5 Best Herbal Teas to Support Your Immune System This Fall

As the weather cools and daylight shortens, our immune system works harder to adapt. Seasonal transitions often mean more time indoors, fluctuating temperatures, and greater exposure to seasonal viruses; this is the time when viral infections, lingering coughs, and scratchy throats become more common.

In herbal traditions and modern science alike, herbal tea has long been used to support the immune system naturally. The right blends can provide antioxidants, support respiratory health, and help the body adapt to seasonal stressors.

Here are five of the best herbal teas for immune support this fall - each one crafted with herbs that have been trusted for centuries, and available in MediTea’s curated blends.

1. Immune Support Tea – with Yarrow 

When you feel something coming on, this blend is designed to support your body in the moment. Yarrow is especially important in this blend. In traditional European herbalism, it’s known as a fever herb - not because it “cures” fevers, but because it helps regulate them. By opening the pores and stimulating circulation, yarrow encourages a gentle sweat that allows the body to cool itself naturally. This process is often called “diaphoretic action,” and it’s one of the classic strategies for supporting colds and flus.

When paired with elderflower, the effects deepen. Elderflower soothes irritation in the respiratory system while also working synergistically with yarrow to address fevers and congestion. Together, they form a time-honored duo often referred to as the “cold and flu combo” in folk herbalism.

Finally, warming spices like ginger are added for circulation and digestive support. Ginger doesn’t just add heat; it strengthens the body’s ability to push out cold and damp conditions - patterns that Traditional Chinese Medicine associates with seasonal illness.

The result is a blend designed not just to ease symptoms, but to support the body in doing what it’s already trying to do: clear the infection and restore balance. Immune Support Tea is the one you reach for the moment you feel chills, heaviness, or the first ache of sickness.

👉 Shop Immune Support Tea

2. Wellness Tea – with Elderberry

While Immune Support Tea is the blend you turn to in the heat of illness, Wellness Tea is what you reach for afterward - when your body is tired, your defenses are low, and you need nourishment to regain strength. This blend leans heavily on elderberries, supported by cooling, clarifying herbs like peppermint that help the body reset.

Elderberry has been treasured for centuries as a protective berry. In European folk traditions, the elder tree was seen as sacred, offering both food and medicine. The berries in particular were cooked into syrups, wines, and decoctions to help people bounce back after fevers and seasonal sickness. 

From a modern lens, elderberries are rich in flavonoids and anthocyanins - compounds that help reduce oxidative stress and strengthen immune function. But beyond the chemistry, elderberry represents resilience. It doesn’t just push the immune system into overdrive; it nourishes and tones it, helping it recover from strain.

Another key element in Wellness Tea is the presence of peppermint and other menthol-rich herbs. Where Immune Support Tea is warming and diaphoretic, Wellness Tea is cooler and more restorative. Peppermint opens the airways, refreshes the senses, and helps clear lingering heat in the body after illness. In a way, it signals a shift: moving from the sweaty, fever-breaking stage into the calm, restorative stage where the body regains equilibrium.

This distinction is important. Many people assume all immune teas serve the same purpose, but herbalism recognizes timing. Immune Support Tea is for the acute stage - fever, body aches, congestion. Wellness Tea, on the other hand, is about recovery and long-term strength. It supports the immune system not by fighting infection directly, but by nourishing the body after it has done the hard work.

Drinking Wellness Tea in the weeks following an illness can help rebuild resilience so you’re less likely to fall sick again. Think of it as the bridge between healing and prevention - a daily ritual that restores vitality while gently fortifying your defenses.

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3. Lung Health Tea – with Mullein

As the air turns cool and damp, our lungs often become the first place we feel it. Congestion, heaviness in the chest, or a lingering cough are all signs that the respiratory system could use some extra care. Lung Health Tea was created with this in mind, featuring two of the most respected herbs for lung support: mullein and elecampane.

Mullein has long been called a “lung herb,” and for good reason. Its large, velvety leaves contain soothing compounds that calm irritation in the respiratory tract. Traditional herbalists often describe mullein as a demulcent - meaning it coats and comforts inflamed tissues, easing the raw feeling that can accompany a cough. At the same time, mullein has a gentle expectorant action, helping the lungs loosen and move out excess mucus. It’s this dual action, soothing and clearing, that makes mullein such a valuable ally when the breath feels tight or heavy.

Alongside mullein, elecampane provides a deeper, more invigorating effect. Known for its warming and aromatic root, elecampane stimulates the lungs to clear out congestion that feels stuck or stubborn. In traditional European medicine, it was used as a remedy for “phlegmy” coughs, the kind that drag on long after an illness has passed. 

