10 Winter Herbs To Keep You Healthy This Season

Winter is the season where you are in need of some plants to support your immunity. During winter you might be more concerned than usual about ‘flu’ season (not to mention COVID) which means having a few plant allies in the house is a great idea.

These herbs we have listed are either easily accessible or easy winter herbs to grow or forage. Whether you wild forage for some natives like kawakawa or grow your own parsley and calendula, these are the perfect medicinal plants to have on hand to support your health during the winter season.

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1. Sage

2 Thyme

We love thyme, and yes, we are biased because we use it in our products (like our Chest Tonic), but thyme is an amazing plant that is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral. This hardy winter herb can be used as a tea, in dressings or sauces or slow cooked in honey. An easy was to incorporate thyme into your diet is with our Chest Tonic which you can have neat, hot or cold! It helps support your respiratory system as well as aid in recovery if you fall ill.

3 Garlic

Garlic and colds often seem to go together. This winter herb has immune-supporting properties due to its antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory effects, and potential to modulate the immune system.

As a child I had chopped up garlic mixed with honey on toast. Garlic can be added to sauces, dressings and can be cooked whole and smeared on bread like a butter. If possible, buy organic garlic. We love and use organic herbs and ingredients wherever possible. 

4 Parsley

Parsley is one of those great plants that seems to grow without much assistance. Whether it is curly or Italian flat leaf parsley, they are both a great way to support blood health as well as being a great source of magnesium, vitamin K and C, potassium and calcium. Add parsley as a winter herb to your salads, on your potatoes, in your cooking, or you could add to a green soup.

5 Nettle

Nettle is a great mineral dense plant that can help you in winter when you feel a bit lethargic from all the carbohydrates and the lack of sun. It is a great winter herb to help with energy levels and can easily be made into a tea. You could add some dried berries to counteract the ‘earthiness’ of the nettle or you could try our Daily Boost Tonic that contains nettle as a hot drink at 3pm instead of one too many coffees.

6 Peppermint

Peppermint is mostly known for its digestive supportive actions (a peppermint herbal tea is perfect to have after a big meal to settle your tummy). But it can also help with the symptoms of a runny nose and cold. This winter herb is antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory which is great for the winter season.

7 Kawakawa

Kawakawa is a beautiful native plant that helps support your whole body; it is known as a tonic herb. We use kawakawa in our products because it has multiple effects within the body – it is a highlight in our defence range and in our energy supporting tonic – Daily Boost. This is a great winter herb as it is around year long, you could use kawakawa dried or fresh as a tea if you are lucky to be near some.

8 Calendula

Calendula can be added to pastas, salads, baking and used as tea. This plant is helpful for winter as its bitter taste helps to support your lymphatic system so you can efficiently eliminate waste. This also makes it great to support healthy clear skin.  Calendula is a great winter herb as generally it will continue to flower all year round, making it accessible even in the winter months.

9 Ginger

Fresh ginger tea, or lemon honey and ginger are well known winter staple drinks. Ginger is an incredible winter herb that supports circulation, which often feels like it moves less in winter. Often, we can suffer from cold hands and feet, so by moving circulation you can help yourself feel a bit warmer. Plus, ginger is also very good at helping support healthy digestion, removing congestion and is also antiviral. You can add ginger to your dahls, curries, cooking or have it as a hot drink.

10 Turmeric

Turmeric helps support digestion, liver function and is both an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. Like ginger, turmeric is also known as a “warming” spice which helps promote circulation making it an excellent winter herb. It has been known to help with sinus congestion and as we go into winter, turmeric could be added to your curries, you could make a turmeric latte with fresh turmeric or use our Anti Flam Tonic (which contains 3 forms of turmeric) as a hot drink, or in your winter porridge.

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