Best Tea for Allergies: 8 Teas for Hay Fever and Seasonal Allergies, Ranked
The best teas for allergies are ginger, turmeric and green tea, the three with randomised trials in people with allergic rhinitis; nettle, the tea most people search for, has the weakest trial of the lot. In an 80-patient RCT, 500 mg a day of ginger extract improved nasal symptoms as much as loratadine over 6 weeks with fewer side effects; in a 241-patient RCT, 500 mg of curcumin daily for 2 months reduced sneezing, runny nose and congestion; and a methylated catechin from Benifuuki green tea eased cedar-pollen symptoms in several small Japanese trials. The single most effective herbal option, butterbur extract, is not a tea at all and the raw plant is unsafe to brew, so it appears here with a warning. Everything else is tradition plus laboratory antihistamine data.
This page is for sneezing, itchy eyes and a runny or blocked nose from pollen, dust mites, pets or mould, in otherwise healthy adults and children over 1. See a clinician instead if you have wheeze, chest tightness or breathlessness (allergic asthma needs an inhaler, not a tea), swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, hives spreading over the body, or any reaction to a food, sting or medicine, which can be anaphylaxis. Also see someone if symptoms run year-round and disrupt sleep or work, because an intranasal steroid spray or allergen immunotherapy will do far more than any cup.
Each pick below is graded by the human evidence for allergic rhinitis specifically, with a brew, the dose the trials used, who it suits and what can go wrong, including which teas are themselves allergy risks for people sensitive to ragweed. After the list: how to choose, three claims that do not hold up (local honey among them), the non-tea levers that matter more and the questions people ask most.
Quick answer
- Ginger — 500 mg/day of extract matched loratadine for nasal symptoms in an 80-patient, 6-week RCT
- Turmeric — 500 mg curcumin daily cut sneezing, runny nose and congestion in a 241-patient, 2-month RCT
- Green tea (Benifuuki) — methylated catechin reduced cedar-pollen symptoms in small Japanese RCTs; blocks histamine release in the lab
- Butterbur extract (not a tea) — equal to cetirizine and fexofenadine in two RCTs; only PA-free tablets are safe
- Nettle leaf — the folk antihistamine; one 69-patient trial was marginal, one 74-patient trial negative
- Rooibos and peppermint — anti-allergic in cells and animals, caffeine-free and pleasant; no human allergy trials
The 8 best teas for allergies
Ranked by the strength of human evidence. Strong = multiple trials or a meta-analysis. Moderate = a few small trials. Preliminary = early, traditional or animal data.
Ginger has the most direct trial of any tea ingredient for allergies. In a randomised, double-blind study, 80 adults with allergic rhinitis took either 500 mg a day of ginger extract or 10 mg of loratadine for 6 weeks; both groups improved to the same degree on total nasal symptom score and quality of life, and the ginger group had fewer complaints of drowsiness, fatigue and constipation. In laboratory work, 6-gingerol suppresses the T-cell signalling and cytokines that drive allergic inflammation, and in mice it reduced sneezing and nasal rubbing. One trial is not a verdict, which is why this is Moderate rather than Strong, but it is a good trial.
- Key evidence
- Yamprasert et al., BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies 2020 (80-patient RCT, ginger extract vs loratadine)
- How to brew it
- 10 g (4 to 6 slices) of fresh ginger simmered in 300 ml of water for 10 to 15 minutes, 2 to 3 cups a day, daily through the season; the trial dose is closer to a 500 mg extract capsule.
- Best for
- People who get drowsy on antihistamines; seasonal sneezing and runny nose
- Cautions
- Mild antiplatelet effect (limit to 2 cups a day with warfarin, clopidogrel or daily aspirin; stop a week before surgery). Can cause heartburn; up to 1 g dried a day is considered safe in pregnancy. Rare ginger allergy exists.
Turmeric's curcumin has the largest allergy trial on this page. In a double-blind RCT, 241 people with perennial allergic rhinitis took 500 mg of curcumin or placebo daily for 2 months; the curcumin group had significantly less sneezing, rhinorrhoea and nasal congestion, better measured nasal airflow and lower levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-4, IL-8 and TNF-alpha. Curcumin inhibits mast-cell histamine release and NF-kB signalling in the laboratory. The trial used an extract, so a tea gives a smaller dose; brewing it with fat and black pepper (piperine) increases curcumin absorption severalfold.