Energetically, elecampane is a classic example of an herb that cuts through dampness - the same damp-cold conditions that often arise during fall. Its slightly bitter and warming qualities restore movement where there is stagnation, helping the lungs expel what no longer serves them.

Together, mullein and elecampane form a balanced duo: mullein softens, elecampane clears. The result is a tea that not only eases immediate discomfort but also strengthens the lungs for the long season ahead. This makes Lung Health Tea an ideal choice for anyone who tends to struggle with chest tightness, seasonal allergies, or coughs that linger when the weather turns.

Drinking it regularly in the fall offers both comfort and protection, reminding the lungs to stay open, resilient, and strong as the seasons change.

👉Lung Health Tea

4. Soothe Tea – with Sage

Few things are as disruptive as a scratchy throat. Whether it comes from a seasonal virus, the dryness of indoor heat, or even just overuse of the voice, irritation in the throat is often the first sign the body needs care. Soothe Tea was crafted for these moments, centering around one of the most time-honored throat remedies: sage.

Sage is more than a culinary herb, it also has a deep history as a medicinal plant. In European herbal traditions, sage was valued for its ability to dry excess moisture and tone tissues, a quality known as “astringency.” This makes it particularly useful for throats that feel raw, swollen, or overly damp with mucus. A warm infusion of sage doesn’t just comfort on contact, it works to tighten and strengthen the tissues of the throat, reducing irritation at its root.

Beyond its astringent qualities, sage carries antimicrobial compounds, making it a traditional ally for fighting off the microbes that often cause throat discomfort in the first place. Herbalists have long recommended sage gargles or teas during times of sore throat, swollen glands, or mouth irritation. In many ways, sage helps create both an internal and external shield - cleansing the tissues while protecting their integrity.

Mullein, also present in this blend, adds another layer of soothing support for the respiratory tract. Where sage dries and tones, mullein moistens and comforts, creating balance in the formula. Together, they deliver a cup of tea that feels both clarifying and softening, easing the throat while addressing the conditions that irritate it.

Drinking Soothe Tea slowly allows the herbs to linger in the throat, maximizing their benefits. It’s an excellent evening tea, especially before bed, when dryness and discomfort tend to worsen. Whether you’re recovering from illness, protecting your voice, or simply navigating the dry air of fall, Soothe Tea offers a ritual of care that goes beyond symptom relief.

👉 Soothe Tea

5. Ginger Aid Tea – with Ginger & Oatstraw 

Not every immune-supporting tea is meant for sickness. Some are best as daily tonics - steady companions that keep the body resilient long before symptoms appear. Ginger Aid Tea fills this role, with ginger as its fiery heart and nourishing herbs like oatstraw and honeybush rounding out the blend.

Ginger has been used worldwide for centuries to protect against the effects of cold and dampness. In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is considered a warming herb that strengthens the body’s defensive qi, the energy that protects against external pathogens. 

Modern research echoes this wisdom: ginger stimulates circulation, supports healthy digestion, and provides compounds with broad immune-supporting effects. In fall and winter, when the body naturally contracts against the cold, ginger helps restore movement and warmth. It is the spark that keeps the system from stagnating.

But ginger’s fire needs grounding companions, and that’s where oatstraw comes in. Rich in minerals like calcium and magnesium, oatstraw supports the nervous system and overall vitality. In many ways, it provides the building blocks the body needs to recover from stress and maintain steady energy. Where ginger stimulates, oatstraw replenishes.

Together, these herbs create a tea that is both warming and restorative. A daily cup of Ginger Aid Tea strengthens immune resilience, keeps circulation moving, and offers the minerals and antioxidants needed for long-term vitality. Unlike teas designed for sickness or recovery, this one is about prevention - giving your body steady, nourishing support throughout the season.

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Bringing It All Together

Fall is a season of transition — shorter days, cooler air, and the first waves of seasonal sickness. Supporting your immune system isn’t about one miracle herb or a quick fix; it’s about choosing the right allies at the right time.

• Immune Support Tea is there when you feel the fever and aches of active illness.
• Wellness Tea helps you rebuild strength once the worst has passed.
• Lung Health Tea keeps the breath clear and the chest light.
• Soothe Tea offers relief when the throat feels raw or irritated.
• Ginger Aid Tea provides daily warmth, nourishment, and steady prevention.

By stocking your pantry with these blends, you prepare yourself for every stage of the season — from prevention to recovery. More than just remedies, these teas create a daily ritual: a moment to pause, breathe, and sip mindfully, knowing you’re supporting your body in harmony with the rhythms of fall.

👉 Explore MediTea’s Immune Support Collection and discover which blend feels like the right ally for you this season.