
The NHS lists trouble breathing or swallowing, drooling, stridor, or fast-worsening severe symptoms. In the US, call 911. [1]
How long should a cough or sore throat last before seeing a doctor?
The NHS advises a GP visit after a week for a sore throat that has not improved and after 3 weeks for a cough. [1][2]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
Limits and cautions
- Regulators say to consult a doctor if elder flower symptoms worsen or last longer than 1 week, or if breathlessness, fever or purulent sputum occurs. [4]
- For marshmallow root used for throat irritation, the same advice applies if symptoms last longer than 1 week. [5]
- The NHS says not to give hot drinks to small children. [3] See very hot tea and esophageal cancer risk.
- Liver, kidney and allergy cautions for these teas are on their own pages: elderflower tea and marshmallow root tea.
References
- NHS (UK). Sore throat. Page last reviewed 8 April 2024. Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS (UK). Cough. Page last reviewed 8 December 2023. Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS (UK). Common cold. Page last reviewed 22 March 2024. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Sambuci flos (elder flower): herbal medicinal product, public summary and EU herbal monograph on Sambucus nigra L., flos, Revision 1. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Althaeae radix (marshmallow root): herbal medicinal product, public summary and EU herbal monograph on Althaea officinalis L., radix. Read 2026-10-23.
- Sanu A, Eccles R. The effects of a hot drink on nasal airflow and symptoms of common cold and flu. Rhinology. 2008;46(4):271-275. Read 2026-10-23.
- Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. 2021;26(2):57-64. Read 2026-10-23.
- European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Zingiberis rhizoma (ginger): herbal medicinal product, public summary and EU herbal monograph on Zingiber officinale Roscoe, rhizoma, Revision 1. Read 2026-10-23.
- Brinckmann J, Sigwart H, van Houten Taylor L. Safety and efficacy of a traditional herbal medicine in symptomatic temporary relief of pain in patients with acute pharyngitis: a multicenter, prospective, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study. Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. 2003;9(2):285-298. Product name omitted here. Read 2026-10-23.
- Li C, Wu F, Yuan W, et al. Systematic review of herbal tea (a traditional Chinese treatment method) in the therapy of chronic simple pharyngitis. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine. 2019;2019:9458676. Read 2026-10-23.
- National Library of Medicine. PubMed search records via NCBI E-utilities, searched 2026-10-23; record titles read, counts as stated in the page text. Read 2026-10-23.
Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.