Sore throat is a very common symptom when winter arrives. Several natural solutions can relieve it, starting with a very simple remedy shared by a nutritionist. You only need three cooking ingredients to make it.
Do you have a crooked voice? Hot, itchy and painful throat? It’s virus season. Without necessarily having a cold or flu, you can easily have a sore throat when temperatures drop. “The other morning I woke up with a sore throat, not really sick, but it was really bad.”says Maty Harrington, nutritionist. It was then that the nutrition expert remembered an old grandmother’s recipe that her mother prepared for her when she was young.
At this time of year, ENT specialists notice a clear increase in throat irritations linked to the cold, but also to the dry air of heated homes. The majority of this pain is not due to a bacterial infection, but to inflammation of the mucous membranes. The simple transition from exterior cold to interior heat is enough to weaken them, as does fatigue. A hot drink can then provide rapid relief to the throat thanks to its moist heat.
The nutritionist shares her “miracle” remedy that instantly relieves inflamed throats. “I’m not kidding, an hour later my throat was no longer sore at all,” she says in a video. The key ingredient of this remedy is cloves. With it, she makes a drink which serves as an excellent “immune stimulant and a super antiviral” and which has a purifying and cleansing action. Clove (from the clove tree) has long been used in herbal medicine for its antiseptic effect.
Clove is one of the spices richest in antioxidants. Its main compound, eugenol, is widely studied for its anti-inflammatory properties, which explains its traditional use in dental pain and irritation of the ENT sphere. A review published in Phytotherapy Research recalls that it also has a slight anesthetic effect, capable of temporarily reducing the burning sensation in the throat.
It is used in a “dried” version (as in cooking), but also in oil. The advantage of the oil is that it is very concentrated in eugenol, an anti-infectious, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory molecule. To create her “magical” concoction, the expert pours hot water over a small piece of finely chopped ginger (for one cup, she uses 1 inch of root), a cinnamon stick and 4 to 6 dried cloves. She lets the mixture steep for 10 minutes before straining it and serving it like a normal cup of tea. If you don’t like the taste, you can add a little lemon juice and a spoonful of honey.
Ginger, rich in gingerols, also has recognized anti-inflammatory properties. Cinnamon contains polyphenols of interest for their antimicrobial effects. The combination of the three ingredients creates a warm infusion that can help soothe an irritated throat while promoting sufficient hydration, essential for calming inflammation. ENT specialists point out that it is also useful to humidify the indoor air and drink regularly to limit repeated irritations. However, be careful with clove oil, it must be used in limited quantities over a short period (maximum 7 days). Clove oil is contraindicated in pregnant or breastfeeding women, children under 6 years old and in cases of liver failure.
