Is lemon ginger tea good for a sore throat

4.6 from 19 votes

Prep Time 5 minutes

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This Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Throat Soother is an old-fashioned homemade natural remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. It can help boost your immune system and soothe sore, scratchy throats. Use it alone or in a cup of warm tea.

If you’re like me, when allergy, cold, or flu season rolls around you’ll do almost anything to avoid getting a cough or sore throat. But when that does inevitably happen, one of my favorite natural remedies is this delicious lemon, honey, and ginger throat soother.

This syrup is an easy to make, natural treatment that may even give you a little immune boost.

I’ve used this little sore throat soother and cough remedy for years. I think my Mama even gave us something similar when we were children.

You can keep a jar of this in your pantry or refrigerator and use it any time you start to feel that little tickle in your throat. You know that little tickle? The one that says “Get ready. I’m a nasty cold and here I come?” Yuck.

I know people who swear that taking a spoonful of this honey-lemon-ginger mixture every day will keep colds away and prevent seasonal allergies. I don’t know about that, but some of them are pretty adamant about it.

You can keep this mix indefinitely. Honey and lemon are both natural preservatives after all. If you want to know exactly how long you can keep this, well, they’ve found intact jars of honey in the pyramids after thousands of years.

Guess what else? If you completely forget that this is in your pantry, after a while it turns into the most delicious marmalade! Ask me how I know 😉.

Table of Contents

• ❗ Disclaimer
• 🍋 What Immune-Boosting Benefits do Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Have?
• 💗 Why You'll Love This "Recipe"
• 🧾 More "Feel Better" Recipes
• 🥘 Ingredients and Equipment You'll Need
• 🍯 How to Make Homemade Throat Soother
• 🍚 Storage Information
• ❓ Questions
• 📖 Recipe
• Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Soother for Colds and Sore Throats

❗ Disclaimer

Now, I am NOT giving anyone medical advice here. I’m just sharing a little something that might make you feel better if you’re under the weather. And, by the way…don’t give this to children under 12 months of age. Honey is not safe for them.

🍋 What Immune-Boosting Benefits do Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Have?

I am glad you asked! Each of the ingredients in this syrup has its own unique set of benefits for your immune system.

• Lemon is a rich source of vitamin C, which is an antioxidant that helps strengthen the immune system. It also contains other nutrients like potassium and B vitamins. Lemon juice has also been shown to have antibacterial properties against certain strains of bacteria.
• Honey has been used as a natural remedy for centuries and is also an antioxidant. When buying honey, try to find honey from your local area. Local honey may contain pollen from plants and flowers native to your area, which helps build immunity against seasonal allergies!
• Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce swelling in your throat so you can breathe easier while also soothing pain caused by a cough or congestion. The spicy flavor helps clear up mucus and phlegm as well.
• When combined together, these ingredients make a natural remedy that can give relief for colds and sore throats.

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💗 Why You’ll Love This “Recipe”

• It tastes great! Kids and adults both love it. (Remember – don’t give honey to children under 12 months of age!)
• It’s cost-effective and easy to make at home with just three ingredients.
• You can use as much as you want, whenever you want, without any worries.
• It helps stop that persistent tickle in your throat.

🧾 More “Feel Better” Recipes

• Chicken Noodle Soup
• Leek and Potato Soup
• Mushroom Soup
• Vegetable Soup
• English Onion Soup

🥘 Ingredients and Equipment You’ll Need

One of the best things about this homemade throat soother recipe is that it doesn’t require many ingredients nor do you have to dirty any pots and pans!

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• Pint Size Glass Jar with a Lid
• Cutting Board
• Knife
• Fresh Lemons
• Fresh Ginger Root
• Honey (preferably locally sourced)

You’ll find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe at the bottom of this post.

🍯 How to Make Homemade Throat Soother

1. Start by washing and slicing the lemons. I take out the seeds, but it doesn’t matter. Pack about half the lemon slices into a clean pint jar.
2. When you’re halfway through filling the jar with lemons, grate in about a 1-inch piece of fresh ginger root. Finish filling with the lemon slices.
3. Now, slowly pour in the honey, giving it time to settle between all the lemon slices. Put the cap on and let it sit for about 24 hours before you start using it.

Most people stir a spoonful of the mixture into a cup of boiling water, let it steep for a few minutes, then strain it and sip it. I actually prefer it in hot tea.

And, if you’re really feeling under the weather, adding a little spoonful of whiskey won’t hurt a thing.

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🍚 Storage Information

Store this homemade cough syrup mixture in a cool dark place like a pantry or kitchen cabinet. It doesn’t require refrigeration unless you just want to!

❓ Questions

Can I use lime instead of lemon?

Yes, I suppose you could use lime or even orange or grapefruit in place of lemon. I prefer lemon because its taste pairs best with the honey and ginger.

Can I substitute dried or ground ginger for fresh?

I don’t recommend dried or ground ginger for this recipe. While it would still taste delicious, it will cloud the mixture and you won’t get all the benefits that come from using fresh ginger root.

What kind of honey is best for making this homemade cough remedy?

I recommend using raw, organic honey. Honey that has not been heat treated or processed in any way will contain the most benefits. It’s also great to use locally-sourced honey if you can because it typically contains pollen from native plants and flowers which helps build immunity against seasonal allergies!

Have you tried this recipe? I’d really appreciate you giving it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card or in the comments section.
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📖 Recipe

Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Soother for Colds and Sore Throats

This Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Throat Soother is a homemade remedy for colds, coughs, and sore throats. Use it alone or in a cup of warm tea.

4.58 from 19 votes

Course: Condiments and Extras

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 12 servings

Calories: 94kcal

Author: Lana Stuart

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

• 3 lemons
• 1 1-inch piece fresh ginger root
• 1 cup honey (more or less as needed)

Instructions

• Wash the lemon and cut into slices. Pack the slices in a clean, dry jar.

• Grate the ginger root into the jar with the lemon wedges.

• Fill the jar with honey.

• Close the jar and let stand for at least 24 hours before using.

• Store in refrigerator or dark, cool pantry.
  

Notes

To use: Dissolve a tablespoon of the honey from the mixture in a cup of hot tea or plain hot water. Important Note: honey is not safe for infants. Do not give this mixture to children under 12 months of age.This is a home remedy. Nothing in this post is to be construed in any way as medical advice.

Nutrition Information

Serving: 1 | Calories: 94kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 52mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 6IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is calculated by software based on the ingredients in each recipe. It is an estimate only and is provided for informational purposes. You should consult your health care provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.

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— This post was originally published on January 31, 2013. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.

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