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Did you know that you can make a quick easy cough syrup in less than 5 minutes from ingredients you already have in your kitchen pantry? Over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine can be expensive, taste terrible and also come with the risk of side effects.
Kitchen Cough Syrup is made from simple natural ingredients and contains no dyes, chemicals, preservatives, or synthetic ingredients.
The reality is that a ton of foods, herbs, and spices are loaded with healing properties and in the right combinations they can be just as effective as OTC medications with no risk of side effects. As an added bonus they often cost pennies on the dollar, so it’s a win-win.
What Ingredients do you Need for Homemade Cough Syrup?
The ingredients needed to make this old-fashioned recipe are readily available in almost every home pantry. All you need is honey, apple cider vinegar, cinnamon, ginger, cayenne pepper and turmeric for this recipe. It tastes great and works well to help soothe stubborn coughs. Let’s take a closer look at the ingredients, and how they work together to suppress coughs.
Does Honey Really Help a Cough?
A 2010 study tested the effects of honey along with cough medicine (dextromethorphan) and antihistamine (diphenhydramine) on nightly coughing due to upper respiratory infection. The study found that honey had a greater relief for cough
ing than both medicines. For best results opt for local raw honey whenever possible.
* It’s important to note that it has been advised not to give honey to children under 12 months of age.
What Does the Apple Cider Vinegar do?
Apple cider vinegar contains acetic acids that have antimicrobial properties to help kill the pathogens that cause infections leading to cough. It can also soothe inflammation. Very helpful if your cough has come with a sore throat.
How Does Cinnamon Help With a Cough?
Cinnamon is packed with antioxidants, which lend it mild analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Additionally, cinnamon can work to liquefy mucus, serve as an expectorant, and expel mucus from the body.
What Effect Will Ginger Have on a Cold?
Ginger has a history of being used medicinally that spans centuries. It’s been said to improve immune function, as well as reduce inflammation. It may even help to relieve congestion if your cough has come with a stuffy nose.
Why Use Cayenne Pepper in Homemade Cough Syrup?
Cayenne is another one of those standard kitchen spices that can have healing properties. This unassuming spice is known to contain vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin B6, and vitamin K. Adding it to cough remedies can help to relieve throat pain and inflammation from coughs.
What Does Turmeric do?
Turmeric is known to have both antiviral and antibacterial properties, its anti-inflammatory property can help to ease the effects of both coughs and colds.
Why Add Black Pepper?
In this recipe, and any recipe using turmeric, black papper should always be added. Black pepper contains a compound called piperine that helps to increase the rate at which turmeric is absorbed by the body. In fact, research shows that piperine can increase the bioavailability of curcumin by 2000%
How to Make Homemade Kitchen Cough Syrup
Now that we’ve discussed the properties of the ingredients it’s time to get down to the simple process of making your very own homemade kitchen cough syrup.
INGREDIENTS:
4 Tbls of warm water
2 Tbls of raw honey
2 Tbls of organic apple cider vinegar
½ tsp of ground ginger
½ tsp of turmeric
½ tsp of cinnamon
½ tsp of cayenne pepper
¼ tsp of black pepper
DIRECTIONS:
Add all of the ingredients to a small sealable glass jar and shake well to mix. That’s it, your cough syrup is ready to use!
What is the Proper Dosage?
This will be up to you. Because there are no additives, drugs, chemicals, or dyes in this recipe, there is also no need to worry about side effects, or poor reactions (unless you are allergic to any of the ingredients.) But, a good rule of thumb is to take it in two tsp doses as needed to help stop coughing.
How Long Will my Homemade Cough Syrup Last?
Since this is made with basic kitchen staples, it has no preservatives. You can, however, safely store this mixture in the fridge for up to a week. But the good news is that since it is so simple to make you can easily whip up a batch whenever you need it.
A Quick Disclaimer
Remember that just because something is “natural” does not always mean that it is safe for every person. When it comes to herbal medicine, there are many plants that should be avoided when pregnant or nursing, and some that can cause extreme interactions with prescription and over-the-counter medicine. Before using herbal preparations, always do your research, speak to a professional regarding any significant concerns, and never fail to seek medical advice when needed. A severe cough that persists for more than a week can be an indication of a serious illness and should not be ignored.
Tis’ the Season for Coughs and Colds!
I am all about fighting the cough and cold season with pantry ingredients. Be sure to check out our Cold Buster Tea to help you ward off bugs this season.
So, the next time you have a cough before you head to the drug store, take a couple of minutes to make yourself some homemade kitchen cough syrup and see if you can’t treat that cough the natural way. What is your favorite natural remedy? Tell us all about it in the comments below, and if you try out this simple cough syrup, tell us all about it! And, as always, until next time,
