This gentle violet throat spray is a quick and efficient way to ease and soothe your sore throat. Made with natural ingredients, it provides fast-acting relief for an inflamed and irritated throat as well as swollen tonsils.
The itching, scratching or burning of a sore throat is unpleasant, especially if accompanied to a fever or a cold. I usually try to find some relief in herbal preparations or other alternatives before going to the pharmacy or visiting a doctor.
This herbal sore throat spray is made of violet tincture and raw honey that both help ease inflammation and relieve swollen tonsils. You can use them on their own or combine them in one effective throat spray.
Ingredients to make the violet throat spray
Violet tincture
The sore throat is usually caused by viral or bacterial infections that inflame or irritate the throat mucosa. Like lemongrass tea, Violet tincture eases inflammation and contains mucilage that coats and heals inflamed tissues. Moreover, it can help the swollen tonsils to tender as violet tincture encourages lymphatic circulation. Violet tincture contains salicylic acid (the main component of Aspirin) and can, therefore, ease pain and reduce fever. We have used its power in making these cough and sore throat lozenges.
Raw honey
Packed with antioxidants, antibacterial properties and healing power raw honey makes for an excellent remedy to fight a sore throat. Make sure you use raw honey and not its pasteurized version that is sold in supermarkets. The pasteurization process kills unwanted yeast, removes crystals and makes the overall honey look better however it kills many beneficial nutrients. This study compared the content of antioxidants in processed honey and raw honey and found out that raw honey has 4.3 times more antioxidants than its processed version (1).
High grade Manuka honey has the highest anitinflamatory, antviral and antioxidant benefits. So if you manage to get manuka honey it will serve the best to our purpose. It is quite expensive as it is produced by bees living in New Zealand that pollinate the flower Leptospermum Scoparium, also known as manuka bush.
Instructions to make herbal throat spray
The convenient spray application enables proper dispersion and easy reach of inflamed tissues.
This easy to make violet spray requires one spray bottle of 20 ml that you fill with 2 tablespoons of a violet tincture, 2 tablespoons of raw honey and 1 tablespoon of warm water. Mix it well and store it in the refrigerator. It can last for several months. Shake it before use. Apply three times a day with 2-3 sprays in affected areas.
You can make a herbal infusion instead. Use dry violet leaves or flowers to make a herbal infusion. Let it infuse for 2 hours and then mix it with raw honey and fill the mixture into the spray bottle.
You might want to use vegetable glycerin instead. It also possesses active properties to ease a sore throat.
Seek expert medical advice before taking this herbal spray during pregnancy or nursing or with medical drugs.
Note that raw honey is recommended for kids from one year of age
Yes, The mucilage that is present in violet tincture may also help lose and expel mucous from the lungs when experiencing a dry cough. And raw honey alone may be an effective cough suppressant.
How to use herbs to sooth and ease a sore throat
You can use them in tinctures or herbal infusions.
How to make a herbal infusion
Make a strong herbal infusion from dried (2 tablespoons) or fresh herbs (4 tablespoons) for a cup of hot water. Let it steep for 2 hours, strain it and use it instead of tincture and water. So just mix it with the same amount of raw honey. Place it in the spray bottle and keep it refrigerated. This herbal infusion lasts 2-3 days. If you want to use it later, just froze it in ice cubes.
How to make tinctures
While in herbal infusions you infuse herbs in hot water, in tinctures you infuse it in ethanol. You can use any part of the herb – leaves, flowers or roots to pull out the active ingredients. Gently chop the herbs, preferably with a ceramic knife. Fill a sterile jar with plant material and pour over 40% vodka or grain alcohol to cover the herbs completely. Use a ratio of 1:3 (one-part plant material to 3 parts menstrum) to allow proper infusion. Put on the lid, and let it sit for 4 weeks in a cold place with an occasional shake. Strain the tincture through a cheesecloth and label it.
Tinctures are usually powerful and concentrated extracts that have a long shelflife – up to several years.
Other herbs you can use for a sore throat
Sage
helps relieve throat pain (2)
Echinacea
boosts your immune system, fights bacteria and helps with inflammation. (3)
Licorice root
possesses similar properties to aspirin and can, therefore, relieve sore throat pain. You can either make licorice tea and gargle it or chew a piece of licorice root.
Marshmallow root
is a demulcent and may soothe inflamed throats by coating the irritated tissues that may help relieve the pain. You can make a tea or a tincture
Elderberry
is a top antiviral herb that is effective easing the symptoms of a sore throat.
Astralagus
might also give you a boost of energy and vitality that is very useful when fighting with viruses or bacteria.
Cayenne pepper
Everybody has cayenne pepper at home that contains capsaicin. Simply mix half a teaspoon of cayenne pepper with one cup of water and gargle it. Capsaicin may help reduce inflammation and clear an infected sore throat.
Ginger root
Ginger root tea helped in this study to fight respiratory tract infections (4)
Raw garlic
Crushed raw garlic contains allicin that possesses antibacterial and antiviral properties and may, therefore, be useful when fighting a bacterial or viral infection. Simply chew a raw clove for 10-15 minutes. Alternatively, mix it with raw honey.
Other than herbs solutions for sore throat
Salt water
I am a big fan of saltwater gargling as it often helped me. Salt helps reduce the swelling of throat tissues by pulling out the water. Just dissolve one teaspoon of salt in one cup of warm water, mix it well till the salt is fully dissolved and gargle every 2 hours.
Apple Cider vinegar
A natural tonic Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid that helps to fight bacteria. When mixed with raw honey it makes oxymel that might help with a cough and a sore throat. (6).
DIY herbal sore throat spray
This gentle violet throat spray is a quick and efficient way to ease and soothe your sore throat.
Materials
Tools
Instructions
- fill the clean spray bottle with 2 tablespoons of a violet tincture.
- Add 2 tablespoons of raw honey or Manuka honey and 1 tablespoon of warm water.
- Mix it well.
- Store it in the refrigerator. Shake it before use.
Notes
Apply three times a day with 2-3 sprays in affected areas.
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I have got to get some violets planted at our new home! They are such beautiful little medicinal powerhouses! This recipe is going to be a good one to keep on hand! Can’t wait to add it to my medicinal medicine cabinet!
Thank you!
I have loved reading this series of violet posts! They sure are versatile little flowers! I love the idea of making a throat spray with them. It doesn’t seem too hard either. Thanks for sharing!