Homemade Herbal Immune Boosting Tea Recipe (2024)

Let’s just be honest, there is nothing fun about having a cold. It’s downright miserable and while the body can generally take care of itself, we can use herbs to boost immunity

The great thing about making tea blends for a cold is that all of the ingredients can be understood, it’s frugal, and pretty darn tasty.

While we can maintain a healthy immune system through eating nutritious food and generally keeping a healthy lifestyle – everyone gets sick now and then. Those germy foreign invaders generally get us all once in a while.

This immune boosting tea blend contains basic herbs and common spices for helping combat all those cold and flu symptoms while also being quite palatable.

The Herbs

There are a multitude of herbs known for their immune-boosting properties, this particular blend is just the best tea for a cold based on flavor and my experience with its effectiveness.

Please Note: As in all herbal teas and herbal medicine, do check with a doctor or herbalist to make sure none are harmful to you and your conditions. Double check with a pharmacist to make sure none of the herbs interact in a negative way with existing medications. Pregnant and nursing mothers should always ask for a professional’s advice. Avoid this tea if you’re allergic to any of the herbal ingredients.

Nettle

Stinging nettle is high in vitamins and great for vital energy. It has been traditionally used to cleanse the liver and more. It’s an incredibly simple and yet nourishing herb full of health benefits for the body as a whole making it an ideal tonic for flu season.

Oat Tops

Oat tops (not to be confused with the oats you eat for breakfast) are also high in vitamins, nourish the immune system, and can help calm the nerves and encourage sleep. Never underestimate the important role good sleep plays in helping the body’s immune system stay strong.

Elder Flowers

Encourage sweating and as a result the cooling of fevers with the inclusion of elderflowers. Full of anti-inflammatory properties, eldflowers can help relieve some of that sinus pressure.

Echinacea

Echinacea tea has long been studied for its ability to boost the immune response by increasing white blood cells and it these cells that fight infection in the body. The root is often used but is tougher to Echinacea leaf here makes the tea more tasty as well as suitable for fighting colds and flus.

Lemon Balm

Lemon balm does indeed provide a nice flavor and it is high antimicrobial properties and antibacterial properties. The combination of flavor and medicinal properties allows it to do double duty. A nervine, lemon balm can further aid calmness and sleep. It has been studied for its ability to stimulate an immune response making it ideal for fighting colds.

Licorice Root

Yes, licorice root will provide a bit of that black licorice flavor to the tea. It is also a demulcent meaning it relieves irritation in the mucus membranes which tend to get inflamed when sick. It can also be great for soothing a sore throat and an upset stomach which can often happen with a cold.

Blue Mallow

This lovely flower is great for dry coughs and irritations to the mouth and throat. It’s probably one of the less commonly used herbs but it’s benefit here is great. High in antioxidant properties it may just go a long whay in proving a quick recovery.

Cardamom

Cardamom a common ingredient in sweet baked goods and spicy teas, is a flavorful addition to the tea. It also helps move congestion from both the digestive system and lungs out of the body meaning it has a great place in this blend.

Cinnamon

A spice we’re all familiar with but often ignore its medicinal properities. It’s a great way to add flavor whjile simultaneously soothin irritating coughs and helping to dissolve mucus. It can also provide just a hint of sweetness to the tea without adding sugar.

Make Ahead

Tea for colds is an easy herbal remedy to make in advance and have ready to call into service quickly. There’s no need to worry about time to infuse like in making tinctures and truly all that is needed here is the herbs, a jar, a cup, tea ball / strainer and boiling water.

We often feel like we have to make extensive herbal remedies to get the most healing benefit and while there are definitely times for those things – there are plenty of times when a simple and time honored cup of herbal tea can be just as effective if not as ‘glamorous’.

Sweetening

Sweetening in the herbal tea is a completely personal decision. If it feels necessary for you to enjoy the benefits of the tea choose something more natural and nourishing like maple syrup or raw honey over white sugar.

Manuka honey has been studied for its ability to fight colds, infections, and more. Consider adding just a bit of that to your tea to further add to its benefits.

Dosage

There are some studies that show some of these herbs have diminishing returns when used for long periods of time. It shouldn’t be used as a daily tonic for overall health.

The best way to use it is by having a cup or two a day for a few weeks at a time – like when you’ve traveled or been exposed to someone else who is ill.

Of course try drinking a hot cup of tea or two each day when you feel cold symptoms coming on and for a day or two after it has passed.

Do sip your tea slowly, allow the steam to rise into your nasal passages and loosen up the stuffy nose.