Warm liquids, honey-based drinks, and simple broths are among the most effective things you can drink to ease a sore throat and cough. They work through a combination of coating the throat, thinning mucus, and reducing inflammation. But not all drinks help equally, and the temperature, ingredients, and timing all matter.
Why Fluids Matter More Than You Think
Staying hydrated does more than prevent dehydration. It directly affects how thick your mucus is and how easily your body can clear it. Healthy airway mucus is about 98% water. When you’re sick and losing fluids through fever, mouth breathing, or reduced appetite, that mucus becomes more concentrated. Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences found that as mucus concentration increases, it becomes stickier and harder to cough up. Both its tendency to cling to airway walls and its internal thickness increase in proportion to how dehydrated it gets. Drinking fluids brings that concentration back down, making coughs more productive and less painful.
This means any fluid helps to some degree. Water, diluted juice, herbal tea, broth. The goal is consistent intake throughout the day rather than large amounts at once.
Honey in Warm Drinks
Honey is one of the best-studied natural cough remedies, particularly for children. A Cochrane review of two randomized controlled trials involving 265 children found that honey was better than no treatment for reducing cough frequency, slightly better than a common antihistamine, and equally effective as dextromethorphan, the active ingredient in most over-the-counter cough syrups. In another trial of 134 children, cough decreased by more than 50% in 80% of kids given honey and milk, compared with 87% given OTC cough medication, a difference that was not statistically significant.
Honey works partly as a demulcent, meaning it physically coats and soothes irritated throat tissue. It also stimulates saliva production, which keeps the throat moist. A study of 25 healthy men found that buckwheat honey showed good demulcent and antioxidant properties and triggered the release of immune-signaling proteins that may have antimicrobial effects.
The simplest way to use it: stir one to two tablespoons of honey into warm water or herbal tea. Warm (not hot) liquid enhances the soothing effect without scalding already-inflamed tissue. One critical safety note: never give honey to children under 12 months old. The CDC warns it can cause infant botulism, a severe form of food poisoning.
Herbal Teas That Coat and Calm
Not all teas are equal when your throat is raw. The most helpful ones contain mucilage, a gel-like substance that forms a protective layer over irritated tissue. Slippery elm is one of the best-known sources. Its inner bark stimulates mucus and saliva production, coating the throat and esophagus. The bark also contains tannins and resins, which act as astringents and may help tighten swollen tissue. Marshmallow root works through a similar mechanism, producing a slippery coating that reduces the scratchy sensation that triggers coughing.
Ginger tea offers a different benefit. Ginger contains bioactive compounds, most notably gingerols, that act as anti-inflammatory agents. These compounds can help reduce the swelling in throat tissue that makes swallowing painful. Fresh ginger sliced into hot water, steeped for 10 minutes, and sweetened with honey gives you both the anti-inflammatory effect and the demulcent coating in one drink.
Chamomile and peppermint teas are also popular choices. Peppermint contains menthol, which creates a cooling sensation that can temporarily numb throat pain and open up the feeling of nasal passages. Chamomile has mild anti-inflammatory and relaxing properties, making it especially useful before bed when coughing tends to worsen.
Warm Broth and Chicken Soup
Chicken soup’s reputation as a cold remedy has actual science behind it. A study at the University of Nebraska Medical Center tested a traditional chicken soup recipe for its effect on white blood cells called neutrophils, which drive much of the inflammation responsible for cold symptoms. The soup significantly inhibited neutrophil movement in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting a mild anti-inflammatory effect. Both the chicken and each vegetable in the recipe showed individual inhibitory activity, though the complete soup performed best.
Beyond the anti-inflammatory angle, warm broth delivers fluids, electrolytes, and calories in a form that’s easy to swallow when your throat hurts. The steam from a hot bowl also helps loosen nasal congestion. Bone broth, miso soup, and vegetable broth all provide similar hydration benefits, even if they haven’t been studied as specifically as chicken soup.
Warm Water With Salt (for Gargling)
This one isn’t a drink you swallow, but it belongs on the list because it’s one of the fastest ways to relieve throat pain. The Mayo Clinic recommends mixing a quarter to half teaspoon of table salt into eight ounces of warm water. Gargle for 15 to 30 seconds and spit it out. The saltwater draws excess fluid out of swollen throat tissue through osmosis, temporarily reducing inflammation and pain. You can repeat this several times a day.
Research from the American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians also suggests that regular saltwater gargling may help prevent upper respiratory infections, not just treat them. It’s safe for most people, though young children who can’t gargle without swallowing should skip it.
Warm vs. Cold Drinks
You might wonder whether warm or cold drinks are better. The answer depends on what’s bothering you most. Warm liquids are generally better for loosening mucus, stimulating saliva, and providing that soothing sensation on inflamed tissue. They also help with the steam effect, which can ease nasal congestion alongside throat discomfort.
Cold drinks or ice chips can temporarily numb sharp throat pain, similar to how ice helps a sprained ankle. Survey data on throat discomfort treatment shows that people with more severe symptoms tend to reach for drinks with a distinct sensorial effect, whether warming or cooling, based on what feels best. If swallowing warm liquid stings, cold water or sucking on ice may be more comfortable. There’s no harm in alternating based on what your throat needs at a given moment.
What to Avoid
Some drinks actively make things worse. Alcohol dehydrates you and can irritate already-inflamed mucous membranes. Caffeinated coffee and energy drinks have a mild diuretic effect, which works against your hydration goals. Very hot beverages can scald swollen tissue and increase pain. Acidic drinks like orange juice or lemonade often sting on contact with a raw throat, even though vitamin C is otherwise helpful during illness.
Dairy is a gray area. Some people feel it thickens their mucus, though research hasn’t confirmed that milk actually increases mucus production. If it feels like it makes your throat worse, switch to non-dairy alternatives. If it doesn’t bother you, warm milk with honey is a perfectly reasonable option, especially at bedtime.
Signs Your Symptoms Need More Than Drinks
Home remedies work well for the sore throats and coughs that come with common colds and mild upper respiratory infections. But the CDC recommends seeing a healthcare provider if you have difficulty breathing or swallowing, blood in your saliva or phlegm, joint swelling and pain, a rash, or symptoms that don’t improve within a few days or get worse. For infants under 3 months with a fever of 100.4°F or higher, seek care right away.