- Key evidence
- Wu & Xiao, Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology 2016 (241-patient RCT of curcumin in perennial allergic rhinitis)
- How to brew it
- 1 teaspoon of ground turmeric (or 2 cm fresh root, grated) simmered 5 to 10 minutes in 250 ml of milk or water with a pinch of black pepper and a teaspoon of oil or full-fat milk; 1 to 2 cups a day for at least 4 to 8 weeks.
- Best for
- Year-round allergies (dust mite, pet dander); people who will drink it daily
- Cautions
- Antiplatelet effect adds to warfarin, clopidogrel and aspirin; can worsen reflux and gallbladder pain and may lower blood sugar alongside diabetes drugs. Culinary amounts are fine in pregnancy, high-dose extracts are not; concentrated supplements have rare reports of liver injury.
Green tea's EGCG blocks histamine release from mast cells and the high-affinity IgE receptor in laboratory studies, and one cultivar has been taken into human trials. 'Benifuuki' green tea is rich in a methylated catechin (EGCG3''Me) that is a stronger anti-allergic than ordinary EGCG; in a series of small Japanese randomised trials, drinking Benifuuki tea daily for 6 to 12 weeks before and during cedar pollen season reduced nose-blowing, itchy eyes and nasal symptom scores compared with ordinary green tea. Supermarket green tea contains much less of the methylated form, so expect a milder effect.
- Key evidence
- Maeda-Yamamoto et al., Allergology International 2009 (Benifuuki green tea RCT in Japanese cedar pollinosis)
- How to brew it
- 1 teaspoon of loose leaf (Benifuuki if you can find it) in 250 ml of water at 75 to 80°C for 2 to 3 minutes, 2 to 3 cups a day, started 4 to 6 weeks before your pollen season.
- Best for
- Seasonal pollen allergy in someone who already drinks tea; starting early
- Cautions
- 25 to 45 mg of caffeine a cup, which adds to pseudoephedrine decongestants; tannins reduce iron absorption with meals; large amounts can affect warfarin via vitamin K and reduce the effect of nadolol.
Butterbur is the herb with the best allergic rhinitis trials, and it is on this page mainly so you do not try to brew it. In a 125-patient RCT, a standardised butterbur extract (Ze 339, one tablet four times daily) relieved hay fever symptoms as well as 10 mg of cetirizine over 2 weeks; a 330-patient trial found it equal to fexofenadine and better than placebo. Petasins block leukotriene synthesis, the pathway montelukast targets. The raw plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that damage the liver, so only certified PA-free extracts are safe, and a homemade tea from leaves or root never is.
- Key evidence
- Schapowal A, BMJ 2002 (125-patient RCT, butterbur vs cetirizine); Schapowal A, Phytotherapy Research 2005 (330-patient RCT vs fexofenadine and placebo)
- How to brew it
- Do not brew. Use a PA-free standardised extract (Ze 339 or Petadolex) at the label dose, typically one 8 mg petasin tablet 2 to 4 times a day, for the pollen season.
- Best for
- Hay fever in adults who want an antihistamine-strength herbal option without drowsiness
- Cautions
- Only PA-free products; raw butterbur is toxic to the liver. Daisy-family (ragweed) allergy can cross-react. Avoid in pregnancy and breastfeeding, with liver disease, and in children without a clinician's advice; belching is the most common side effect.
Nettle is the most-searched allergy tea and deserves an honest grade. The only placebo-controlled trial, from 1990, randomised 98 hay fever patients (69 completed) to 300 mg of freeze-dried nettle leaf or placebo twice daily for a week; 58% rated nettle moderately or highly effective versus 37% on placebo, a difference that did not reach clear significance. A 2017 RCT of 74 patients found nettle lowered eosinophils in nasal smears but did not beat placebo on symptoms. Laboratory work is more flattering: nettle extract blocks the H1 histamine receptor, inhibits tryptase and reduces prostaglandin synthesis. It is cheap, mineral-rich and safe, so there is little lost by trying it; expect a small effect at most.
