It’s never fun getting sick, especially this year! Today, I’m sharing my tried and true, all-natural home remedies for cough. I recommend making these remedies in advance, so that they’re ready for cold and flu season. This ginger lemon honey tea actually works, and not just as a home remedy for a sore throat.
Designed to soothe + heal, these ingredients will actually shorten the life of your cold.
Table of Contents
Ginger Lemon Honey Tea Recipe
I made this concoction of fresh lemon, ginger, and raw local honey (best purchased seasonally) to prepare for when the germs start spreading. Now, I keep it in the fridge. At the first sign of a cold or flu, I just scoop out a few tablespoons, add hot water, and enjoy this delicious home remedy for cough.
This is hands down the best way I’ve ever found to treat a cold, cough or flu naturally. No joke. It tastes amazing, makes me feel great instantly and I quickly recover. Why is that?
Home Remedy Ingredients
Lemons are high in vitamin C (especially the pith, aka the white part we all usually avoid!). Vitamin C helps boost the immune system and neutralize the free radicals in the body. This reduces the inflammation and swelling in the body when fighting off a common cold. Lemon also has natural acidity that helps break down mucous as well as alleviate congestion
Ginger contains a bioactive compound called gingerol, which is known to be the strong medicinal part of ginger. Helps you sweat out the toxins in your body, which is helpful when you have a cold or flu. Ginger is also a helpful home remedy for cough, settling upset stomachs, dizziness, nausea, vomiting and cold sweats. First found in Southeast Asia, this powerful root not only helps fight the common cold, but also free radicals and inflammation, according to research by the US National Library of Medicine.
Interested in adding more ginger power to your diet? Check out all of our recipes featuring this amazing and powerful root in our member’s only meal planner. We have 50+ recipes in Rawk the Year that contain ginger – everything from smoothies to soups to cookies and more!
Honey is a natural cough suppressant (Which explains why the most effective cough drops use honey). It also improves the body’s ability to fight infection and decreases the risk of fevers. The natural sweetness of honey also balances the tartness of the lemon + ginger, giving this ginger lemon honey tea its soothing flavor. Raw honey is used to treat a whole host of ailments, including cancer.
Why I Believe in Natural Remedies
As the weather gets windier and colder, flu and cold season kicks into gear. I get a little obsessive; wiping down the shopping cart like crazy, washing my hands numerous times a day, as well as gulping down my immune boosting green smoothies.
Yet no matter what I do, I get one cold every year. That’s why I’ve come to rely on my home remedies for cough. I’ve used them for years, so I know that they work for me. Many store-bought treatments contain harmful food dyes, processed sugar, along with other chemicals.
If I’m not willing to eat those on the regular, then why would I turn to them when my immune system is down?! The whole food, plant-based ingredients used in these home remedies for sore throat and cough are often cheaper, and are definitely healthier than over the counter meds. They also have natural healing properties.
Home Remedies for Cold and Flu
In winters past, I hit the drugstore to load up on medicine and cough drops when my annual cold hit… yet I never felt better using them. They tasted gross and I woke up feeling even worse. That’s when I decided there had to be a better way—something that was natural and made to heal the body.
Seven years ago, I went on my own wellness warrior journey to discover the best home remedies for cough. Since I learned about so many incredible remedies, I created a whole medicine cabinet of plant based cures. Read on for a few of my tried and true favs:
- Elderberry syrup: can be taken daily, and taken multiple times a day when experiencing cold or flue symptoms. And when you can make a medicinal syrup into popsicles for sore throats, I’m 100% here for it.
- Rawkstar fire cider: while this tonic is not for the faint of heart, it does wonders in limiting the life of a cold or the flu, and helps to strengthen the immune system along the way. This is one home remedy that’ll scare the cough right out of ya!
- Homemade vapor rub: this is a perfect natural remedy for cough + decongestant. Use it on the chest, as well as the feet to soothe.
- Ginger lemon honey tea: The recipe below has a whole host of benefits, just like the others on this list. I love this recipe for allergies, when I feel any kind of sickness coming on, or if I’m in the middle of a full blown cold.
Practical Uses for Home Remedies
Typically, when I start to feel a tickle in my throat, a stuffy nose, or the body aches, I grab a shot of fire cider. My kids and I take homemade elderberry syrup on the daily throughout the winter.
I use the vapor rub if congestion is keeping me from sleeping, and my son Jackson also uses it to help with seasonal allergies. This ginger lemon honey tea recipe can be sipped throughout the day as a home remedy for cough, sore throat, or the flu.
Tried and True Storage Tips
Have you noticed I use an awful lot of mason jars? There’s a reason why Mr. John Mason’s jars have been a popular storage favorite for over a century! I love them not just for serving green smoothies, but for storing this healthful home remedy for cough recipe. These days you can find them anywhere from antique shops to grocery stores. I often buy mine at a local feed supply store.
Please let me know in the comments below if you’ve tried this natural remedies for cough recipe for ginger lemon honey tea, or any of the other home remedies for sore throats (and a whole host of other ailments!) I’ve created. I’d love to know how they work for your family.
Ginger Lemon Honey Tea
Ingredients
- 2 lemons organic
- 2 inch ginger root
- 1 cup honey
- 12-oz mason jar
Instructions
- Slice lemons and ginger.
- Place the lemon and ginger slices in the mason jar, alternating layers of each.
- Slowly, pour honey over the lemon and ginger. Allow the honey to sink down and around the lemon and ginger slices. Fill jar to the top with honey and seal tightly.
- Store in the refrigerator. Over time, the mixture will start to turn into a loose jelly.
- When you are in need of some soothing tea, scoop 2-3 tablespoons into a mug full of hot water—be sure to scoop whole pieces of ginger and lemon. Allow to steep for 3-4 minutes and sip away.
