Menu
eMediHealth Logo
Subscribe
No Result
View All Result
eMediHealth Logo
Subscribe
No Result
View All Result

Home > Nutrition > How to Make All-Natural Cough Syrup at Home and Why

How to Make All-Natural Cough Syrup at Home and Why

December 5, 2022
5 min read
By Shiza Khan, M.Sc. – Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics | Dietitian/Nutritionist

In this article:

  • Make Your Own Cough Syrup
  • Benefits of the Ingredients
  • Expert Recommendation
  • Precautions to Consider
  • Most-Asked Questions
  • Final Word

When you are plagued with colds or other infections of the respiratory tract, you will often cough or sneeze uncontrollably. This is the body’s mechanism to clear the lungs and the respiratory tract of phlegm or any obstruction.

make your own diy homemade cough syrup

Usually, the cough will last the entire duration of the illness and will stop 1–2 days after the infection has cleared. (1)

The main way of treating a cough is by taking a cough suppressant to stop the coughing or a medication that aids in the removal of mucus. However, medications in the form of syrups often have no beneficial effect.

Moreover, the American College of Chest Physicians also discourages the use of over-the-counter combinations for the treatment of acute cough due to common cold. (2)

Advertisements

Making your own cough syrups at home can be a good alternative to medicated cough syrups. They have lesser possible side effects and can be used safely for all ages.

Make Your Own Cough Syrup

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of honey
  • ¼ cup of fresh lemon juice
  • ¼ cup of fresh ginger juice
  • 1 tbsp of cayenne pepper powder
  • ½ tbsp of cinnamon powder

Method:

  1. Heat honey in a pan, but don’t let it boil.
  2. Add the fresh ginger juice, fresh lemon juice, cayenne pepper powder, and cinnamon powder, and mix them well.
  3. Store the mixture in an airtight glass jar.
  4. Take 1 tbsp of this cough syrup twice a day.

Benefits of the Ingredients

benefits offered by the ingredients used in making diy cough syrup

The ingredients of this homemade cough syrup offer different health advantages.

1. Honey

Honey has been used as medicine since the time of the ancient Greeks. It has antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and some anticancer activities. Plus, it tastes sweet and is liked by children. (3)

Several studies have found honey to be beneficial in dealing with cough due to infections of the upper respiratory tract. It reduced the severity and frequency of cough in a single dose (1 tbsp). (4)

2. Ginger

Ginger and its bioactive component can control smooth muscle cells in the lungs to ease respiratory symptoms and improve asthma (5)

Furthermore, the combination of ginger with honey is used specifically to ease coughs and hiccups. (6)

Advertisements

3. Cayenne pepper

Cayenne pepper has a bioactive compound called capsaicin, which gives it its spicy property. Capsaicin has been found to have cough-reducing properties.

In a study, intake of capsaicin capsules for 4 weeks was effective in reducing cough sensitivity and symptoms by desensitizing the cough receptors. (7)

4. Cinnamon

Traditional remedies have made use of cinnamon to treat sore throat, coughs, abdominal cramps, indigestion, nausea, and diarrhea. (8)

5. Lemon juice

Lemon juice contains many polyphenolic compounds that have anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activities. Lemon essential oil and, in some countries, lemon juice mixed with coconut oil is used to treat cough. (9)

Expert Recommendation

You can also drink tulsi (holy basil) tea or chew a few of its leaves to relieve cough. (10)

Precautions to Consider

  • This cough syrup is meant to treat acute cough caused by common colds and not chronic cough due to an underlying condition.
  • Do not store the cough syrup for more than 4 days as some ingredients may lose their potency.
  • Keep allergies and insensitivities in mind before consuming any natural remedy.

Most-Asked Questions

What teas can help ease cough?

what teas can help ease cough symptoms?

Teas made out of ginger, peppermint, marshmallow root, or slippery elm can help. You can add a teaspoon of honey to increase their potency and make them more effective.

