Could a humble onion and a pot of honey be a cheaper and more effective way to ease your cough than the array of syrups of the market?

It is hard to trace the origins of popular home remedies. While honey is well known for its healing properties and onion has antibacterial actions like all members to the allium family, I wonder if it was a stroke of genius or a happy accident that paired the two to create a simple and efficient cough remedy?

Regardless of its origin, this is an inexpensive and efficient remedy to ease lung congestion made from two common ingredients in your kitchen. The purpose of a cough syrup is to make the mucus thinner and easier to expel. The idea is not to suppress the cough, rather clear the phlegm that is the cause of the problem.

Onion and honey cough syrup

Chop up one onion and cover with runny honey. Place in an airtight jar and keep in the fridge.

After a couple of hours fluid from the onion begins to mingle with the honey to make a thin syrup.

Adult dose: 1 dessert spoon (10 mls) of syrup taken 2-3 times a day.
Child dose depends on age, as this is a very mild form of medicine dosage does not need to be exact. For a 7-14 year old child use 1 tsp (5 mls) per dose.

Due to the sugar content, diabetics should avoid this remedy or monitor their insulin needs closely while taking it.

* Tip: The syrup smells like onions but tastes like honey. So block your nose when you take it.

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