White horehound belongs to mint family, this bitter herb has many potential health benefits. One of the most remarkable uses of it is adding it in a cough remedy.
Herbal Cough Drops Made With Horehound
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup dried horehound
- 1 cup water
- 2 tablespoons raw honey
- 2 cups sugar
Directions:
Firstly, simmer the horehound in the water for half an hour. Strain and again put the infused water to the pot.
Then add honey and sugar to the water, bring to a boil and simmer.
Then clip on the candy thermometer and boil to 330 degree, keep stirring during this process.
Next, bite the little drops of syrup, if it’s sticking to your teeth, keep cooking until it cracks when you bite. Then turn off the heat. And if the syrup starts to crystalize, add a cup of water and a teaspoon of honey, scrape in the crystals and start again.
Line a baking sheet with parchment and pour the syrup in when you’re at the hard-crack stage. Let it cool and score it with a knife. Wrap each in parchment for in case they are sticking to each other. Store in fridge.
Horehound has been used long time for treating chronic cough, especially for wet coughs. This remedy made from horehound is effective in the treatment of wet coughs and other mucusy symptoms, including wheezing, bronchia asthma and whooping coughs.
As a relative of peppermint, horehound has similar medicinal uses with peppermint, some other benefits of using horehound are:
- Providing a pain relief
- Aiding in digestion
- Reducing bloating and gas
- Lowering blood pressure
- Improving the appetite
- Killing intestinal parasites
- Easing morning sickness
- Relieving vomiting
- Reducing spasms
- Healing the wounds and cut
- Treating colds and flu
- Curing asthma
Note: Consult your doctor before using the horehound remedy to treat a chronic cough. And keep in mind of that horehound remedy is effective in treating a wet cough, it should not be used to treat a dry cough.
Sources:
1)health-care-tips.org
2)naturalremediescenter.com
3)mindbodygreen.com