Best Tea for a Cold and Flu: What to Drink to Feel Better

The best tea for a cold is a hot cup of green tea or matcha by day, ginger for warmth and congestion, a vitamin C rich herbal blend with honey and lemon for comfort, and a caffeine-free sleep tea at night. Hot tea eases cold symptoms, keeps you hydrated, and the right herbs support your immune system while it fights.

The research: in a randomized, placebo-controlled trial, adults taking a green tea formulation had 32% fewer cold and flu symptoms and 36% fewer days with symptoms. [1] And the warmth works on its own: a hot drink eased runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chills and tiredness in a Cardiff University study. [2]

The Best Teas for a Cold or Flu

1. Green Tea and Matcha: Shorter, Milder Colds

Green tea's catechins support the immune cells that fight infection. [1] Drink it in the morning and early afternoon; it contains caffeine.

Find it in: Green Zen and Pure Detox.

2. Ginger: Warmth From the Inside Out

Ginger's gingerols are anti-inflammatory [3], and a hot, spicy cup helps you feel warm when you have the chills. It also settles the queasy stomach that often comes with the flu. 

Find it in: Pure Detox.

3. Turmeric: Golden Immune Support

Curcumin interacts with many of the immune system's cells and signals. [4] Add black pepper to boost absorption. More in Turmeric Tea Benefits.

4. Vitamin C Rich Herbal Tea With Honey and Lemon

Rosehip and lemon provide vitamin C, which reduced the duration of colds by 8% in adults in a Cochrane review of 29 trials. [5] Honey soothes coughs and sore throats. [6]

5. A Caffeine-Free Sleep Tea at Night

Sleep is your best cold remedy. Short sleepers were 4.2 times more likely to catch a cold in a study in the journal Sleep. [7] Sleep Restore, with chamomile and valerian, helps you rest while you recover.

Your Cold Recovery Tea Schedule

Time	Tea
Morning	Green Zen matcha or Pure Detox
Midday	Ginger tea with honey and lemon
Afternoon	A caffeine-free herbal tea, to keep fluids up
Bedtime	Sleep Restore

Aim for 6 to 8 warm cups of fluid a day while you are sick. Tea counts and hydrates as well as water. [8]

Cold or Flu? Know the Difference

A cold comes on gradually, with a runny nose, sneezing, and a sore throat. Flu hits suddenly and harder: high fever, body aches, chills, and exhaustion. Tea supports comfort and recovery for both, but see a doctor for flu symptoms if you are in a high-risk group, or if you have trouble breathing, chest pain, or a fever above 39°C (102°F).

Symptom by Symptom

• Sore throat: see Best Tea for Sore Throat
• Cough: see Best Tea for Cough
• Blocked nose: see Best Tea for Congestion

Stay Ahead of Cold Season

The best time to drink immune support tea is before you get sick. Build the daily routine in our Immune Support Tea guide.

The Avodah Moment: Slow Down So You Can Get Back Up

Avodah means devotion and service. A cold is your body asking you to pause, and most of us ignore it until we cannot.

This time, listen early. Cancel one thing. Make a pot of tea and keep it beside you. Sip, rest, sip again. Go to bed an hour earlier tonight. The fastest way back to everyone who needs you is to let yourself recover.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. This is where you fill yours.

Shop Green Zen | Shop Pure Detox | Shop Sleep Restore

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best tea for a cold?

Green tea or matcha by day, ginger with honey and lemon, and a caffeine-free sleep tea at night.

Is green tea good for a cold?

Yes. In a randomized trial, a green tea formulation cut cold and flu symptoms by 32% and symptom days by 36%.

Is ginger tea good for a cold?

Yes. Ginger is anti-inflammatory, warming, and settles the queasy stomach that can come with the flu.

What tea is good for the flu?

Ginger and green tea for daytime, plenty of warm caffeine-free herbal tea for fluids, and a sleep tea at night. See a doctor if you are high risk.

Should I drink caffeinated tea when I have a cold?

Yes, in the morning. Switch to caffeine-free tea from mid-afternoon to protect your sleep.

How much tea should I drink with a cold?

6 to 8 warm cups of fluid a day. Tea hydrates as well as water.

 

Your day. Your tea. Your Avodah Moment.

References

1.          Rowe CA, Nantz MP, Bukowski JF, Percival SS. Specific formulation of Camellia sinensis prevents cold and flu symptoms and enhances gamma delta T cell function: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. J Am Coll Nutr. 2007;26(5):445-452.

2.          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.

3.          Mashhadi NS, Ghiasvand R, Askari G, Hariri M, Darvishi L, Mofid MR. Anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of ginger in health and physical activity: review of current evidence. Int J Prev Med. 2013;4(Suppl 1):S36-S42.

4.          Jagetia GC, Aggarwal BB. "Spicing up" of the immune system by curcumin. J Clin Immunol. 2007;27(1):19-35.

5.          Hemilä H, Chalker E. Vitamin C for preventing and treating the common cold. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2013;(1):CD000980.

6.          Oduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;4(4):CD007094.

7.          Prather AA, Janicki-Deverts D, Hall MH, Cohen S. Behaviorally assessed sleep and susceptibility to the common cold. Sleep. 2015;38(9):1353-1359.

8.          Ruxton CHS, Hart VA. Black tea is not significantly different from water in the maintenance of normal hydration in human subjects: results from a randomised controlled trial. Br J Nutr. 2011;106(4):588-595.