8 best home remedies (chás) for cold

Some home remedies such as echinacea tea with honey, lemon tea with garlic and ginger or green tea can help improve cold symptoms such as sore throat, cough and stuffy or runny nose, because they are rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating substances that strengthen the body's natural defenses, fighting the cold.

In addition, drinking tea also ensures the body's hydration, which is important to fight the virus, and helps to calm the throat and fluidize secretions, releasing phlegm.

Some home remedies for a cold are:

1. Echinacea tea with honey

Echinacea tea with honey is rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating substances, such as flavonoids, chicoric and rosmarinic acids, which help to decrease the production of substances that can cause a sore throat or body pain, in addition to strengthening the immune system.

Honey also helps lubricate the throat and reduce inflammation, relieving cough and phlegm. However, for people allergic to honey, propolis or pollen, honey should not be added to the tea, it can only be prepared with echinacea.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of echinacea root or leaves;
• 1 tablespoon of honey;
• 1 cup of boiling water.

Preparation mode

To use echinacea leaves, add them to a cup of boiling water and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. As for the echinacea root, you should boil the root together with water for 10 to 15 minutes. Strain, add honey and drink twice a day.

2. Lemon, Garlic and Ginger Tea

Lemon, garlic and ginger tea has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties due to allicin, present in garlic, phenolic compounds such as gingerol, chogaol and zingerone, from ginger, and vitamin C from lemon, which help fight cold symptoms such as sore throat and general malaise.

In addition, this tea helps to strengthen the immune system and shorten the duration of the cold.

Ingredients

• 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and halved;
• 1/2 cup lemon juice;
• 1 cm of ginger root or ½ teaspoon of powdered ginger;
• 3 cups of water;
• Honey to sweeten (optional).

Preparation mode

Boil the water with the garlic. Remove from the heat and add the lemon juice, ginger and honey. Strain and serve next.

Ginger should not be consumed by people who use anticoagulants, and therefore it should be removed from the tea in these cases.

3. White Willow Bark Tea

White willow, scientifically known as Salix alba, has strong analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties due to the presence of salicin, which is a substance similar to the main ingredient in aspirin. Therefore, tea made from the bark of this plant can be a good option to relieve cold symptoms such as sore throat, muscle pain and malaise.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon white willow bark;
• 2 cups of water.

Preparation mode

Bring the water to a boil and add the willow bark. Boil for 10 minutes, strain and drink up to 2 cups a day.

This tea should not be consumed by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people with an allergy to aspirin or those using anticoagulants. In addition, the use of white willow bark tea is not recommended for people with gastrointestinal problems such as ulcers, gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, colitis or diverticulitis.

4. Green Tea

Some studies show that green tea, scientifically known as Camellia sinensis, has phenolic compounds in its composition, such as epigallocatechin, which has antioxidant properties, helping to reduce oxidative stress caused by free radicals in cells, which improves the action of the immune system, helping the body to fight infections such as a cold.

In addition, green tea improves mood and gives more energy, fighting tiredness and general malaise common with a cold.

Green tea can be used in the form of teas, infusions or natural extracts, and must be used with medical advice because excessive use can harm the liver.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon of green tea leaves or 1 green tea bag;
• 1 cup of boiling water.

Preparation mode

Add the leaves or the green tea bag to the cup of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain or remove the sachet and drink immediately. This tea can be consumed 3 to 4 times a day, or according to medical advice.

Green tea should not be consumed by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, people who have insomnia, hyperthyroidism, gastritis or high blood pressure. In addition, because it contains caffeine in its composition, you should avoid drinking this tea at the end of the day or in an amount greater than the recommended amount.

5. Mint tea

Spearmint tea is rich in menthol, an essential oil that helps improve cold symptoms such as a runny or stuffy nose, headache and cough.

In addition, this tea has antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, which help the body fight the cold and recover faster.

Ingredients

• 6 chopped mint leaves;
• 150 mL of boiling water.

Preparation mode

In a cup add the water over the chopped mint leaves and let it rest for 5 to 7 minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey if desired, and drink 3 to 4 cups a day.

6. Star anise tea

Star anise tea helps to strengthen the immune system, reducing cold symptoms, as it is rich in phenolic compounds with antioxidant action that help free radicals that hinder the correct functioning of the immune system.

In addition, star anise has antiviral activity due to shikimic acid, a natural substance that is used to fight the cold virus.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of star anise;
• 500 mL of boiling water;
• Honey to sweeten (optional).

Preparation mode

Place the boiling water in a cup and add the aniseed. Cover, let cool, strain, sweeten with honey and drink. Drink this tea 3 times a day while cold symptoms remain.

7. Licorice tea

Licorice tea has glycyrrhizin, a substance with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial action, which helps fight cold symptoms such as malaise, body pain and stuffy nose.

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon licorice root;
• 1 cup of boiling water;
• Honey to sweeten to taste.

Preparation mode

Add the licorice to the cup of boiling water, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey if desired. Drink this tea up to 2 times a day.

Licorice tea should not be consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding women and people with heart problems.

8. Hemp tea

The marshmallow tea, also known as white mallow or marshmallow, must be prepared using the root of the medicinal plant Althaea officinalis. This plant has an anti-inflammatory effect, making it another excellent home remedy option to help fight the cold.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon of marshmallow root;
• 1 cup of boiling water.

Preparation mode

Add the marshmallow root to the cup of boiling water and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and then drink, up to 2 cups a day.