Video
Notes
- Since lemons are going into this concentrate, make sure to wash them well before slicing.
- Use a jar with a tight-fitting lid to ensure this mixture stays protected.
- For best personal results, use raw, local honey that was made within the season you are using it.
I made this last night and made a hot cup of tea with 2T of this today and it was very good,slightly sweet, but I think it soothed my throat. It does gel up and the favors meld together quite nicely. I plan to use it some green tea tomorrow-yumm!!
PS. I only used hot water like your recipe stated,but will try in tea tomorrow
PS. I only used hot water like your recipe stated,but will try in tea tomorrow
Glad you are enjoying this recipe, Sonni. Cheers!
This is a great recipe What I usually do is make a pot or cup of green tea (great antioxidants), squeeze in lemon to taste, add 1/4 tsp of ground ginger (if making a pot add 1/2 tsp.) and 1 tsp of honey per cup.
I think the next time I’m out I’ll buy the ingredients for your recipe and give it a try..but I would like to know it’s “best used by” time.
Hi L.
Thanks for joining us! 🙂 Sounds like a great idea with the green tea.
We haven’t had it in our fridge long enough to know how long the actually keep time is. The longest I’ve had it in my fridge is a month, give or take. Once we make it, we use it up pretty quickly.
This actually keeps for a very long time. (well over 6 months) You can keep it in the fridge or in your pantry. The longer it sits, it becomes like a marmalade. Given the citrus acid and “sugar” of the honey, it’s going to take quite alot for this stuff to spoil!
Both the lemon & honey are great preservatives, given to us by nature. My husband loves this stuff when he has a head or chest cold.
Is this the tea or do you add tea? How long does it sit in the refrigerator?
Hi Pamela.
No need to add extra tea, you could if you want, but we usually scoop some out and put it in hot water. Great question. We haven’t had it in our fridge long enough to know how long the actually keep time is. The longest I’ve had it in my fridge is a month, give or take. Once we make it, we use it up pretty quickly.
As soon as I was saying I thought I was getting a cold, I got the email with this recipe. I’m making it now and I was wondering, what is the minimum time I can leave it in the fridge? Thank you!
Hope you feel better soon, Sophie. 🙂
How long do I need to let it sit before using it?
You can use it right away, Susan.
But it wont be a jelly yet?
Can you just make it with the 3 ingredients anytime?
It won’t be jelly right away, and yes you can make it 3 ingredients anytime. 🙂
I was wondering the same….how long does it keep in the fridge?
Hi Tricia.
Great question. We haven’t had it in our fridge long enough to know how long the actually keep time is. The longest I’ve had it in my fridge is a month, give or take. Once we make it, we use it up pretty quickly.
How long will this keep in the fridge?
Hey Deanna.
Great question. We haven’t had it in our fridge long enough to know how long the actually keep time is. The longest I’ve had it in my fridge is a month, give or take. Once we make it, we use it up pretty quickly.
If your allergic to citrus what can you use as a substitute for the lemon?
Thanks, Y
Hi Yvette.
You can leave the lemon out if you are allergic. Hope that helps.
Great Post!
I’d like to suggest also making a red onion syrup where the onions are covered in honey until the “juice” from the onion is pulled out. Red onions are important because of the quercetin contained in the red/purple color. Secondly, the liquid onion syrup is good for coughs (it can also be made with any kind of sugar layered with onions, but the honey is better. The concoction must be soaked and shaken every day for about 2 weeks to reach highest potency before taking.
Second suggestion is a “tea” concoction with hot water, lemon slice, dash of cayenne and touch of honey. I’m guessing you may have heard of this recipe..
Thanks for the suggestions, Lorie. 🙂
Does “2 piece of fresh ginger (about the size of your pointer and middle finger)” mean a 2-inch piece of ginger which has a root with a thickness of my pointer and middle finger held together?
Ginger IS a root.
Hey Carmen.
Yes, that sound about right. Ginger can be hard to measure, since ever piece varies.
This is exactly what I needed, Amazing! Thank you!
YAY! Happy to help!
Seems nice! I do it in another way though; when I was in hospital and just got my first child and had a terrible cough a midwife gave me this tip and I’ve been making it ever since (5 years): I peel a piece of ginger, I shred it in a jug, pour boiling water over it and let it stay so til I think it’s spicy enough, 15-30 min. Pour it in a mug, like half of the mug, then more hot water over and some lemon and a spoon honey, makes a great tea! Keep the rest of the ginger-tea in the fridge and make a cup of tea at least one time a day during the cold or just to keep the flu away!
Thanks for sharing, Linda. I am glad these ingredients have helped you in the past. Cheers + Happy Holidays.
Hi!
Made this last night and it smells amazing!
Question though…how long should it take to start to turn to jelly?!
Thanks x
We usually have used it up before it is a solid jelly, but it would take a few weeks. 🙂
Thanks!
It’s going down a treat! May have to make some more soon!
I am pretty sure the vitamin C will lose its potency long before 2 months. Why not keep the honey & ginger in the fridge and add fresh lemon when you are ready to drink it?
That’s another great idea, Joellen. 🙂
Do you scoop out just the honey in warm water? OR do you put some lemon and ginger in the water too?
Hey Amy.
Great question. Scoop out the honey and a piece of lemon and ginger. 🙂
One of the Hockey Mom’s (Coaches Wife) made this for her husband says he really liked it and it helped a lot. I would like to try it. But what is raw honey? Can you use the BillyBee Honey?
Hey Sheila.
Thanks for the comment! 🙂 Raw honey would mean that is uncooked to make sure all the nutrients and enzymes are still in there. If you can’t find a honey at your store with the label ‘raw’ then go ahead and use BillyBee. 🙂 Hope you enjoy it.