Herbal Cold and Cough Care Syrup and Tea
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Herbal cough and cold care ranges from off the shelf products to a mix of homemade recipes tailored to your specific symptoms. The sore throat syrup has a mild licorice taste that is quite palatable. I think even kids would take it without a fuss. The cold and flu herbal tea recipe below has more of a kick.
Cold and Cough Care Sore Throat Syrup Recipe
Adapted from Rosemary Gladstar’s “Cough-be-Gone and Sore Throat Syrup”
In Rosemary’s book, she lists the ingredients as follows:
- 4 parts fennel seed
- 2 parts licorice root
- 1 part cinnamon bark
- 2 parts slippery elm bark
- 2 parts valerian
- 2 parts wild cherry bark
- ½ part ginger root
- 1/8 part orange peel
To make 1 quart of herbal infusion, Rosemary recommend 2 ounces of herb mixture to one quart of water. To get roughly the right weight, I used 2 tablespoons fennel seed, 1 tbsp licorice root, 1 tbsp, slippery elm bark, 1 tbsp valerian, 1 tbsp wild cherry bark, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon bark, 3/4 teaspoon ginger root and 1/4 teaspoon orange peel. All measurements were a little generous so I had enough to get 2 ounces.
Over low heat in a heavy bottom pot, simmer the herbs and water until it is reduced by half, so that you have one pint of liquid.
Strain the herbs out of the liquid, rinse chunks out of the pot, return the liquid to the pot.
For each pint of liquid, add one cup of honey. You may go up to a one to one ratio for a sweeter syrup (1 pint honey to 1 pint liquid).
Heat gently and mix until the syrup is well blended.
Add a small amount of brandy, if desired, to help preserve the syrup and act as a relaxant.
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Remove from heat, bottle and label. This syrup should last for several weeks, even months, if refrigerated. (Most herbs have preservative qualities.)
Rosemary suggests taking 1 to 2 teaspoons every hour or two throughout the day, or as needed for cough.
Cold and Flu Tea Recipe
Adapted from Healing Naturally by Bee
For one mug of tea use:
- 1/2 teaspoon dried ginger (spicy, warming, immune balancing)
- 1/4 teaspoon stevia leaves (or to taste )
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped sage (spicy, antihistamine)
- 1/2 teaspoon chopped thyme (spicy, antibiotic, antiviral)
- Juice of half a lemon (sour, vitamin c)
- A dash of cayenne pepper (hot, immune enhancing) [optional]
Place herbs in mug and cover with boiling water (leave enough room for your lemon juice). Cover and steep for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain herbs, mix in lemon juice and sip slowly. The warmth and natural antihistamine action of the herbs is great for congestion and runny noses. You can adjust the amount of the herbs a bit to taste. I was a little generous with the cayenne in the photo above – too hot for me! *Note: I had originally listed larger portions of the herbs, but with the dried herbs, I think these amounts will probably be better for most people. You can use more to taste.
Longer steeping will give a stronger brew, but if you leave it too long it may become more bitter, so no more than 15 minutes is recommended. Covering the tea while it’s brewing will help to trap “the good stuff”. 🙂
You may also find our other Cold and Flu Remedies useful, including:
- Make Homemade Elderberry Cough Syrup with Juice or Dried Berries
- Easy Homemade Cough Drops for Treatment of Sore Throats and Coughs
- Immune Boosting Herbs in Finger Gelatin
Originally published in 2012, updated in 2017.
This would be helpful as I have 3 young kids
I love Rose Mountain! I have received only fantastic quality from them. It would be great to win the cough syrup ingredients as we head into the germ-iest time of the year! We are both pediatric nurses, so our family ends up exposed to all kinds of cooties! Thanks for the great blog; we love your herbal info.
I need to learn more about thyroid support.
I’d like to know about herbs that can help heal nerve damage–if there are any.
I’d like to learn about natural/herbal care for allergies!
Thank-you for the recipes!
I would like to know more about pain remedies for little ones. My 5 and 3 year old boys are getting lots of bumps and bruises and I want to help them when they feel pain!
I was going to say allergies, but after reading through comments it looks like you’ve already got a post – I’ll have to read through, thanks! So, my next request would be anti-inflammatory ideas. I know of a few, but have MS, so really need to put some time into learning more, especially easy recipes/ideas to incorporate them more frequently. There is a limit to what you can add turmeric to, at least in my mind! 🙂
I would like to know more about herbal remedies for ezcema in children, colds and flu, weight loss, hair loss, seasonal allergies, sinus infections, ear infections….. I have decided to toatally get away from all bad chemicals and I am always seeking alternate ways to take care of my family. Thanks so much for this great offer!!
I would like to know more how to best care for scrapes cuts and that kind of wound. What keeps it cleanest and what helps seal it and finally what helps keep scarring to a minimum. Thanks!
this would be a very nice item at this time of year. Thanks for the chance!
I’d love some ideas on herbs for fertility/conception!
Is there any type of herbal relief for someone with bad psoriasis? My husband has suffered for decades with it and I’d love to help him heal!
I am so enjoying reading your blog and finding out about herbs
My fav herb is raspberry leaves. I would def add them to this cold and flu recipe. Raspberry leaves will help with upset stomch (that can come with the flu) and I have also cured my sons strep throat by making a tea gargle with raspberry leaves and 2 drops of tea tree oil. This should be used as a gargle only! Raspberry leaf tea works wonderful on upset stomachs. 🙂 Take care and live well. Peace and Balance to all, Jodee
Cold and flu ones are awesome. I would be intersted in pain relief remedies also. Fran
I’m always looking for a more natural remedy . My kids think I’m odd, but I’m slowly converting them.
There is already so many people coming down with colds, flus, and coughs. I would love to win this!
Just getting started need all the info I can get. Would love to win! 🙂
I usually make fire cider- I still need to make some this fall but you steep together apple cider vinegar, cayenne pepper, ginger, horseradish, garlic and onion for three weeks and then strain out the liquid, throw away the solids and use the liquid a teaspoon or two at a time mixed with honey. It gets rid of colds and flu really well, especially congestion.
Yowsa! I imagine that would clear *everything*!