Looking for an all-natural sore throat remedy that really works? I was, too, and I found one! And the best part? There are only 4 ingredients, all of which are kitchen staples you already have on hand.
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For lots of reasons, I can’t/choose not to take many over-the-counter medications. I have pretty significant reactions to decongestants and allergy meds, so cold and allergy season can be a real nightmare.
I use my trusty Vicks inhaler and Vapo-rub, Breathe-rights, cough drops, and Robitussin. But none of those gets rid of a sore throat that comes from post-nasal drainage. So, I really wanted to find an all-natural sore throat remedy that worked.
I have seen several articles praising the healing benefits of using simple ingredients. Things like lemon, honey, cinnamon, and vinegar to soothe a sore throat. So, when I woke up with one a few days ago, I decided to test it out.
Here’s why these ingredients work:
Lemon
Lemon’s citric acid helps to break up the mucus that causes a sore throat. It also helps to soothe the throat’s pain and inflammation.
Lemons have vitamin C and antioxidants that help boost the immune system. Lemon juice is a natural antiseptic that helps to kill any bacteria or viruses in the throat. It also increases salivation, which helps to moisten and lubricate an irritated throat. Makes sense to me!
Honey
Honey has been used as a sore throat remedy for thousands of years. It has antibacterial properties. And also acts as a hypertonic osmotic, which means that it draws water out of inflamed tissue, reducing swelling.
Cinnamon
I had heard about using lemon and honey before, but not cinnamon. Cinnamon has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, as researched in a study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine.
Apple Cider Vinegar
I figure anything that smells this bad has to be effective, right? 🙂 Well, it is more than just the stink that makes vinegar a good choice for a sore throat. It’s the acid in it. Research shows germs can’t survive in the acidic coating that apple cider vinegar forms on your throat.
Now we understand why these ingredients work as an all-natural sore throat remedy. Here’s the recipe that worked for me.
If you’ve ever Googled natural sore throat remedies, you know there are tons of variations of using these ingredients. But I saw this recipe several times and decided to try it.
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp. honey
- 2 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
- 2 tbsp. lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. of cinnamon (recipe calls for a dash, but I added a bit more cinnamon to mask the vinegar taste)
- 1/4 c. warm water
Whisk all the ingredients together and drink.
And the taste?
I will be honest, it really didn’t taste very good. The vinegar was kind of bubbly after the whisking. There were hints of honey and cinnamon, but all I could taste was the acidity of the vinegar and lemon.
I have acid reflux. So I assumed drinking this acidic brew first thing in the morning was going to wreak havoc on my tum. But it didn’t! Whew!
Bottom line?
My sore throat was gone within a half hour, and it stayed gone all day. It was amazing how well it worked!
Now, I will tell you, though, that the next morning the sore throat was back. Probably just the gunk running down it all night (sorry for the grossness). So I drank another batch, and it worked just as well as the first day. It lasted all day again, too.
By the 3rd morning, my throat wasn’t sore anymore. I was quite pleased at how well this worked. I still had to blow my nose a lot. So I don’t want you to think it cured my cold in 2 days. But I can honestly say that it really worked on my sore throat.
So give this recipe a try if you are looking for an all-natural sore throat remedy that really works. Let me know if you got great results, too. If you have other home remedies, please share. I’d love to hear about them!
Stay well!
~ Pam
By the way, I am a professional organizer. Here are my favorite ways to get all of those pantry staples organized. These methods will also make the rest of your pantry easier to use!
P.S. Looking for some yummy desserts now that your throat feels better? Fill out the form below to get a free downloadable copy of recipes for my 10 favorite easy desserts!