Home Remedy
Today’s post is a bit of a departure. It is not focused on food or drink. There’s no stunning roast or plate of pasta. No cooling beverage. No beguiling dessert.
And yet, there is a recipe.
An easy one, too, using four items found in most pantries:
Apple Cider Vinegar,
Honey,
Ginger,
and Cayenne…
plus some water.
And, so quick to put together, so beneficial,
I had to share it with you. Pronto!
Combined, I learned from Maggie, that quartet of pantry ingredients creates a potent remedy to some of the ails of winter: Sore throat, hacking cough, tight congestion.
Combined, they turn into a curious orange syrup that can cut through the croup.
And, the taste is really good!
Like you, we’ve been trying to duck the dreaded cold germs: wash our hands, eat well, get enough sleep, stay warm. Sometimes even the most valiant efforts get foiled.
I first mixed up a batch for Bill over the holidays, when he caught a cold accompanied by a strangling cough. The Remedy went right to work, acting as both a calming agent and expectorant.
So, last month, when I felt run down, tight with a tickle in the throat, I shook up a little Remedy. A spoonful or two seemed to break its hold, suppress the devilish tickle.
Just last night, Bill came home after a long workday. His voice was spent, and he had that dull, woozy feeling you get when the onset of a cold is trying to make its way into your head. He snatched up the little bottle, gave it a vigorous shake, and poured a tablespoonful. “Ahhhh. This is the Good Stuff,” he said.
I’m not saying it’s a cure-all, or some homeopathic miracle drug. But it did a mighty fine job taking the place of store-bought cough suppressants, expectorants, decongestants…
Wouldn’t you rather have a dose of spicy honey-cider syrup from a little jar mixed up in the kitchen than any of those bottles lurking in the medicine cabinet?
I thought so.
Stay warm. Stay healthy.
Take good care. And, if need be, take your remedy.
MAGGIE’S COUGH REMEDY
¼ teaspoon Cayenne
¼ teaspoon Ginger
1 Tablespoon Cider Vinegar (an organic one, like Bragg’s, is preferred.)
2 Tablespoon Water
1 Tablespoon Honey (use a locally produced raw honey, if possible.)
Dissolve cayenne and ginger in cider vinegar and water. Add honey and shake well. Take 1 Tablespoon as needed for cough. Hoo-wee.
Note: This is potent albeit watery syrup. It also doesn’t dissolve perfectly. Always shake well before using.
If you make this in small batches as the recipe is written, there is no need to refrigerate.
If you prefer, you may refrigerate this. It keeps as long as you need it. I like to make small batches (it is so easy to mix up.) and use it up in a just a few days.
IMPORTANT MESSAGE: This remedy and dosage are for adults. I have no personal experience giving this to children, and cannot recommend it for children. Many have reported on this site (see comments) that they have had great success administering the remedy in smaller doses to their kids. This is those parents personal choice, which I respect. If the remedy has helped their family, I am grateful. But it is not my recommendation.
Moreover,
Honey should NEVER be given in any form to children under the age of one year, due to the risk of infant botulism–hence the remedy should never, under any circumstances , be given to an infant.
All best wishes for good health and speedy recoveries,
Nancy
Blooming Daffodil, photographed Sunday, February 5, 2012. Beautiful, and the earliest I have ever had this flower bloom in my yard.
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February 11th, 2018 at 9:59 pm
Haven’t slept well in days. Just found recipe on Pinterest. AMAZING! THANKS FOR SHARING!! Good night ????????????. My husband REALLY THANKS You
February 18th, 2018 at 2:10 pm
I’ve been feeling bad with a sore throat and bad cough, my dear Husband as well. Well, I made your Remedy, so far so good!! I actually feel the pressure in my chest ease up! Your Remedy is a must in our family from now on. Thanks!!!
February 18th, 2018 at 10:49 pm
It,s very easy to make this recipe, I have recorded in my diary. It may help to cure with minimum expenses.
February 22nd, 2018 at 5:36 pm
Excellent. It works. My kids tried it as well. Got them to plug their noses when swallowing–its pretty strong–but tastes pretty good I have to say.
