How to Make Soothing Honey Onion Cough Syrup

This easy to make soothing honey onion cough syrup blends onion and honey together with ginger and lemon to create an age-old natural remedy that works well for treating minor coughs and upper respiratory tract infections.

Soothing Honey Onion Cough Syrup

This budget-friendly homemade cough remedy is wonderful to have on hand, especially during the cooler months when the cold and flu is in season.

Quickly and easily whip up a batch of this natural syrup and store in the fridge to have on hand when needed to soothe a sore throat, minor cough and respiratory tract infections.

Though any honey can be used, the best honey is raw honey as it has wonderful health benefits.

Before Using this Cough Remedy

Honey is not recommended for children under the age of one as their digestive systems are not fully developed yet and they could get sick from it.

To make sure that you are not allergic to this syrup, place a small amount of the syrup on your finger or use a spoon with a small amount on the back of it and place it to the inside of your lip. If there is no reaction within 5 minutes or so, you should be right to proceed.

Using Honey Onion Cough Syrup

Adults can take one teaspoon of honey on its own or add it to a warm cuppa or smoothie.

For young children, 10 and under, only use up to ½ teaspoon.

This cough remedy can be taken:

• At the onset of a cold or flu
• For soothing a sore throat
• To help with minor coughs, especially at night
• For helping heal upper respiratory tract infections

This is a short-term relief product for a minor irritation. If you find that your cough is persistent or severe, consult a healthcare professional.

When you start using your honey cough syrup, I recommend using the whole jar and then starting a new batch, not adding to this one as the environment for fermentation may not be ideal. You could even start a second batch when you are nearing the end of your first batch so that it will be ready, giving you a continuous supply of honey onion cough syrup.

Botulism

This usually isn’t a problem, just for peace of mind. A pH test strip can be used if there are any concerns about botulism. Botulism pores are unable to reproduce with a pH level less than 4.6. If the pH is too high, add a splash of raw apple cider vinegar to add more acidity, then retest. 

Honey has an average pH of 3.9 which is well below the acidity danger zone of 4.6 and with the conditions of this product, being both acidic and a high sugar environment, no salt involved and with oxygen available due to fermentation process, it is unlikely to become an issue. In saying that, it is important to use pure raw honey in this recipe as a lot of commercial honey has been altered, which affects the pH levels and the natural microorganisms that are required for fermentation.

Ingredients for this Cough Remedy

To make this honey onion cough remedy, you will need:

• Honey, enough to cover the rest of the ingredients in the jar
• ½ – 1 Red Onion
• 1 knob Ginger
• 1 small Lemon 
• Glass Jar

Making Honey Onion Cough Syrup

Wash and dry the ginger and lemon.

Peel the red onion.

Slice the ginger, red onion and lemon into thin slices.

In a glass jar, layer the onion, ginger, and lemon until the jar is about three-quarters full.

Pour the honey over the ingredients, completely covering everything in the jar. Use a knife or spatula to get the air bubbles out so the honey can fill all the gaps.

Add the lid to the jar.

Place the jar in a cool, dry place out of direct sunlight for up to four days to ferment. Make sure to open and stir daily. The honey will become more runny and you may find it becomes a little fizzy. This is normal and as long as the smell is not unpleasant, it should be fine to consume.

After the fermenting time, strain, label and store in the fridge. Straining is optional.

Stir before using.

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