It’s that time of year again. No, I’m not talking about the new football season or the time of year trees change colors and fall to the ground. I’m talking about something that comes right along with the plummeting temperatures — Cold and flu season.

Throat coat to the rescue!

Regardless of my health, I have drank this tea regularly for a few years and will continue to do so because I just love it.  It is an ideal night time tea for me because it is caffeine-free and very soothing. Sometimes (during the day) I brew it with green tea for added health benefits and to add a little bit of caffeine. The licorice/herb flavor it has, while being “too strong” for a friend of mine, couldn’t be more palatable for me.

Throat Coat (and as far as I can tell, all of the other teas offered by Traditional Medicinals) is a bagged tea. Sometimes I wish I had the option to order a loose-leaf tin, but overall I find that the bags are convenient and don’t take anything away from the end product. I usually have a bag or two in my tea wallet when I travel.

Traditional Medicinals describes this tea as:

Organic Throat Coat® is a complex and aromatic blend of herbal tastes–sweet, aromatic, earthy and viscous.

Brewing directions:

Brew Well to be Well®
For maximum benefit, herbal tea must be properly prepared. Pour 8 oz. freshly boiled water over a tea bag in a cup. Cover cup and steep 10-15 minutes. These steps directly influence the amount of beneficial components that will end up in your teacup! Gently squeeze the tea bag to release any remaining extract.
Drink 4 to 6 cups daily or as needed. To enhance benefits, add honey, especially in dry climates.

I especially agree that this tea should be brewed for 10-15 minutes, if not longer, and the bag be squeezed. This tea gets very thick as they described and lingers in your throat to effectively ‘coat’ it.

The ingredients in this blend are licorice root, slippery elm bark, licorice root extract, marshmallow root, wild cherry bark, bitter fennel fruit, cinnamon bark and sweet orange peel. The supplement facts can be viewed here.

I read through Traditional Medicinal’s website and learned quite a few things that I think are amazing! Just a peek into their page about sustainability reveals that most of the electricity they use is generated by solar panels and backed up by their support of wind power. They also regularly receive awards for their efforts in recycling and using recycled materials in their packaging. Most importantly, as far as the benefits to the end user go, their herbs are 100% organic and are pharmacopoeial grade! There are so many great things about this company that one blog post cannot entirely describe.

I see that they offer another blend of throat coat tea – Organic Lemon Echinacea Throat Coat® – and I am looking forward to trying it some day.