It has traditionally been known in folk medicine for hundreds of years that honey has helped to cure cold infections and relieve the sore throat. Honey, by means of the hydrogen peroxide it provides, (Oxygen water – H2O2) can have a germ-killing effect, such as oxygenated water, which is used to clean wounds from microbes. The World Health Organization (WHO) has long been recommending honey for coughs and colds because of its antimicrobial properties. As an important product in treatment, honey is used for upper respiratory tract infections in Germany, Norway, Spain, Venezuela, and the Middle East, while it has been used as an important nutritional supplement for hundreds of years in multi-populated countries such as India and Nigeria.
Cough affects the sleep quality of children and adults, especially at night. In the clinical study, night coughs and sleep quality of children aged 2-5 were observed. It has been found that giving 2.4 milliliters (about one teaspoon) of honey before bedtime is significantly more effective in preventing cough attacks (than drugs containing dextromethorphan) (http://apiedu.eu/pluginfile.php/52/mod_page/content /17/apitherapy-handbook-tr.pdf#page=9).
Fresh honey removes sputum and empties the intestines, promotes digestion by reducing fat in the body. Honey powers the intestines and its regular consumption prevents the accumulation of toxic substances in the intestines and kills the intestinal maggots. Similarly beneficial for chronic diseases, chronic constipation, dysentery, and diarrhea, honey provides relief in asthma and cough patients by removing phlegm accumulated in the lungs. Also useful in cases of tuberculosis (tuberculosis), honey keeps the mind alive and healthy. It is useful for people who are busy with mental affairs. Consumption of honey strengthens sperm, adds physical strength and gives the body a good shape. For example, put almonds in water, grind at night and put in a bowl. Add a spoonful of honey half an hour before bedtime and drink sugar-free with cold milk. This recipe is good for mental strength, masculinity, and physical form. It should be taken regularly for two months during the winter season. Honey facilitates the excretion of sputum from the body. You can improve the cough by mixing half a spoonful of honey and half a spoonful of ginger juice. You can also get rid of sputum by mixing equal amounts of onion juice and honey. Honey consumption is also very good for colds.
Propolis also has natural anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. People use propolis for cold and flu treatments, and also propolis strengthens the immune system to a high degree. Due to its antibacterial and antifungal properties, propolis, an ideal topical ingredient for the treatment of various skin diseases, is also known as the source of flavonoids, a powerful antioxidant. Due to these properties (antioxidants), it has been proven by numerous scientific studies that it heals damaged cells and wounds.
The Use of Honey in the Treatment of Colds
Before antibiotics were discovered, people used the cures provided by natural resources in the fight against all kinds of infections, including ‘colds’. The results of a recently published field study about what precautions individuals take against themselves or how they apply for treatment without resorting to physicians caught my attention. A crowded research team with two medical faculties from our country was conducted at 3074 people in 27 countries in Europe. In the study, natural products and synthetic drugs (pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory drugs, cough syrups, nasal sprays, vitamin supplements), bed rest, chicken soup, bath, etc. all options are evaluated.
As a result, it is seen that the most preferred option in the fight against colds is ‘honey’. Approximately half of the respondents in Europe have been the first choice of honey. The second place is citrus products; orange (38.1 percent), lemon (31.1 percent), tangerine (25.2 percent). However, the number of people who prefer grapefruit among citrus fruits is quite low (6.7 percent). Another honey product that is among the most preferred ones in the ranking is ‘lemon + honey’ (18 percent). Natural product options also include medicinal mint (17.9 percent), chamomile (17.3 percent), sage (16.8 percent), ginger (13.4 percent), thyme, cinnamon (7.9 percent). Paracetamol (pain reliever) (38.2 percent) and vitamin C (28.2 percent) come first in synthetic drug preferences. Considering that paracetamol is a drug that causes liver damage, and the absorption of vitamin C alone is very low in the body, natural product options are the most rational approach in this regard.
Hydrogen peroxide, which is produced when enzymes in real honey come into contact with saliva in the mouth, has a strong antimicrobial effect. In fact, the effectiveness of honey in the prevention of inflammation in wounds depends on this substance. In addition, the intense consistency and acidity (pH 3.2-4.5) of honey prevents the development of microbes. Because of these properties of honey, microbes cannot develop resistance to honey, such as antibiotics. In another new study published, honey has been shown to be effective on some microbes resistant to antibiotics.
To increase the effectiveness of honey, a more delicious and effective mixture can be prepared by adding some of the options mentioned above. You can take real honey that you know is really good quality and add ginger, cinnamon bark extract, clove extract, propolis, lemon extract. Eugenol in cinnamon bark and cloves are spices that have been revealed by scientific researches with their powerful germicidal effect. It will be useful to take a teaspoon of this mixture several times a day or to drink it by adding it to hot water, to prevent colds or to alleviate the symptoms if you are ill.
Science Behind the Effects of Honey in Cold Treatment
In addition to the effect of honey against microorganisms (antimicrobial), its effectiveness in alleviating cold symptoms has been known for thousands of years due to its oxidative damage preventive (antioxidant) and anti-inflammatory effects. Indeed, the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends using honey in the treatment of colds and coughs due to its antimicrobial and throat softening effects. In the current comprehensive scientific evaluation reports, it is revealed that honey can be especially helpful in relieving cough complaints, one of the symptoms of colds.
