The Best Homemade Natural Honey Cough Elixir Recipe

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Homemade cough elixir is actually super simple!

I have been in search of my own homemade cough elixir for the longest time since I have been a mom. I needed one that actually worked and that my children would take. This blog post will show you the easiest homemade cough elixir! It is so easy to make your own cough syrup elixir! What I love about this homemade cough elixir, is that all the ingredients are super simple and available at your local grocery store (or Amazon!)

If you aren’t aware by now, I am a huge fan of our body’s ability to heal itself, but if needed I will turn to medication. I will always use natural remedies first though. The dreaded cough can take over your home for days during cold and flu season. I wanted to find an alternative that used natural ingredients. I understand that not every mother is in the season to make their own cough syrups nor do they not want to. If that is you, don’t fear I got you! There are some great options for natural cough syrups that you can find on Amazon as a natural cough remedy. I do love a good DIY cough syrup recipe though.

*Taylor(The Clean Living Nurse) is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

**Disclaimer this blog post should not be used as medical advice. This is only what has woked for myself and my family. Always seek professional medical advice if you have any concerns or before starting a new regimen.

Last night, my oldest had a bad cough and stuffy nose. Luckily I had all the ingredients on hand to make this homemade cough elixir!

Homemade Cough Elixir Recipe with simple ingredients:

Let’s break down the powerful ingredients, and why this homemade cough elixir recipe works!

Raw Honey– Honey is made for all the things in the wellness space. It is naturally anti-viral, and anti-fungal, and has natural antibacterial properties. It is a great source of enzymes and minerals. You will want to be sure to use raw honey for the enzymes straight from the bee hive. It is an amazing natural cough suppressant! Regular honey is pasturiezed and will void the amazing health benefits. You want to preferably get organic honey as well as regular honey can be highly contaminated with glyphosate- the ever present pesticide that is becoming being found in a lot of non-organic food sources.

Pineapple– you will want to be sure to use fresh or frozen pineapple for this, not pineapple juice or canned pineapple as fresh or frozen will contain bromelain. Bromelain is a powerhouse enzyme that combats inflammation and swelling.It can help to reduce mucus. Great for a productive cough. It is also super high in vitamin C to help boost the immune system. Pineapple juice or canned pineapple is typically pasteurized and thus the bromelain is not present.

Olive Oil– Used to help lubricate the throat with many anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties as well. This will help with any barking-type dry cough.

Sea Salt– high in minerals including potassium, iron and calcium. These help the body get back to equilibrium.

Cayenne Pepper– I know, this is an odd addition, but cayenne pepper has amazing properties that can help with respiratory issues. The main proponent, capsaicin has many health benefits that include respiratory benefits. It can help to relieve chest congestion in those issues like the dreaded cough. Since it is just a pinch of cayenne pepper added to this recipe, small children shouldn’t be bothered by it. Feel free to omit this part if you want to.

Ginger– used as a an antiviral and natural decongestant. It has amazing antibacterial and antiviral properties. It helps to dry up mucus causing wet coughs. Great for cold symptoms

Lemon– Lemon is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants. This helps to boost the immune system. Lemon can also help with DNA repair. 

What is the problem with conventional cough syrups at the drug stores?

Cold medicine can get a bad rap. Minus the fact that I never found a conventional over-the-counter cough syrup that really worked well, most are filled with artificial fillers. I was so happy when this clean brand came around though! They are a game changer in the over-the-counter medicine industry. Artificial dyes are also a big culprit in conventional over-the-counter medications. 

When our bodies are trying to heal, it doesn’t need the burden of trying to clear out artificial fillers and colors in medications. Genexa does an awesome job at this, while keeping standard ingredients like acetaminophen and guaifanesin in their ingredients. 

Ingredients to Avoid in Cough Syrups

• High Fructose Corn Syrup- this is unfortunately found in a lot of cough syrups. This is a highly processed sugar that is typically made from GMO corn. Why do we need to add sugar to cough syrup? It is truly an unnecessary ingredient.
• Artificial Flavors and Dyes- if you have been around here long enough, you know why artificial flavors are synthetic and can contain a slew of unregulated chemicals. Artificial dyes are also a huge problem as they cause issues with learning disabilities, hyperactivity in kids, cancer and allergies. (Source)

What is the best homemade cough medicine?

As a Registered Nurse and a mother of 4, I find that the best homemade cough medicine is the recipe above! A lot of other homemade cough syrup recipes use similar ingredients, but I find that they don’t use pineapple! I feel pineapple is probably the most important ingredient with the bromelain! Bromelain is truly the powerhouse enzyme that helps to break up any mucus or gunk causing the cough. 

What I also like about the recipe above, is that all the ingredients are easy to find. Some recipes I have found have some not-so-common ingredients that might not be as easy to find in a pinch.

How do you make a concoction for a cough?

It’s really very easy to make your own homemade cough concoction at home! All you need are the above-mentioned ingredients, a blender, and a container to store the concoction in. You can choose to make popsicles, an elixir, or if you have gelatin you can make the concoction into fun gummies for the kids to take.

What Homemade drink helps with coughing?

The above recipe! But really anything with raw honey or manuka honey, lemon, and or ginger is a great natural remedy that will help tremendously! Mix all that in a hot drink and you are good to go!

What is the best instant recipe for cough?

The above recipe isn’t instant per se, but it comes together in under 5 minutes which I would consider a win!

What Else Could You make with this Homemade Cough Elixir?

You could easily turn this elixir into popsicles or gummies using gummy molds and beef gelatin!

How long will this elixir last?

About one week in the refrigerator!

Whether you choose homemade or over the counter there are better options!

These days, there are so many great options out for store-bought cough syrup that you can grab at the store or even on Amazon! Here are a few of my favorites you can grab on Amazon! They all have no weird artificial fillers or dyes.

If you like having standard cough ingredients like acetaminophen or guaifenesin, Genexa is an amazing option! They take standard over-the-counter cough medicines and make it better with no dyes, no added junk.

If you like going the more natural-minded route, Maty’s Organic Cough Syrup is a great option as the main ingredients are: Organic Honey, Organic Chamomile Tea and Organic Nutmeg. They have a daytime and night-time option as well.

I really hope this blog post on the best homemade cough elixir was helpful! Let me know in the comments if you try it! If you are looking for other great supplements to support your health check out my post on Mary Ruth’s Organics liquid multivitamin!