Is Thyme Tea Good for Colds?

Partly: thyme tea may soothe a cold-related sore throat when served warm, because the warm liquid can comfort the throat and help you stay hydrated. It is a supportive drink, not a proven treatment for the infection. For more on the herb and its preparation, see the guide to thyme tea.

Is thyme tea worth drinking for a cold?

Thyme tea is reasonable to try if you enjoy it and want a warm, caffeine-free drink while you recover. It may make a scratchy throat feel more comfortable, but it should not be expected to cure a cold, shorten its course or prevent complications.

The evidence for thyme-containing products is stronger than the evidence for homemade thyme tea, and the products studied often combine several herbs. For a broader look at staying comfortable and hydrated, see the best drinks for colds and flu.

A cold and flu can cause some similar symptoms, but thyme tea has not been shown to treat either infection. If you think you have flu and are at higher risk of complications, contact a clinician promptly rather than relying on tea.

How might thyme tea help cold symptoms?

Warm liquid can feel soothing against an irritated throat, and drinking fluids helps you maintain hydration when you are unwell. Thyme also gives the water a herbal flavor, which may make it more pleasant to drink.

Thyme contains plant compounds that researchers have studied, but that does not establish how much of them reaches a cup of homemade tea or whether that amount affects cold symptoms. A laboratory finding or a result from an herbal extract cannot automatically be applied to tea made in a kitchen.

There is no good clinical evidence that drinking thyme tea kills cold or flu viruses in the body. It does not replace rest, usual medical care or recommended flu vaccination.

What does the evidence say about thyme tea for colds?

A 2015 systematic review and meta-analysis of herbal medicines for cough included 34 randomized trials involving people with cough associated with upper respiratory infections or the common cold. Four trials evaluated preparations in an ivy, primrose and thyme group; the review found evidence that these preparations improved cough measures compared with placebo.

That finding is encouraging for the products studied, but it is not proof that plain thyme tea works. The preparations differed from homemade tea and could contain other herbs, so the review cannot establish how much benefit came from thyme itself.

An open clinical trial of a combined herbal cough syrup followed 62 patients, some of whom had cough associated with a cold. Their symptoms improved during treatment, but the syrup contained ivy and other herbs as well as thyme. Because the trial had no placebo comparison, it cannot show whether the syrup caused the improvement or whether thyme was responsible.

Overall, evidence for thyme tea itself remains limited. The studies do not establish an effective tea dose, show that it shortens a cold or demonstrate that it treats flu.

How do you make and use thyme tea?

Use culinary thyme and drink the tea for comfort, not as a measured medicine. This mild recipe makes about four servings.

Ingredients

• 1 litre water, about 4¼ US cups
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs, about 5 g

Steps

1. Rinse the thyme under running water.
2. Bring the water to a boil, remove it from the heat and pour it over the thyme in a heat-safe pot.
3. Cover and steep until the flavor is pleasantly herbal, then strain out the thyme.
4. Pour a serving into a cup and let it cool to a comfortable drinking temperature.

Refrigerate leftovers promptly and drink them within 24 hours. Discard the tea sooner if it becomes cloudy, slimy or sour-smelling. You can add a little honey for taste, but do not give honey to a child under 1 year of age.

There is no established therapeutic amount of thyme tea for a cold. Drink it in a comfortable amount alongside your usual fluids, and stop if it causes irritation or makes you feel unwell.

Who should be careful with thyme tea?

Avoid thyme tea if you know you are allergic to thyme. Stop drinking it if you develop a rash or other symptoms of a reaction; seek urgent help for swelling of the lips or tongue, wheezing or difficulty breathing.

If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a healthcare professional before using thyme tea regularly as a remedy; safety information for medicinal use is limited. Ask a child's clinician before giving thyme tea as a remedy, especially to an infant. Culinary amounts of thyme in food are different from concentrated herbal products.

If you have a chronic condition or take regular medication, check with a clinician or pharmacist before using concentrated thyme products. Do not swallow thyme essential oil or substitute it for the herb in this recipe, and do not stop prescribed medication in favor of tea.

Seek urgent medical care for trouble breathing, chest pain, confusion or signs of severe dehydration. Contact a clinician if symptoms worsen, a fever persists, or you are not improving after about 10 days. People at higher risk of flu complications, including pregnant people, older adults and people with asthma or weakened immune systems, should seek advice promptly when flu is suspected.