Throat Soothing Tea

This is one of my favorite recipes to make when I have a sore throat or when a cough has irritated the tissues of the pharynx. This tea is made from the roots of the herbs so a decoction method is used.

Teas are made either by infusion or decoction. Infusion happens with the leaves and flowers of the plants. You are simply adding hot water on top of the herbs and letting them sit for 5-10 minutes. With a decoction, the roots are the part of the plant that will make the tea, so this requires a different method to extract the healthy goodness and flavor.

To make the decoction tea, place the herbs in a pot on the stove top and cover with water. Bring the water to a simmer and cover the pot loosely. Allow the tea to simmer for a minimum of 20 minutes and up to an hour in some cases. Remove from the heat, allow to slightly cool, and then strain out the plant material.

Ingredients:

Licorice root: This is the key ingredient to this tea! Licorice is so soothing to irritated tissues because as a demulcent, it coats nerve endings. This root also provides anti-inflammatory properties to help with healing.

Cinnamon: This mucilagenous herb provides a comfort coating to the lining of the throat while also cleansing the tissues due to its anti-septic nature. Cinnamon also brings a warming flavor!

Echinacea: Who doesn’t know this herb by now?! Long knows for its support of the immune system, echinacea increases the activity of the T-cells–our body’s first line of defense against germs.

Marshmallow Root: This is another mucilagenous herb and again soothes irritated tissues.

Wolfberries: Dried wolfberries offer immune support and are a natural antioxidant.

Ginger Vitality: Ginger is so warm and soothing! It also adds another spicy note to the tea. Add 2-3 drops of Ginger Vitality Essential Oil at the end of the tea making process.

With the herbs in the pot (except the Ginger Vitality) covered with water on the stove top, I allow them to simmer for about 30-40 minutes with this recipe.

After the tea has cooled slightly, I strain out the herbs. This will leave a concentrated tea with a strong flavor. Pour into a glass mason jar, add the Ginger Vitality oil (I start with 2 drops to test the flavor), then store the tea in the refrigerator.

To use: Fill a mug about 1/4 full with the tea. Add water and warm up the beverage. Adjust the amount of tea and water to your taste.