Cough, of course, children and adults of all ages adversely affect the quality of sleep, especially at night. It has also been shown in a clinical study that honey can be as effective as cough syrups in alleviating cough complaints. In the study, cough syrup (containing dextromethorphan, diphenhydramine) in two different ingredients and the effect of honey on night coughs and sleep quality in 139 children between the ages of 2 and 5 were examined comparatively. The children included in the study were divided into 4 groups, one group was given honey, one group was given supportive therapy, one group was cough syrups containing dextromethorphan and the other was dehydramine. After 24 hours, parents were questioned and changes in parameters such as frequency and severity of cough and quality of sleep were recorded in their children (Likert-questionnaire).
In the evaluation, it was observed that the delivery of 2.5 milliliters (about one teaspoon) of honey before bedtime was more prominent in preventing cough attacks than both cough syrups. Of course, you need to make sure that the honey used, as I often say, is real honey. Otherwise, unlike “fake honey” produced with glucose syrup, it will provide a suitable environment for microbes to develop in your throat.
On the other hand, you can create a very effective defense shield with the addition of propolis, as well as spice extracts with strong effects on viruses and bacteria such as ginger, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper. Keep it in your mouth for a while, about a teaspoon of this mixture several times a day. I think it’s a highly reliable, beautifully flavored blend with no risk. You can even create a beautiful drink by mixing this mixture in hot water.
Natural Honey and Ginger Syrup Against the Common Cold
Several times a year, especially when the weather begins to get cold, the immune system is weakened and the occurrence of a cold occurs quite often. In the following paragraphs, I will give a recipe for syrup with honey and ginger against colds. Even if cold weather is not the only factor causing colds, exposure to low temperatures significantly increases the risk of colds. As a result, depending on the severity of the cold, it triggers a series of symptoms that can affect your quality of life for several days.
However, there are a wide variety of commercial and homemade recipes that can significantly reduce your symptoms to prevent them from interfering with your daily activities. These recipes include a natural syrup made with honey and ginger, providing nutrients to the body and strengthening the body’s defenses. In the rest of the article, I would like to share the easy recipe you can prepare at home and its benefits. Try!
The combination of bee honey and ginger gives us a natural syrup that fights the annoying symptoms of the flu and colds. These substances are the source of the necessary components that strengthen the immune system when they are absorbed. This helps the body respond to viruses that cause this disease. The difference between this syrup and the syrups sold in the store is that this recipe is free of additional chemicals. Therefore, you can consume it safely without any risk of side effects.
Honey is a powerful anti-viral and anti-bacterial ingredient that has been used for centuries as a natural recipe for problems affecting our respiratory tract. It is rich in enzymes and essential amino acids; It is an effective treatment for excess phlegm, congestion and other cold symptoms. First of all, it contains vitamin C and vitamin A; both are necessary to improve your defense when faced with a viral attack. It provides trace elements such as potassium and magnesium, which are necessary to suppress the effect of microorganisms in the body. Its anti-inflammatory power calms irritation of the respiratory tract and also controls cough and sore throat.
Ginger is a spice and expectorant with anti-inflammatory properties that have been used in the treatment of colds for hundreds of years. Gingerol, its most valuable ingredient, provides antibiotic effects that help eliminate viruses and bacteria that affect your lung health. It is packed with nutrients, such as vitamin C, which are needed to strengthen the immune system and increase antibody production. It provides the body with potassium, nicotinic acid and phosphorus substances that help control inflammation. It also has antitussive properties that are the key to relieving your cough. Its high antioxidant content minimizes the negative effects of free radicals and toxins, cleans and protects the respiratory tract.
How to Prepare Homemade Honey and Ginger Syrup?
It is very easy to make this syrup, and when you compare it with traditional methods, you will see that it has a much more affordable cost. The best part is that you don’t have to be sick to do this. It can be easily stored; so you can use it regularly to support your defense system. Therefore, when the weather starts to get cold and when you start to feel the onset of a cold in your body, do not hesitate to start using this mixture.
- 1 medium ginger root
- 1 cup of organic bee honey (335 g)
- Airtight glass jar
- Peel the ginger root and cut it into thin slices.
- Put the spice in the glass jar. Then put enough bee honey over it.
- Close the mouth of the jar tightly.
- Store in a dark place for 48 hours so that ginger can become effective.
- Start treatment with syrup after 48 hours.
How is it consumed?
- To fight against the common cold, consume 3-4 tablespoons of this syrup a day.
- As a protective method against colds, consume 1 tablespoon every day on an empty stomach.
- Give children the dosage of teaspoons.
- If you wish, you can combine the syrup with warm water and lemon to make it easier to consume.
As you can see, it is very easy to make your own syrup at home to fight cold symptoms that affect your health. Follow the suggestions offered to you and see the benefits with your own eyes.
Best Honey Products to Treat Cold That You Can Buy Online
- Sweet Sunnah’s Unrefined & Unfiltered 100% Cold pressed Black Seed Paste and Honey Blend Herbal blend