In short:
- Natural products for flu season do not treat the illness: they support comfort during winter. Five brands cover most of the French market, with three families of actives: essential oils (Pranarôm, Puressentiel), echinacea (Arkopharma) and propolis (Ladrôme, Propolia).
- Pranarôm, a Belgian aromatherapy laboratory founded in 1991, combines five organic essential oils in capsules from age 12 (30 capsules, 10.90 euros) and offers a drop solution for children over 6 (30 ml, 10.30 euros), both limited to 14 days.
- Puressentiel doses organic ravintsara capsule by capsule, from 1 a day at 7 to 4 a day at 15 (60 capsules, 14.90 euros). Arkopharma provides 1,620 mg of organic echinacea root per day (45 capsules, 8.80 euros).
- Ladrôme covers 100% of daily vitamin C needs with its propolis, echinacea and acerola tablets (20-day programme). Propolia, a beekeeper in the Hérault since 1979, offers propolis as a throat spray (222 mg a day at most) and as gummies from age 6.
Five natural winter product brands compared
| Criterion | Pranarôm | Puressentiel | Arkopharma | Ladrôme | Propolia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Speciality | Chemotyped aromatherapy | Aromatherapy | Herbal capsules | Organic herbal and bee products | Bee products |
| Flagship winter product | Capsules with 5 organic essential oils | Organic ravintsara mini-capsules | Organic echinacea root capsules | Organic propolis, echinacea and acerola tablets | Organic propolis, honey and thyme throat spray |
| Key active (maximum daily dose) | Eucalyptus radiata, 105 mg per 3 capsules | Ravintsara, 120 mg per 4 capsules | Echinacea, 1,620 mg per 6 capsules | Propolis 500 mg, echinacea 125 mg, vitamin C 80 mg | Propolis, 222 mg per 15 sprays |
| Minimum age | 12 (capsules), over 6 (drops) | 7 | 12 | 12 | 12 (spray), 6 (gummies) |
| Duration of use | 14 days at most | 15 consecutive days at most | Seven and a half days per box | 20-day programme | As needed, 15 sprays a day at most |
| Format and retail price | 30 capsules, €10.90 | 60 capsules, €14.90 | 45 capsules, €8.80 | 40 tablets, €12.50 | 20 ml, €13.20 |
| Ideal for | Adults who want a complete aromatic blend and a very wide winter range | Families looking for dosing that grows with age | Fans of the whole plant in capsule form | People who want vitamin C from a natural source | Lovers of bee products and pocket formats |
Prices are the retail prices shown by each brand in October 2026. They vary between pharmacies and promotions.
Three families of actives behind the same search
The winter shelf mixes products that work on different ground. Essential oils high in 1,8-cineole, such as ravintsara or eucalyptus radiata, are traditionally used for respiratory comfort.
Echinacea is a North American plant whose root and aerial parts are used in herbal medicine to support the body during the cold season. Propolis, a resin collected by bees from tree buds, is mainly used for throat comfort.
Homeopathic products, sold as medicines, call for a pharmacist’s advice. They fall outside this comparison, which covers supplements and essential oils.
Flu or cold: what natural products actually support
The flu often starts suddenly: high fever, body aches, deep tiredness, headaches. A cold sets in gradually and mainly affects the nose and throat, with little or no fever.
This difference matters when choosing. With confirmed flu, rest, hydration and monitoring the fever come before any supplement, as the French health insurance reminds readers in its page Grippe : que faire et quand consulter.
Natural products fit around these steps: throat comfort, a feeling of a clearer nose, support for the body during the weeks when viruses circulate. Readers who want to act ahead of the season will find more guidance in the guide to strengthen your immune system naturally.
Pranarôm: chemotyped aromatherapy applied to winter
Pranarôm is a Belgian laboratory founded in 1991, specialising in chemotyped essential oils, meaning oils defined by their precise biochemical composition. Its organic products are certified by the Certisys body, and its immunity range brings together nearly 60 products.
Capsules that combine five organic essential oils
The brand’s flagship winter formula fits in a capsule. It brings together five organic essential oils: eucalyptus radiata (105 mg per 3 capsules), lemon (45 mg), ginger (30 mg), clove (30 mg) and winter savory, in a rapeseed oil base.
