Have you ever wondered what is in the cough drops that you buy at the store? Why do they often taste so strange and sometimes really bad? If you read the ingredient list there are usually several hard to pronounce words that sound completely foreign. Many people often wonder if some of the brands they have tried even work or help at all. Now you can skip the drugstore and make your own natural, limited ingredient, soothing cough drops to have on hand for the next time you feel sick.
Start by filling a pan with 1 cup of sugar and a ½ cup of water. Cut a lemon in half and add 1 tablespoon of the juice to the water. The vitamin C in the lemon will help your body fight the cold. Next, add in 1 tablespoon of honey which is a natural cough suppressant, antibacterial, and helps soothe a sore throat. Add in ½ teaspoon of ground ginger to help with nausea, pain, and to maintain your immune system. It also has anti-inflammatory properties and tastes yummy. Continue to add in ¼ teaspoon of ground cloves that have antiseptic properties, many antioxidants and also help to reduce phlegm.
Once all the ingredients are mixed up in the pot turn on the stove and keep stirring until it simmers. Reduce the heat and allow it to simmer for an additional 15-20 minutes while stirring regularly. In the meantime, take out a baking tray and line it with baking paper, when time is up take the pan off the stove and let it cool down to a thick, dark, syrupy texture. When that consistency is met it’s now time to make the drops on your baking paper. Spoon the syrup onto the baking sheet and make sure to be very careful because it is likely still hot. Let the drops cool for a further 20 minutes then coat with a dusting of powdered icing sugar to keep them from sticking together. Take them off the paper and check to make sure they’re all well coated, adding more powdered sugar if necessary.
That’s it! You now have homemade natural cough drops that taste great and help relieve your ills. The video mentions that you can also take a few and dissolve them in hot water for a soothing drink. Or, you can just eat them whenever like a hard candy!