Its the go to cold medicine—and I agree–if you feel something coming on–get this stuff in ye!
Thank you,
Jim/Family
March 20th, 2018 at 2:43 pm
This is not working for me…still coughing horibly…sigh
March 20th, 2018 at 6:20 pm
So sorry–take good care, and I hope you get some relief.
March 25th, 2018 at 6:16 am
Plan to try this next time
June 17th, 2018 at 5:19 am
This works great for me. I’ve never experienced a natural homemade remedy that works so well.
August 16th, 2018 at 1:49 am
We’re feeling hopefull from the reviews. Tx!!
August 18th, 2018 at 3:16 am
This concoction is AMAZING! It really works. Yes, it’s a bit strong but the tastes subsides in a few seconds. It is effective immediately. Try it for yourself. You will be glad you did.
October 1st, 2018 at 11:06 pm
Add more honey and pumpkin spice or whatever flavoring you choose will improve the taste.
October 3rd, 2018 at 7:47 pm
I think you saved my life tonight! LOL. I’m at the tail end of a head cold, but I think the cough is actually getting worse. I couldn’t catch my breath this evening for the painful non-stop coughing! I’ve even strained the intercostal muscles between my ribs from so much coughing. I found your post, had all the stuff, mixed it up, and took a tablespoon. And behold… I haven’t coughed in over an hour so far. Just sent this to my sister-in-law to make for her husband. She said it may save their marriage! LOL. From the bottom of my heart (and my lungs), thank you!!!
October 3rd, 2018 at 8:54 pm
Is it wrong that I’m almost hoping to catch the crud just so I can try this out? Pinned it for later, because . . . winter germs.
November 13th, 2018 at 11:29 am
I don’t usually comment on blogs, but I must say that this really is good stuff! I felt under the weather on Sunday, tried two doses of this on Monday, and now it’s Tuesday and I feel almost 100%, but still have a bit of a cough. I think this is really just a great immunity booster, and that helps you get over colds quickly. That being said, I’m glad I found this recipe, and will make it a bit less spicy the next time. Thank you!
November 13th, 2018 at 11:37 am
Hi Laura, Thanks for sharing your experience—so glad the remedy helped you. Take good care, Nancy
November 23rd, 2018 at 5:25 pm
It says here the recipe doesn’t have to be refrigerated. Can it be refrigerated if desired?
November 24th, 2018 at 5:17 am
Yes, it can.
November 23rd, 2018 at 10:39 pm
My tonsils are swelling up terribly. I’m going to talk to my doc about it. I’m not actually coughing. Do you think this remedy would help for a tonsil soar throat?
November 24th, 2018 at 5:19 am
It may help ease the pain of a sore throat, but if you have tonsillitis, you’ll likely need a prescription med from your doctor to treat it.
December 5th, 2018 at 10:59 am
How often do we take a tablespoon?
December 5th, 2018 at 1:56 pm
As needed. every 4 hours shouldn’t hurt. take good care!
December 8th, 2018 at 11:31 pm
I managed to catch the cold that my daughter brought home from preschool last week, and I had a horrible, hacking cough start up this evening. I had taken two Mucinex DM pills which hadn’t touched the cough at all, and I was getting desperate because coughing every thirty seconds was so painful. I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided it was worth a shot. I didn’t have ginger, but a quick Google search told me that the cardamom I had in my cabinet was a close relative. I mixed everything up and took a dose, and the coughing stopped immediately! I seriously have only coughed five times in the past two hours! Thank you so much for sharing this recipe!!
December 9th, 2018 at 9:23 am
You are welcome. Thanks for sharing your experience, Sarah. I’m glad to learn that cardamom worked so well as a substitute.
Take good care, Nancy.
December 16th, 2018 at 9:33 pm
I know that I am SUPER late to the party, but I have a rather silly question that I would really like to know the answer to. One of your commenters (Laura K., I believe) said that this recipe is a really great immunity booster, my question is do you recommend taking at least one dose a day during the cold & flu season in order to keep your immune system in tip-top shape? Thank You! Merry Christmas a few days early!!