Advertisements

Can I use vinegar as a cough syrup?

Vinegar may help with coughing. You can dilute 1 tsp of vinegar in a glass of water and use it to gargle.

You can also drink diluted vinegar (1 tsp of vinegar to a glass of water); however, be careful not to overdo it as it can damage the tooth enamel.

How do you get rid of a cough overnight?

No treatment will help get rid of acute coughing overnight. However, keeping the throat moist by sipping on lukewarm water, sucking on cough drops, and using honey will help speed up the healing.

Final Word

The homemade cough syrup presented in this article is made of ingredients that are beneficial in reducing coughs and easing the symptoms of common colds.

These ingredients include honey, ginger, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. They are usually free of side effects and can be safely used for children.

References
  1. Alhajjaj MS, Bajaj P. Chronic Cough. [Updated 2022 May 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK430791/.
  2. Sharma S, Hashmi MF, Alhajjaj MS. Cough. [Updated 2022 Aug 18]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493221/.
  3. Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F. Honey and health: A review of recent clinical research. Pharmacognosy research. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5424551/. Published 2017. 
  4. Goldman RD. Honey for treatment of cough in children. Canadian family physician Medecin de famille canadien. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4264806/. Published December 2014. 
  5. Townsend EA, Siviski ME, Zhang Y, Xu C, Hoonjan B, Emala CW. Effects of ginger and its constituents on airway smooth muscle relaxation and calcium regulation. American journal of respiratory cell and molecular biology. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3604064/. Published February 2013. 
  6. Zingiber officinale ROSC. Essential Oil, a review on its composition … https://d-nb.info/1178194051/34. 
  7. E; T-HEJELM. Cough reduction using capsaicin. Respiratory medicine. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25468411/. 
  8. Hamidpour R, Hamidpour M, Hamidpour S, Shahlari M. Cinnamon from the selection of traditional applications to its novel effects on the inhibition of angiogenesis in cancer cells and prevention of alzheimer’s disease, and a series of functions such as antioxidant, anticholesterol, antidiabetes, antibacterial, antifungal, nematicidal, acaracidal, and repellent activities. Journal of traditional and complementary medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4488098/. Published January 16, 2015. 
  9. Klimek-Szczykutowicz M, Szopa A, Ekiert H. citrus limon (lemon) phenomenon-a review of the chemistry, pharmacological properties, applications in the modern pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetics industries, and Biotechnological Studies. Plants (Basel, Switzerland). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7020168/. Published January 17, 2020.
  10. Jamshidi N, Cohen MM. The clinical efficacy and safety of tulsi in humans: A systematic review of the literature. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine: eCAM. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5376420/. Published 2017.
  • Was this article helpful?
  • YES, THANKS!NOT REALLY
Spread the Love❤️
Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements
Advertisements

Newsletter

Get our BEST updates delivered to your inbox:



This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Categories

  • Nutrition
  • Wellness
  • Oral Care
  • Eye Care
  • Heart Health
  • Skin & Beauty
  • Women’s Health
  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Respiratory Health

Links

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Cookie Policy
  • Editorial Policy
  • Advertising Policy
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
eMediHealth

This site provides content for informational purposes only. The information provided is not intended for use as medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. In case of a medical concern or emergency, please consult your healthcare provider.

This website is certified by Health On the Net Foundation.

Our Network: Little Extra

© 2019 eMediHealth. All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Nutrition
  • Skin & Beauty
  • Wellness
  • Yoga & Meditation
  • Women’s Health
  • Heart Health
  • Allergy & Immunology
  • Bones & Joints
  • Child Health
  • Digestive
  • Ear, Nose & Throat
  • Eye Care
  • Glands & Hormones
  • Health News
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Mental Health
  • Nervous System
  • Oral Care
  • Pain Management
  • Respiratory Health
  • Sleep Disorders
  • Urological Health

© 2019 eMediHealth. All rights reserved.