10 Natural Sore Throat Remedies
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If your throat’s raw and aching, you don’t need to hit the drugstore. Relief is as close as your pantry. I’m sharing some of my “go-to” sore throat remedies to help you feel better fast.
There are remedies for kids and adults. You can mix and match these depending on what you have on hand. Everyone is different, so listen to your body and see what feels best. Self-care is an important part of resilience.
#1 – My Top Sore Throat Remedy – Apple Cider Vinegar Tea
Apple cider vinegar tea combines warm water, herbs, lemon, ACV, and honey to soothe your throat and reduce inflammation. It’s my preferred remedy for a sore throat, and also helps with sinus congestion and drainage. I discovered this mix a few years ago, and it’s a “must have” for cold season.
Get the recipe for apple cider vinegar tea.
#2 – Tomato Tea
Savory tomato tea mixes garlic, ginger, cayenne and other spices in a tomato base. You can start with V-8 juice, or plain tomato juice, and adjust the heat to taste. This is a good remedy for the folks who like spicy foods.
Get the recipe for tomato tea.
#3 – Elderberry Syrup
Elderberry syrup is great sore throat remedy for kids. When my youngest son was little, he dealt with frequent coughs and sore throat. (He was a preemie.) I tried regular commercial cough syrups, but they would upset his stomach.
That’s when I first learned about elderberry syrup. I was so grateful to find something that soothed his sore throat and cough without side effects. Now we grow our own elderberries and make our own syrup. You can try our elderberry syrup recipe, too.
#4 – Cayenne
Cayenne contains with capsaicin, a natural anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. This is why you often see it used in pain relief salves.
To use cayenne as a natural sore throat remedy, add 1/8 teaspoon cayenne powder to a glass of warm water. Gargle with this water several times per day, or as needed. You may also add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt.
If you don’t have cayenne powder, you can check the pantry or refrigerator for hot pepper sauce. Put several drops of peppery goodness in warm water, and gargle as above.
Cayenne may interact with some prescription medications, so make sure to check for interactions before using it.
#5 – Honey
Combining honey with cayenne provides a “one two punch” as a sore throat remedy. First, the capsaicin desensitizes the throat, then the honey coats and soothes. It’s also great for soothing coughs.
Honey is naturally antimicrobial, and studies show that it helps relieve symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections.
Try a spoonful of honey, cinnamon mixed with honey, ginger honey, or make homemade cough drops. Add honey to warm drinks, or mix a little honey and cayenne together. Take as needed to soothe your throat.
#6 – Warm Salt Water
If you’re battling bacteria or a virus, it can throw your throat pH out of whack. A warm salt water gargle helps to restore the proper pH levels.
The warmth also acts to relax tight, aching throat muscles, making it an effective natural sore throat remedy. Use 1/4 teaspoon salt per 4 ounces of warm water, and gargle several times per day.
#7 – Zinc Lozenges
Zinc interferes with the ability of rhinoviruses to reproduce and lock on to cells. Rhinoviruses are responsible for most colds. These taste a little funny, so you may want to rotate them with other sore throat remedies.
In a study of zinc cold lozenges, the sore throats of the zinc group lasted only one day, compared to three days for the control group. Patients took one zinc lozenge every two hours while awake.
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#8 – Pickle Juice
Combine vinegar and salt in a more tasty package, and you have pickle juice sore throat relief. Some folks swig it right out of the jar (stick to your own jar, please). Others gargle from a glass.
Warm pickle juice relaxes your throat, but I think it tastes better chilled. Raw sauerkraut juice, which also contains vitamin C and probiotics, is another “pickle” variation.
#9 – Sore Throat Teas
Sipping any warm liquid will help, but some of the best teas for sore throat include:
- Chamomile – relaxing, soothing
- Licorice root – lightly sweet, antimicrobial
- Turmeric – antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory
- Peppermint – cooling, soothing
- Ginger – antibacterial, anti-inflammatory
- Cinnamon – anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial
- Horehound – anti-inflammatory, mild expectorant
- Slippery elm – coats and soothes
- Rose hips, which are high in vitamin C
- Elderberry and echinacea, which are known virus fighters
- Cloves, which contain eugenol, a natural numbing agent
Pair your favorite herbal cold and cough tea with honey and lemon to help coat your throat and break up mucus. Sipping warm broth is also good.
Herbal Sore Throat Tea Blend
This herbal sore throat tea from the Herbal Academy brings together:
- sage (an antihistamine)
- licorice root or slippery elm (to coat and soothe)
- cinnamon (antiviral, antibacterial)
- ginger (warming and boosts the immune system)
Add some lemon and honey and a sprinkle of cayenne pepper for extra “oomph”! This tea opens airways and reduces sinus drainage without the pharmaceutical side effects.
Herbal Sore Throat Tea Ingredients
- 1 part sage leaf
- ½ part licorice root or slippery elm
- ¼ part cinnamon chips
- ¼ part ginger root
For instance, combine 1/4 cup sage leaf, 2 tablespoons slippery elm, and one tablespoon each cinnamon chips and ginger root. Increase amounts for a larger batch.
Directions
- Combine herbs in a bowl and store in a sealed container when not in use.
- To Make a Medicinal Infusion – In a glass quart jar, pour boiling water over 4-6 Tablespoons herbal tea, filling the jar to the top. (For one cup of tea, use 1 tablespoon of herb mix.)
- Allow to steep, covered, for at least 15 minutes.
- Strain the herbs and enjoy! Breath the vapors of your tea to maximize the benefits.
- You can refrigerate any excess infusion and heat it up to drink later.
#10 – Garlic
Garlic has antiviral and antibacterial properties, so it fights against many types of sore throat causes. The pungent smell of garlic comes from the sulfur rich compounds that it contains, including allicin and alliin. Cooking makes these compounds less effective, so raw is the way to go.
Crushing or chopping the garlic and letting it sit before use will help to produce more of the helpful sulfur compounds. Let sit at least fifteen minutes, but consume within an hour of crushing/chopping.
To make your raw garlic a little easier to swallow:
- mix it with some honey and lemon
- add it to your herbal tea of choice
- or steep it in hot water to make a simple garlic tea
FAQ
I like the first two sore throat remedies best – apple cider vinegar tea and tomato tea. Each of these teas combine several treatments into one hot drink that soothes your throat and boosts your immune system.
Sometimes winter dry air causes sore throat pain. Sometimes it’s from the common cold, flu or other viral infection. Bacterial infections such as strep throat can also make your throat feel raw.
Try a warm shower or humidifier to help with dry air, and rest your voice if you can. Remember, if pain is severe or accompanied by high fever, bleeding, or trouble breathing, please see your healthcare provider.
If your sore throat pain is from digestive upset, please see “10 Home Remedies for Acid Reflux“.
These sore throat remedies are inexpensive and easy to use. With some rest and care, you should feel better quickly.
What’s your favorite sore throat remedy? Leave a comment below to share your thoughts. (Make sure to scroll through the comments to see what others shared, too. Lots of good tips!)
This article is written by Laurie Neverman. Laurie is a lifelong learner with a passion for natural remedies and holistic healing. She’s successfully improved her eyesight and cleared her psoriasis.
Originally published in 2015, last updated in 2024.