The intake ranges from 1 to 3 capsules a day with meals, for 14 days at most. The box of 30 capsules costs 10.90 euros, around ten days at the higher dose.
This blend has the widest range of essential oils in the comparison. It is designed for adults and teenagers from age 12.
A drop solution after age 6 and ravintsara essential oil
For younger users, Pranarôm offers a solution of organic essential oils to take on a neutral base such as a sugar cube or a spoonful of honey. Its components include lavandin super, ho wood, eucalyptus radiata and niaouli.
Dosing follows age: 1 drop twice a day after 6, 2 drops twice a day from 12 to 18, and 2 drops three times a day for adults. The 30 ml bottle costs 10.30 euros.
The brand’s organic ravintsara essential oil completes the range, in a 10 ml bottle at 11.20 euros. It is taken orally at 2 drops on a neutral base three times a day, without exceeding 6 drops a day or 14 days in a row.
Puressentiel, Arkopharma, Ladrôme and Propolia: four other approaches
Puressentiel, ravintsara dosed by age
Puressentiel, a laboratory based in Brussels, designed organic mini-capsules in which one capsule equals one drop of ravintsara essential oil, diluted in sunflower oil. The format suits people who dislike the taste of essential oils.
Dosing increases with age: 1 capsule a day from 7, 2 from 10, 3 from 12 and 4 from 15. The bottle of 60 capsules costs 14.90 euros, for 15 consecutive days at most. The brand is also known for its air purifying spray with 41 essential oils, designed for indoor rooms.
Arkopharma, echinacea root in capsules
Arkopharma works with the whole plant as a powder obtained by cold grinding. Its organic purple echinacea capsules provide 1,620 mg of root powder per dose of 6 capsules, standardised to at least 0.5% caftaric and chicoric acids.
The box of 45 capsules, at 8.80 euros, is the most affordable in the comparison. It suits adults and teenagers from age 12.
Ladrôme, propolis combined with vitamin C
Ladrôme makes organic supplements from plants and bee products in France. Its chewable tablets provide, for 2 tablets a day, 500 mg of propolis extract, 125 mg of echinacea extract and 80 mg of vitamin C from acerola, which is 100% of the nutrient reference value.
The jar of 40 tablets covers a 20-day programme, at a retail price of 12.50 euros. Its vitamin C content gives this formula an authorised claim on immune function, which sets it apart on the shelf.
Propolia, a propolis specialist since 1979
Propolia is a family beekeeping company based in the Hérault, near Lake Salagou, which extracts and purifies its own propolis. Its organic throat spray combines propolis, honey and thyme and eucalyptus essential oils, with 222 mg of propolis for the maximum dose of 15 sprays a day.
The 20 ml glass bottle costs 13.20 euros and fits in a pocket. For children from age 6, the brand makes organic gummies with honey, propolis and eucalyptus radiata, sold at 6.70 euros for 45 g.
Echinacea, propolis, essential oils: what the studies say
Echinacea is the most studied plant on the shelf, mainly for colds. The 2014 Cochrane review, which analysed 24 controlled trials and 4,631 participants, reaches a cautious conclusion.
“Although it seems possible that some Echinacea products are more effective than a placebo for treating colds, the overall evidence for clinically relevant treatment effects is weak.” Karsch-Völk et al., Cochrane systematic review on echinacea and the common cold, 2014
The same review notes that nearly all prevention trials pointed towards a small preventive effect, without reaching statistical significance. It also highlights the wide variety of preparations studied (species, plant part, extraction method), which makes comparisons difficult.
