We all know what that little tickle in the back means when it starts, or when you feel like you are swallowing a golf ball – a sore throat is on its way.
There are many natural superfoods out there that could help to either sooth your sore throat, or to shorten the duration of your sore throat.
Here are 5 superfoods that scientists have said could be great to help a sore throat.
#1 French Maritime Pine Bark
Also known as ‘pycnogenol’ which is how the extract is sold in supplement form, taken from the maritime bark pine tree that is native to western and southwestern Mediterranean region.
A study published in the Italian journal Otorinolaringologia, found that a combination supplement containing pycnogenol, zinc and vitamin C may be effective in shortening the effects of a sore throat.
http://www.minervamedica.it/en/journals/otorinolaringologia/index.php
Participants taking the supplement found that all of their cold and runny nose symptoms lasted 3.1 days, which was less than the control group who were ill for a total of 4.12 days.
#2 Gold Kiwi Fruit
Not only is there a vibrant green kiwi fruit but there is also a gold variety of kiwi fruit. The gold kiwi fruit is smoother on the outside, and tastes much sweeter than the green type.
According to research published in the British Journal of Nutrition, the number of days study participants eating the gold kiwi fruit had a sore throat were cut from 5.2 days (for the group eating bananas) to 2 days.
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Gold-kiwifruit-may-slash-severity-of-common-cold-Study
#3 Pelargonium Root Extract
Pelargonium is a medicinal plant native to South Africa.
A study published in Phytotherapy Research in 2001, found that pelargonium root extract could modulate the immune system, and strengthen it.
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.785/abstract
The study also showed a positive result when used to treat infectious diseases of the respiratory tract, and reduced the severity of a sore throat.
The extract is reported to work in three ways; by acting as an antimicrobial, antiviral and as a mediator of the body’s own immune defense mechanisms.
#4 Ginger Root
A study published in the journal Complimentary Therapies in Clinical Practice, found that taking ginger root with a combination of other herbs effectively reduced the incidence of acute tonsillitis. As many people with a sore throat may actually have tonsillitis, and those that get it often get reoccurring episodes.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=ginger+sore+throat
This study found no adverse effects were reported when taking the 9 herb combination, and for some participants in the study, their scheduled tonsillectomy was avoided.
#5 Echinacea Herb
One of the most common causes of frequent doctor visits are due to patients having an upper respiratory infections which can have varying symptoms including a sore throat, cough, breathing difficulty, and lethargy.
Sometimes a respiratory infection can be caused by a bacterial infection, but also can be caused by a complication of a virus infection.
One super ‘plant’ that can help with the symptoms and management of an upper respiratory infection, such as a sore throat, is echinacea.
One study found that specifically Echinaforce (the standardised echinacea extract) exerts a dual action against several important respiratory bacteria, a killing effect and an anti-inflammatory effect. These results support the concept of using a standardized Echinacea preparation to control symptoms associated with bacterial respiratory infections according to the report published in the journal Phytomedicine.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20036523
Try Natural Treatments First
It can be easy to think that the only way to treat a sore throat is by taking conventional drugs that are available without a prescription from a pharmacy over the counter when we are bombarded daily with marketing, advertising drugs in our magazines, newspapers, and on the TV and radio.
But remember conventional treatment has not been around that long, compared to natural treatments, some of which have been around and used successfully for thousands of years. So be sure to give natural sore throat treatments a go first, as they may provide you the relief you need without the long list of side effects that most conventional drugs come with.
Sources:
http://www.minervamedica.it/en/journals/otorinolaringologia/article.php?cod=R27Y2013N03A0151
http://www.nutraingredients-usa.com/Research/Gold-kiwifruit-may-slash-severity-of-common-cold-Study
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ptr.785/abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=ginger+sore+throat
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20036523
