Sage Tea for Sore Throats

If you grow sage in your garden, you’re probably aware that it can be used for so much more than simply seasoning dishes. Medicinally, it has astringent, antiseptic, and antibacterial qualities and has been used for centuries to treat sore throats, coughs, and inflammation in the mouth. During cold and flu season, I like to combine it with ginger, lemon, and honey to make this sore throat soothing tea. This recipe calls for fresh sage leaves, but dried can be used as well. As a rule of thumb, and because dried herbs are more concentrated than fresh ones, you’ll want to use 1/3 the quantity of dried herbs as fresh. For example, this recipe calls for 3 tbsp of fresh sage leaves, so you should use 1 tbsp of dried sage if you choose to go that route. Enjoy!

Ingredients

2 tsp fresh ginger, grated

1 cup water

3 tbsp fresh sage leaves

slice of lemon

honey

Directions

Add the water and ginger to a small pot and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer, add the sage and cover for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat, strain the tea into a mug, and add a slice of lemon and honey to taste.

Caution: Sage is not recommended for pregnant or breastfeeding women.