- Key evidence
- Mittman P, Planta Medica 1990 (randomised, double-blind trial of freeze-dried Urtica dioica in allergic rhinitis)
- How to brew it
- 1 to 2 tablespoons of dried nettle leaf in 300 ml of water just off the boil, covered, 10 to 15 minutes; 2 to 3 cups a day starting 2 weeks before the season. Use leaf, not root (root is for prostate symptoms).
- Best for
- People who want a daily seasonal tea and do not take warfarin or blood-pressure drugs
- Cautions
- High in vitamin K (interferes with warfarin), mildly diuretic, and can lower blood pressure and blood sugar, adding to medications for both. Avoid in pregnancy (traditional uterine stimulant). Fresh nettle must be cooked or dried; the stings are gone once heated.
Rooibos is popular in South Africa as an allergy and eczema tea, and it has interesting laboratory and animal support but no human allergy trial. Its flavonoids quercetin, luteolin, chrysoeriol and aspalathin inhibit mast-cell degranulation and histamine release in cells and reduced allergic airway inflammation in mice. In humans, 6 cups a day for 6 weeks improved antioxidant status and lipids in a 40-person trial, which says nothing about allergies. It is naturally caffeine-free, low in tannins and safe for children and pregnancy, which makes it a good base for a daily allergy brew with ginger or turmeric added.
- Key evidence
- Laboratory and mouse anti-allergic studies of rooibos flavonoids; no human allergic rhinitis trial
- How to brew it
- 1 heaped teaspoon (or 1 bag) in 250 ml of water just off the boil, 5 to 7 minutes (longer steeping does not turn it bitter); unlimited cups; add a slice of fresh ginger.
- Best for
- Children, pregnancy, evenings; people who want a caffeine-free daily base tea
- Cautions
- Very safe. Rare case reports of liver enzyme elevation with very heavy intake; its effect on iron absorption is smaller than that of black or green tea. May slightly lower blood sugar with very high intake.
Peppermint earns a place for two small reasons. Its rosmarinic acid and luteolin-7-O-rutinoside inhibited histamine release from rat mast cells and reduced sneezing and nasal rubbing in sensitised rats, and its menthol makes a blocked allergic nose feel open within minutes, though measured airflow does not change. Rosmarinic acid from the related herb perilla reduced seasonal allergy symptoms in a small Japanese trial. There is no human trial of peppermint for allergies, so this is a symptomatic comfort tea rather than an antihistamine.
- Key evidence
- Inoue et al., Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin 2001 (peppermint extract and histamine release in rats); Eccles 1994 (menthol and nasal sensation)
- How to brew it
- 1 tablespoon of dried leaf in 250 ml of water just off the boil, covered, 5 to 7 minutes; breathe the steam, then drink; up to 3 cups a day.
- Best for
- A blocked, itchy nose during the day; people who dislike sweet or earthy teas
- Cautions
- Worsens reflux; not for infants and young children. Mint-family allergy exists and can cross-react with oregano, thyme and basil.
Chamomile is on most allergy tea lists and is also the tea most likely to cause an allergic reaction, so it comes last with a warning. Its apigenin and bisabolol inhibit histamine release and inflammatory cytokines in laboratory work, and its mild sedative effect, shown in insomnia trials, helps with the poor sleep that allergic congestion causes. But chamomile is in the daisy family with ragweed, mugwort and chrysanthemum, and cross-reactions ranging from worse hay fever to anaphylaxis have been reported in people sensitised to those pollens. If ragweed is your trigger, choose rooibos instead.
- Key evidence
- Laboratory anti-inflammatory and antihistamine data; case reports of chamomile cross-reactivity in ragweed-sensitised patients; no allergy trial
- How to brew it
- 1 heaped tablespoon of dried flowers in 250 ml of water at 90 to 95°C, covered, 5 to 10 minutes; with honey an hour before bed.
- Best for
- Bedtime when allergies disrupt sleep, in people who are not sensitive to ragweed
- Cautions
- Avoid with ragweed, mugwort, chrysanthemum or daisy-family allergy, and stop at the first sign of itching of the mouth or throat. Mild blood-thinning effect; additive sedation with antihistamines and sleep medicines.