On the regulatory side, only some claims are settled. Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 authorises the claim “vitamin C contributes to the normal function of the immune system”. Claims on plants such as echinacea or ginger are still awaiting assessment at European level.
| Active | Brands in the comparison | Traditional use | Health claim status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential oils with 1,8-cineole (ravintsara, eucalyptus radiata) | Pranarôm, Puressentiel | Respiratory comfort in winter | Plant claims on hold |
| Purple echinacea | Arkopharma, Ladrôme | Support for the body during the cold season | Plant claims on hold |
| Propolis | Ladrôme, Propolia | Throat comfort | No authorised claim of its own |
| Vitamin C (acerola) | Ladrôme | Nutritional intake | Authorised (EU Regulation 432/2012) |
| Thyme | Propolia | Throat comfort | Plant claims on hold |
Which natural product to choose for your profile
For an adult who enjoys aromatherapy, a capsule blend like Pranarôm’s brings several essential oils together in one intake, at 10.90 euros a box. Experienced users often add eucalyptus radiata essential oil in a diffuser or as an inhalation.
For a family with children of different ages, age-dosed formats make life easier: drops after 6, ravintsara mini-capsules from 7, propolis gummies from 6. The format matters more than the brand, frankly: a child who refuses a strong-tasting drop will more readily accept a gummy.
For those who prefer plants to essential oils, echinacea capsules or propolis and vitamin C tablets are an alternative without a strong aromatic taste.
When the discomfort is mainly in the nose, a natural nasal spray for a blocked nose complements these products. When it is mainly in the throat, the tips on natural ways to soothe a sore throat and the propolis spray take over.
Precautions shared by all brands
All the formulas in the comparison are not recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Propolis products are ruled out for people allergic to bee products, and echinacea products for people allergic to plants of the daisy family.
Oral essential oils call for particular caution with a history of seizures or epilepsy, as stated on the Pranarôm and Puressentiel leaflets. To compare the oils most used in cold weather, the guide to essential oils for a common cold details their uses.
When to seek medical advice for the flu
The French health insurance recommends seeing a doctor quickly during pregnancy, when flu is suspected in a baby, after 65, with a chronic illness or with treatment that weakens immunity.
A fever above 40 °C, shortness of breath at rest or a fever that returns after a few days of improvement are signs that call for medical advice without delay. No natural product should delay that consultation.
One last practical point: oral essential oils do not add up safely. Taking aromatic capsules and ravintsara drops at the same time doubles the day’s dose of essential oils.
Frequently asked questions
Which brand of natural products should you choose for the flu?
Five brands come up most often in France. Pranarôm combines five organic essential oils in capsules from age 12 (30 capsules, 10.90 euros) and offers a drop solution for children over 6 (30 ml, 10.30 euros). Puressentiel sells organic ravintsara mini-capsules dosed by age, from 7 years (60 capsules, 14.90 euros). Arkopharma provides 1,620 mg of organic echinacea root per day in capsules (45 capsules, 8.80 euros). Ladrôme combines propolis, echinacea and acerola in chewable tablets that cover 100% of daily vitamin C needs. Propolia, a beekeeping company since 1979, focuses on propolis throat sprays and gummies. None of these products cures the flu: they support comfort during winter, alongside rest and medical advice when needed.
Can natural products stop you from catching the flu?
No. No natural product has been shown to prevent the flu. Vaccination remains the prevention measure recommended by health authorities, especially from age 65 and for vulnerable people, together with hygiene measures. Plant, essential oil and propolis supplements belong to the field of well-being and support for the body during the cold season.
Which natural products are suitable for children in winter?
Minimum ages vary widely. Propolia’s propolis gummies are suitable from age 6, Pranarôm’s drop solution can be used after 6 at one drop twice a day, and Puressentiel’s ravintsara mini-capsules start at 7 with one capsule a day. The capsules and tablets from Pranarôm, Arkopharma and Ladrôme are reserved for children over 12. For a young child with a fever, a doctor’s advice comes before any product.
Can you take essential oils orally during pregnancy?
The leaflets from Pranarôm and Puressentiel rule out oral use during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as do the propolis and echinacea products from Ladrôme and Propolia. During this period, a doctor, midwife or pharmacist is the right first contact, including for a product of natural origin.
How long can you take a natural product during flu season?
It depends on the product. Oral essential oils are limited to 14 days at Pranarôm and 15 consecutive days at Puressentiel. Ladrôme’s tablets are designed for a 20-day programme. A box of 45 Arkopharma echinacea capsules lasts seven and a half days at 6 capsules a day. Beyond these durations, or if symptoms persist, medical advice is needed.