One of the biggest parts of my college experience is being in an a cappella group at UC Davis (S/O to the Davis Cleftomaniacs!). However, what comes with singing 6 hours a week is the need to take care of your throat all the time. I couldn’t count on my fingers the number of times that we have gone on stage with sore throats and harsh coughs.
The second that one of us gets sick, they ask me to make a thermos of what we’ve now dubbed as “Magic Tea.” It’s a concoction of what most of my friends would believe to be mythical liquid gold that somehow makes your throat feel amazing despite the sand-papery texture that you’ve internally had all week. It’s also what I see as ginger, chamomile, honey and lemon.
Ginger is excellent for healing a sore throat since it flushes out toxins and boosts blood circulation. The spicy bite that comes with ginger provides a soothing sensation as it goes down the throat
Chamomile tea has anti-inflammatory properties that reduce swelling and redness. It has also been reported to possess antioxidant properties that help with tissue repair and health. This is the best way to go, especially when your sore throat stems from a cold.
Honey is known to be an all-around cure for everything you could possibly need. Honey is both antibacterial and a hyperosmotic, which means that it draws out water from inflamed tissue. This reduces swelling and discomfort.
Lemon contains citric acid, which helps break up the mucus from a sore throat and soothes pain and inflammation. Its richness in vitamin C helps boost the immune system, and it is a natural antiseptic that helps kill bacteria in the throat.
Magic Tea
Ingredients
Instructions
Peel the ginger with the back of a spoon and slice somewhat thinly. Place the ginger into a pot with water and heat on high to a rolling boil. Let boil for 5 minutes.
Add the tea bags to the pot and lower the heat to medium. Let steep for about 2-3 minutes.
Turn the heat off, add the honey and squeeze the lemon. You’ll want to wait until the last second to add the lemon because the heat of the water denatures the properties of the acid and lends to a bitter flavor. Taste the tea and add more honey or lemon to taste. Serve piping hot.