How to choose
- Seasonal hay fever: start ginger or green tea 4 to 6 weeks before your pollen season; the trials that worked all began before symptoms peaked.
- Year-round allergies (dust mite, pets, mould): turmeric daily for at least 2 months, brewed with fat and pepper, has the largest trial.
- You want antihistamine-level relief without drowsiness: that is butterbur extract (PA-free tablets), not a tea, or a non-sedating antihistamine from the pharmacy.
- You are allergic to ragweed, mugwort or chrysanthemum: avoid chamomile, echinacea, butterbur and dandelion; ginger, turmeric, green tea and rooibos are safe.
- Pregnant or giving it to a child: rooibos, ginger (to 1 g dried a day) and weak green tea; avoid nettle, butterbur and high-dose turmeric; a saline rinse and a paediatric antihistamine do more.
- Symptoms include wheeze, chest tightness or breathlessness: stop choosing teas and see a clinician; allergic asthma needs an inhaler.
What to skip
Local raw honey to 'build tolerance'
A randomised trial of 36 people compared local honey, commercial honey and honey-flavoured syrup for a season; none beat the others. Bees collect from flowers with heavy, insect-carried pollen, while hay fever is caused by light, wind-borne pollen that is barely present in honey.
Apple cider vinegar for allergies
No trial exists, and acetic acid does not affect histamine or IgE. The 'mother' is bacteria, not an antihistamine, and daily vinegar erodes tooth enamel.
Homemade butterbur or coltsfoot tea
Both contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids that cause liver veno-occlusive disease and are carcinogenic. The allergy trials used purified PA-free butterbur extract; the plant in a mug is a liver toxin, not a remedy.
Safety and when to see a clinician
- Daisy-family (Asteraceae) teas can trigger the very allergy you are treating: chamomile, echinacea, dandelion and butterbur all cross-react with ragweed, mugwort and chrysanthemum pollen. Stop any tea that makes your mouth or throat itch.
- Butterbur and coltsfoot must never be brewed from the plant; only PA-free extracts are safe for the liver.
- Blood thinners: ginger, turmeric, chamomile and green tea (large amounts) affect platelets or vitamin K, and nettle is high in vitamin K; keep intake steady and tell your prescriber if you take warfarin.
- Blood pressure and diabetes drugs: nettle and turmeric can lower both; green tea's caffeine plus pseudoephedrine can raise heart rate and blood pressure.
- Pregnancy: avoid nettle, butterbur and high-dose turmeric extracts; ginger to 1 g a day, rooibos and ordinary green tea in moderation are considered safe; sedating antihistamines plus chamomile add up.
- See a clinician for wheeze, chest tightness or breathlessness, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, spreading hives, any reaction to food, stings or medicines, or allergies that disrupt sleep or work despite over-the-counter treatment; allergen immunotherapy can change the course of the disease, tea cannot.
What matters as much as the tea
- Intranasal corticosteroid sprays (fluticasone, mometasone, budesonide) are first-line in every allergic rhinitis guideline and outperform oral antihistamines; they take 3 to 7 days and work best started before the season.
- Saline nasal rinse once or twice a day physically removes pollen from the nasal lining and has no interactions with any tea or drug.
- Pollen hygiene: keep windows closed on high-count mornings, shower and change clothes after time outdoors, dry laundry indoors, and wear wraparound sunglasses; counts peak early morning and early evening.
- For dust mites: wash bedding weekly at 60°C, use allergen-proof covers, and keep bedroom humidity under 50%; for pets, keep them out of the bedroom.
- Allergen immunotherapy (allergy shots or under-the-tongue tablets for grass, ragweed and dust mite) is the only treatment that changes the underlying allergy; ask about it if symptoms are moderate or worse every year.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best tea for seasonal allergies?
Ginger and green tea have the best trials for seasonal (pollen) allergy: ginger extract matched loratadine in an 80-patient RCT, and Benifuuki green tea reduced cedar-pollen symptoms in Japanese trials. Both worked best when started a few weeks before the season. Nettle is the traditional choice, but its single placebo-controlled trial was marginal.
Does nettle tea really work for allergies?
