For many of us, tea forms an indispensable part of many of our lives. Be it green tea, black tea, ginger tea or the Indian masala chai, it is a beverage that’s just enough to kick start a day. However, have you tried the healthier version of tea yet? If not, it is time to add some clove buds to the boiling water to see the many benefits that your reap with the herbal concoction you will drink every morning.
How does clove tea help in treating cold and cough?
Clove tea is a herbal, flavorful and nutritious beverage. The hot beverage is prepared using the potent spice — clove and water. The spice is available all the year round and is easily accessible across the world. Clove is a nutrient rich spice, but, it is primarily eugenol that is present in the buds that aids in health improvement. Moreover, the clove spice has been used for thousands of years and has proven to be a highly efficient agent in treating the common cold and cough related issues.
Tip: You could also use 3 – 4 clove buds to prepare the tea. However, when using buds, ensure the mixture is boiled for at least 5 minutes for the clove oil to be secreted from the buds.
What causes cough and cold?
The primary reasons behind common cold and cough are too much cold water, allergy to specific foods or fruits, dusty air and a dirty environment, and excessive sweating in a hot atmosphere. Any one of these reasons could trigger irritation in the inner linings of your throat, thus leading to an infection which leads to cold and cough.
Constant coughing starts to damage the sensitive inner linings of the throat and may intensify pain. There are many medicines available in the market to treat cough and cold and we all know the side effects they cause. Therefore, natural remedies and the use of essential oils prove to be the best cure.
When should you consume clove tea?
Ideally, when you notice the symptoms of common cold and cough, that is the best time to consume clove tea. Based on the severity of the symptoms you can decide the frequency. For example, if there’s mild pain in the throat and dry cough, the tea should be consumed once or twice in a day. But for severe pain in the throat, you should consume the tea three to four times in limited quantities for a quick relief.
Let us learn how the wondrous clove tea is prepared:
Take a teaspoon of clove buds and grind them coarsely in a mortar and pestle. Now, pour one and a half glasses of water in a pan and allow it to boil for five to ten minutes. After the water starts to boil, add the ground clove powder. Next, strain the mixture. Drink this herbal concoction while it is still hot. You can also store the clove tea in the refrigerator if needed. However, it is recommended that you consume freshly prepared clove tea because it would be extremely effective on your cough and cold.
Tip: In case of a severe infection, you could also add fresh basil leaves and ginger to the clove tea while it is still on the burner.
Benefits for clove tea for cough and cold
- Both clove and clove essential oil have, since ages, been used for healing the respiratory system due to their anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
- The expectorant properties of clove tea help in removal of phlegm from the system. It loosens the mucus in the lungs and esophagus and helps you cough it out.
- The tea also aids in treating stuffy nose, controls the spreading of viral infections and prevents sinus attacks.
- It is an ideal herbal mixture for asthma and bronchitis patients. The rich eugenol contents and other strong abilities of the potent spice aid in reducing the effects of cold and cough, thus, providing relief to bronchitis and asthma patients.
- Clove tea can also be consumed in cases of severe infections like tuberculosis.
6. Moreover, the spice is a potential chemoprotective, especially for lung cancer. - Clove is known for its antibacterial properties that help you fight the infection and kill human pathogens.
Are there any alternatives to clove tea?
While clove tea is highly recommended when suffering from cold and flu, however, one could also consider consuming a tea made out of basil too. Here’s a quick look on the benefits of basil and how to use it to treat cold and cough. It is advised that you should gargle using lukewarm water with a pinch of salt to treat the sore throat you might have developed because of the infection. If you constantly suffer from the problem, you could also consider trying essential oils for the treatment of common cold and cough.
Undoubtedly, the wondrous spice will heal you from within and the hot clove tea will not only improve your cold and cough, but, also aid in removing antioxidants from the body. Do share your experiences on clove tea if you try this. Do you know of more such home remedies that can be used to treat cough and cold?
Note: While we are certain that home remedies would do wonders on your common cold and cough, yet, we highly recommend you seek a medical practitioner’s advice if you don’t notice an improvement within 3 days after regularly consuming clove tea.
Author: Yashpreet
Yashpreet is entrepreneur at heart, a passionate writer and an offbeat explorer. She enjoys writing particularly about natural health and fitness. She frequently shares natural remedies, essential oil tips and health fixes at Fab Naturals.
Sources:
http://www.thehealthsite.com/diseases-conditions/7-interesting-reasons-to-try-clove-tea/
http://www.top10homeremedies.com/kitchen-ingredients/top-10-health-benefits-cloves.html
http://naturalsociety.com/health-benefits-of-cloves-super-spice-healing/
http://www.livestrong.com/article/93626-make-clove-tea/
https://www.leaf.tv/articles/what-are-the-benefits-of-clove-tea/
http://www.findhomeremedy.com/herbal-remedies-for-cough/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/life-style/health-fitness/diet/Clove-The-wonder-spice/articleshow/10301749.cms