Whether it’s from a cold or allergy, a sore throat can really ruin your day. The good news is that there are several herbs that will help soothe a sore throat and you can find them in your local produce aisle – you may even be growing them at home.

Sage has astringent, antiseptic, and antibacterial qualities, and this herb has a long history of use for sore throats, coughs, and mouth inflammations.

Thyme also has antiseptic and antibiotic properties and is often used to alleviate coughs and symptoms of acute bronchitis.

Ginger and honey are a superhero tag team for battling sore throats. The duo has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that inhibit the growth of fungus, bacteria and other microorganisms that can contribute to a sore throat.

If you are feeling pain in your throat, try this recipe for a quick natural sore throat remedy.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons fresh sage

2 tablespoons fresh thyme (I used lemon thyme, but regular works fine)

1 slice of fresh or dried citrus

1 inch fresh ginger

1 tablespoon raw honey (We used Nature Nate’s Raw Unfiltered Honey)

vodka or neutral flavored alcohol (this is only used to extend the life of the spray)

french press (optional)

amber or blue color glass spray bottle

How These Ingredients Benefit A Sore Throat

Fresh Sage

Sage is an herb that offers a sweet, savory flavor along with a wealth of health-promoting properties. It’s long been held in high regard for culinary and medicinal purposes, thanks to its variety of flavonoids, volatile oils, and phenolic acids.

It offers antiseptic, antibacterial and astringent qualities, and is well-known to kill viruses and bacteria, due to its ability to reduce inflammation and swelling.

Native Americans used it long before modern medicine in order to cleanse the mouth and heal a sore throat among other conditions.

Making a tea with fresh sage helps to soothe the pain and encourage healing. Simply gather up two tablespoons of fresh sage, bring one cup of water to near the boiling point and then pour it over the leaves. Cover and steep for 10 to 15 minutes before straining.

Fresh Thyme

Thyme is an herb that’s been used medicinally since ancient times and is considered one of the world’s most powerful antioxidants.

Among its many uses is as a pain reliever, with the plant’s therapeutic benefits attributed to its antiseptic, antibacterial, antispasmodic and expectorant properties, among others. When it comes to sore throats, it works to soothe and cool to provide relief.

Use fresh thyme to make a tea as in the recipe above, bringing a cup of water almost to a boil and then pouring it over two tablespoons of the leaves, allowing it to steep for 10 to 15 minutes, and then strain.

Fresh or Dried Citrus

While many types of citrus can help battle a sore throat, lemon is particularly ideal and can be used fresh or dried. The citric acid in lemon works to break up mucus that can lead to a sore throat and also soothes the throat while reducing inflammation.

It’s rich in vitamin C, along with other essential nutrients, which help strengthen the immune system, and is a natural antiseptic, meaning to can help to kill infectious agents in the throat.

To use fresh lemon, juice half of a lemon and then dilute it in a small amount of water. Stir thoroughly and then use it as a mouth rinse.

Fresh Ginger

Ginger root is a pungent spice with a warming and lemony spiciness. It’s a powerful anti-inflammatory and pain reliever.

Make a ginger tea by grating an inch of fresh ginger, pour over a cup of boiling water and allow to steep for 5-10 minutes before straining. Add a spoonful of raw honey for sweetness and extra health benefits.

Raw Honey

Since practically the dawn of time, honey has been used to soothe a sore throat. Its thick consistency helps to coat to protect and provide relief, and it also contains antibacterial and antiseptic properties that fight against an infection to speed up the healing process.

It serves to draw out excess fluid from inflamed tissue to decrease pain and swelling too. Simply add a tablespoon of raw honey to a cup of warm water, mix well and then slowly drink it.

How To Make The Sore Throat Spray

Watch the 90 second video below to see how we made this sore throat spray, or continue below to see the step-by-step photos and written instructions.

Add two tablespoons of fresh sage to a cup or French press.

Add two tablespoons of fresh thyme.

Peel and slice an inch of fresh ginger.

Add a slice of fresh or dried citrus. Citrus is a good source of vitamin C (a natural cold-fighter) and adds a fresh flavor to the tea.

Pour in enough hot water to just cover the herbs.

Let it steep until it cools.

Add a tablespoon of raw honey and mix well.

Add in an equal amount of vodka to the mixture. Mix well.

Strain out the herbs.

Pour into a spray bottle. It can be stored in the fridge for up to six months.

To use the herbal sore throat spray, spritz one or two times into your mouth, aiming for the throat. You can use this spray multiple times a day.

You can watch how we made this sore throat spray in our step-by-step video here.

4 More Ways To Ease a Sore Throat Naturally

Here are more natural remedies you can use right at home.

Saltwater Rinse

Gargling with saltwater has long been known to be effective for easing the pain of a sore throat. The salt helps to decrease the swelling as it pulls fluids from mucous membranes and tissues while helping to eradicate unwanted microbes. All you have to do is add a teaspoon of salt to a cup of warm water, stir and allow the salt to dissolve. Swish a mouthful of the mixture for 30 seconds or so, repeating every hour until the problem has resolved.

Garlic

Garlic contains a powerful compound known as allicin which offers a variety of antimicrobial properties that has been shown in scientific studies to help battle all sorts of bacteria, as well as providing antiviral activity. That means whether your sore throat is the result of a viral or bacterial infection, consuming garlic can help. To use it raw, crush a garlic clove and allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to release the allicin, then simply swallow it. If that proves too challenging, you can add it to your meals through the day, or take a garlic supplement. Doing this even after your sore throat has healed may help prevent it and other ailments from occurring in the first place too.

Onion

Onion also contains allicin and can work to ease your sore throat just like garlic. To use it, however, you’ll make it into a tea. Onion tea is a remedy that’s been around for many years to soothe the pain of a sore throat and calls for the skin of the onion. Add the skin of half an onion to a cup of boiling water. Let it boil until the water begins to take on the color of the onion skin. Strain the onion peel from the liquid and pour it into a mug. Allow it to cool until just drinkable. Sip slowly and within an hour, your sore throat should be gone.

Peppermint Leaves

Fresh peppermint leaves offer a wealth of medicinal benefits as they contain menthol. Menthol not only provides a cooling effect to ease a sore throat, it serves as a decongestant to break up mucus. The best way to use them for this purpose is to make a tasty tea. The University of Maryland Medical Center advises adding a teaspoon of dried peppermint leaves to a cup of boiling water. Let it steep for 10 minutes or so before straining. Allow to cool until drinkable and then enjoy up to five times per day until your sore throat has faded away.

Looking for more home remedies for a sore throat to provide quick relief? Take a look at our ultimate guide: 21 Home Remedies For A Sore Throat To Provide Instant Relief