A little, maybe. The one placebo-controlled trial found 58% of nettle users rated it moderately or highly effective versus 37% on placebo, which was not clearly significant, and a later 74-patient trial found no symptom benefit. Nettle does block histamine receptors in the laboratory, it is cheap and safe for most adults, so it is reasonable to try for a season; do not expect it to replace an antihistamine.
Is chamomile tea good for allergies?
It is anti-inflammatory in the laboratory and helps sleep, but it is a daisy-family plant that cross-reacts with ragweed, mugwort and chrysanthemum pollen. If those are your triggers, chamomile can make hay fever worse and has caused anaphylaxis in sensitised people. Rooibos is the safer caffeine-free bedtime choice for allergy sufferers.
Which tea is a natural antihistamine?
Nothing in a teabag matches cetirizine, but several teas block histamine pathways in the laboratory: green tea's EGCG, turmeric's curcumin, nettle, rooibos flavonoids and peppermint's rosmarinic acid. The closest herbal equivalent to an antihistamine is butterbur extract, which equalled cetirizine and fexofenadine in trials, and it is a tablet, not a tea, because the raw plant is toxic to the liver.
How long before allergy season should I start drinking allergy tea?
Four to six weeks. The ginger trial ran 6 weeks, the curcumin trial 2 months and the Benifuuki green tea trials started before cedar season, which fits how anti-inflammatory herbs work: they damp the response gradually rather than blocking histamine in minutes. Starting the day your nose begins to run will not do much.
Can I drink allergy tea with antihistamines?
Yes for ginger, turmeric, green tea, rooibos, peppermint and nettle; none interact with cetirizine, loratadine or fexofenadine. Avoid adding chamomile to sedating antihistamines like diphenhydramine, since both are sedative. If you take a decongestant with pseudoephedrine, keep green tea's caffeine modest.
Can turmeric tea replace my allergy medicine?
Not yet. The 241-patient trial used a 500 mg curcumin extract, a dose a tea does not reach, and the effect was meaningful but smaller than that of a steroid nasal spray. Turmeric tea is a sensible daily addition for perennial allergies, brewed with fat and pepper for absorption, and may let some people use less medication, but change prescriptions with your clinician.
References
- Yamprasert R, Chanvimalueng W, Mukkasombut N, Itharat A. Ginger extract versus loratadine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies (2020)
- Wu S, Xiao D. Effect of curcumin on nasal symptoms and airflow in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (2016)
- Maeda-Yamamoto M, Ema K, Monobe M, et al.. The efficacy of early treatment of seasonal allergic rhinitis with benifuuki green tea containing O-methylated catechin before pollen exposure: a randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Allergology International (2009)
- Schapowal A. Randomised controlled trial of butterbur and cetirizine for treating seasonal allergic rhinitis. BMJ (2002)
- Schapowal A. Treating intermittent allergic rhinitis: a prospective, randomized, placebo and antihistamine-controlled study of butterbur extract Ze 339. Phytotherapy Research (2005)
- Mittman P. Randomized, double-blind study of freeze-dried Urtica dioica in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. Planta Medica (1990)
- Roschek B Jr, Fink RC, McMichael M, Alberte RS. Nettle extract (Urtica dioica) affects key receptors and enzymes associated with allergic rhinitis. Phytotherapy Research (2009)
- Inoue T, Sugimoto Y, Masuda H, Kamei C. Effects of peppermint (Mentha piperita L.) extracts on experimental allergic rhinitis in rats. Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin (2001)
- Rajan TV, Tennen H, Lindquist RL, Cohen L, Clive J. Effect of ingestion of honey on symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology (2002)
- Marnewick JL, Rautenbach F, Venter I, et al.. Effects of rooibos (Aspalathus linearis) on oxidative stress and biochemical parameters in adults at risk for cardiovascular disease. Journal of Ethnopharmacology (2011)
- Brozek JL, Bousquet J, Baena-Cagnani CE, et al.. Allergic Rhinitis and its Impact on Asthma (ARIA) guidelines: 2010 revision. Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (2010)
- NHS. Hay fever (2024)View source
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Ask about tea for allergiesThis guide is educational and is not medical advice. Herbal teas can interact with prescription medicines. Talk with a clinician or pharmacist before relying on any of them, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have a chronic condition, or take medication.