So, you’ve tried all the cough syrups available, and the cough just wouldn’t go away? Would you consider using a natural remedy? If you answered yes to both these questions, then don’t waste time. Read on and find out how to treat common cough at home using this simple remedy.
For this simple remedy, you need some onions and granulated sugar. You don’t even have to mix it as it will transform into onion cough syrup overnight. This classic remedy has been in use for many generations. However, this lesser known onion and sugar cough syrup remedy is not too popular and you might not be able to locate it online.
Usually, our grandparents are the ones who talk about old school remedies or mention old wives tales. We usually don’t set much store by these au natural remedies as they seem quite unreal. Let’s explore this particular remedy and find out whether or not it’s an effective remedy for cough.
Onions is one vegetable that has many positive properties. It is loaded with nutrients and are extremely tasty additions that add brilliant flavor to the food. Onion also helps strengthen the immune system. It is a natural antibiotic and expectorant that exhibits anti-inflammatory properties (1). Although, this remedy is made primarily with onions, garlic is a more than adequate replacement for the onions. It exhibits similar anti-inflammatory and expectorant properties to onions and is more effective. (2).
Onion and Garlic are good to eat during the winter months, especially if you catch a cough or cold. Consider adding loads of onions or garlic to some home-made chicken stock.
Onions are gentler than garlic, as they contain milder and gentler forms of the same active components present in garlic. Thus, onion for cough is better suited to children and the elderly, and the ones who aren’t really crazy about garlic (3).
Onion syrup is used exclusively as a children’s cough syrup. Coughing children can be given spoonfuls of this pungent smelling syrup as often as it is needed for the coughing to stop. In severe cases, one spoonful every 2 hours is ideal.
Remember, that you cannot use this syrup fresh. It must be allowed to stand for 6-8 hours or overnight. The syrup usually takes 6-8 hours to mature, so remember to make a fresh batch every 2 days.
This syrup will taste initially, but it is just temporary. As soon as your nose begins to unblock, the unmistakable aroma of onions will overpower your taste buds.
Thus, the best thing to do is have it straight if you are suffering from a blocked nose. It will usually taste sweet. If you can smell and taste the onions, consider holding your nose while you have it.
There have been many studies on the efficacy of onion syrup for cough and cold. However, none have been conclusive and it remains a mystery on whether this remedy, or any other cough remedy actually works. The FDA has concluded that there is no proof that onion and sugar syrup is any good for cough.
The FDA mentions that this syrup shouldn’t be ingested by minors and children under the age of six. However, the question remains, if cough medicines aren’t effective, why have them at all. Well, there is a little phenomenon called placebo effect, which is a simulated and ineffectual treatment that has been considered curative, but it really isn’t (4).
So, granulated sugar and onion syrup aren’t particularly useful in reducing cough, even if onions have properties that would make them effective remedies.
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