December 17th, 2018 at 1:34 pm
Hi LeRayne, and Merry Christmas to you!
I can’t say that it would be a great immunity booster–I honestly don’t know. But it couldn’t hurt.
December 22nd, 2018 at 1:27 am
In winter seasons cold and cough is common, but it is very pain full and disturbing in working for anyone. This home REMEDY medicine for cough is very good,because all of these things are used like Honey,Ginger,and Cayenne are natural and these things have no side effects.
Thanks for increasing our knowledge and i really want to suggest some of my friends about this home remedy medicine and i also use this.
December 29th, 2018 at 8:22 pm
I’m ending a bout of bronchitis and found this recipe as I was making a batch of Elderberry Syrup for an immune system boost. I took a dose, and other than the slight burning sensation in my throat and stomach, it’s really quite palatable. Best of all, my coughing has ceased for almost a half hour…and counting! Thanks for sharing your remedy!
January 2nd, 2019 at 11:10 pm
This was a miracle cure for our family. My kids now make it on their own. Thank you!
January 4th, 2019 at 7:05 am
Oh heck yeah!!! So far so good! I’m making this for my dad. He cant shake his cough for the life of him!!
January 21st, 2019 at 9:04 am
One spoonful of this and my throat was on FIRE!!! I’m hoping it works or I fear taking another spoonful.
February 13th, 2019 at 7:27 pm
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March 7th, 2019 at 11:54 pm
Just dosed my teen and my hubby both…from a nonstop volley of coughs in our house, to silence. God bless you!
March 8th, 2019 at 7:54 am
so glad you all got relief! take good care–
March 9th, 2019 at 9:37 pm
Any tips to make this less spicy? Or is that what gives the potency?
May 22nd, 2019 at 11:35 am
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June 18th, 2019 at 12:16 am
Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe. I look forward to using this on the next go ‘round with sore throat and coughs in my household.
June 21st, 2019 at 8:05 pm
Sounds great. I’m really excited to try this I’m trying to take control of what goes into my family as much as possible and so far so good
September 21st, 2019 at 1:22 pm
[…] enough to calm a cough and soothe a sore throat.Recipe gently adapted from and with thanks to Good Food Matters. Servings: 6 Calories: 3 […]
October 18th, 2019 at 11:33 am
[…] I did not come up with this recipe. I found it on this blog. I have made some of my own modifications, which I’ll talk about. I do NOT advise giving this […]
October 25th, 2019 at 11:42 am
Whoa man this stuff has some kick to it. Talk about spicy. This works okay still coughing and it buns my throat. How can I make this more comfortable to swallow. I did add more honey now my lips and throat burn I need help to tone this down
November 12th, 2019 at 11:21 am
Brook this morning I decided to write this recipe in my journal and use it. I feel a bit stuffy and there is some drainage and throat clearing. I will take a spoonful and continue to drink plenty of liquids. I’m sure this recipe will help I believe anything that is a part of God’s earth is the better thing for the body. Thanks for sharing this wonderful recipe with everyone. I’m grateful. As I look back my mom use to give us a spoon of goose grease and honey when we were sick or played sick. The was horrible especially when we faked being sick to get out of going to school. Today there is no goose grease the honey we have.
Carrol in Chicago
July 8th, 2020 at 5:27 am
Great post! Just a word of warning, though, sometimes it’s best NOT to suppress a cough. Coughing helps protect your lungs from the mucus in your head. For children and pregnant women, it especially might not be a good idea to suppress a cough if you are sick.
A few other things to help your immune system kick a cold is to avoid sugar (it really reduces your immune system’s strength) and avoid dairy (it can increase mucus production). Eating cruciferous vegetables helps make your immune system stronger.
November 30th, 2020 at 7:58 am
This recipe is just amazing. I couldn’t stop coughing this morning and tried this recipe. Coughing immediately diminished and now only an occasional cough. Seems like a miracle!