DIY Homemade Cough Syrups

Here are 2 easy recipes for homemade cough syrup prepared from ginger, honey, lemon and glycerin.

Recipe #1: DIY Homemade Cough Syrup with Ginger, Honey and Lemon
Recipe #2: DIY Homemade Cough Syrup with Glycerin, Honey and Lemon

Ginger acts as a natural decongestant and also relieves a sore throat, thanks to its anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiviral and antibacterial properties.

It has a component called oleoresin with antitussive abilities, meaning that it can help prevent and relieve coughing.

Honey is another time-honored remedy to help calm a cough by soothing the throat. Plus, it has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties that help fight upper respiratory tract infections.

Due to its high vitamin C content, lemon juice is also beneficial for suppressing coughs and combating colds. It acts as a powerful antioxidant and boosts the immune system. Plus, lemons have antiviral and antibacterial properties to fight infections.

Glycerin helps soothe coughing and a sore throat due to its demulcent properties. It also works as a natural preservative.

Recipe #1: DIY Homemade Cough Syrup with Ginger, Honey and Lemon

Things you will need:

• Ginger
• Raw honey
• 2 lemons
• Water
• A knife
• A grater or zester
• A saucepan
• A mixing spoon
• Measuring cups and spoons
• A strainer and a bowl
• A jar for storing the cough syrup

Steps

1. Peel a piece of ginger root and cut it into slices.

2. Zest 2 fresh lemons using a grater or zester.

3. Pour 1 cup of water into a saucepan.

4. Add ¼ cup of the ginger slices.

5. Add 1½ to 2 tablespoons of lemon zest.

6. Bring the solution to a boil, then let it simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Strain the solution and set it aside.

8. Pour 1 cup of raw honey into a saucepan and heat it over low heat, but do not let it boil.

9. Mix in the previously strained ginger solution.

10. Add the juice extracted from both the lemons.

11. Keep stirring the mixture over low heat for a few minutes.

12. Turn off the heat and pour the solution into a jar.

Your homemade cough syrup is ready now.

Dosage:

• ½ to 1 teaspoon every 2 hours for children ages 1 to 5 years
• 1 to 2 teaspoons every 2 hours for children ages 5 to 12 years
• 1 to 2 tablespoons every 4 hours for adults and children older than 12 years

Recipe #2: DIY Homemade Cough Syrup with Glycerin, Honey and Lemon

Things you will need:

• Raw honey
• Freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Food-grade glycerin
• Measuring cups
• A whisker
• A mixing bowl
• A jar to store the cough syrup

Steps

1. Put ¼ cup of glycerin into a bowl.

2. Add ¼ cup of honey.

3. Add ¼ cup of lemon juice.

4. Whisk the mixture thoroughly.

5. Transfer it into a jar.

Take 1 teaspoon of this cough syrup every few hours. It smells and tastes wonderful, by the way!

Note: These cough syrups are not recommended for children under age 1 because the honey may cause a rare, but possibly fatal, type of food poisoning called infant botulism.

Tips

• Store these homemade cough syrups in the refrigerator. They will last for a couple of months.
• Use buckwheat honey, which has been found to be helpful in easing nighttime coughing in children ages 2 and older.
• If you do not have fresh ginger for the first recipe, you can use ½ teaspoon of ground ginger, also called sonth.
• You can also add a little ginger juice to the second cough syrup recipe.
• Consider adding other ingredients like onion, garlic and cayenne pepper to your cough syrup recipe.

Resources:

https://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=571638