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 😉.
Recipe Snapshot
Cuisine: American
Cooking Method: None
Total Time: 5 Minutes
Servings: 12
Primary Ingredient(s): Honey, lemons, fresh ginger
Skill Level: Easy
❗ 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. According to reliable online sources, …
- 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. Many people believe that local honey can help with seasonal allergies. Even though that belief has been disproven, honey does have anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties.
- 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.
What You’ll Like About 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.
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
The complete ingredient list with detailed measurements is included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make Homemade Throat Soother
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 as a hot lemon ginger tea.
And, if you’re really feeling under the weather, adding a little spoonful of whiskey won’t hurt a thing.
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! Whether stored in the fridge or at room temperature, it keeps indefinitely.
More “Feel Better” Recipes
Feeling under the weather? Then, you’ll also want to take a look at these comforting recipes:
Questions About Honey and Lemon for Sore Throat
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.
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.
I recommend using raw, organic honey. Honey that has not been heat treated or processed in any way will contain the most benefits.
Have a question or thought to share?
If you have a question about the recipe or if you’ve made it and want to share how it turned out, I would truly enjoy hearing from you. Just scroll down to leave a comment or add your star rating.
Thank you for stopping by. It means a lot to have you here.
Recipe
Lemon, Honey, and Ginger Soother for Colds and Sore Throats
Ingredients
- 3 lemons
- 1 one-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
Nutrition Information
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 healthcare provider or a registered dietitian if precise nutrition calculations are needed for health reasons.
— This post was originally published on January 31, 2013. It has been updated with new photos and additional information.
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As a person who gets a lot of sore throats all year round, I tried this mixture and it works so well. I just have a couple of teaspoons at a time, and it soothes my throat straight away, it also tastes amazing. I wouldn’t be without it. Thank you so much for posting this.
So glad it helps you, Jayne!
can i change the lemon into lime? i know is different kind of citrus and the formula–idk what it called–is kinnda different. but can i? or i should change the recipe to match the citrus i use? thankyou
Listya – it’s just a recipe. You can change it any way you want.
helo it is posible to cook them all together ginger,lemon and after boiled pour honey
I’m sorry, but I’m unsure what it is that you’re asking.
Would this be good to flavor Tea?
Yes, it’s very good in tea.
Can I add garlic?
I guess you could, but I don’t think it would taste very good. Especially when mixed with hot tea.
hello I Love this omg I was wondering what does the ginger do?
The ginger is just for taste. You can leave it out if you’d like.
The ginger is really good for upset stomach. I added my mixture to some club soda and it was fantastic!
Ginger is also very good for digestion and upset stomach….it has many uses…it is spicy if eaten so people should be aware of that if they try to eat it raw.
Made this the on Tuesday, and I used ginger in it. I was wondering how long do you leave the lemon in it or do you strain it and keep it like that?
You can leave the lemon in it indefinitely. You store it with the lemon in it.
Can this work with ground ginger instead of fresh ginger?
If you don’t have fresh ginger, I’d just leave it out. I often make it with just lemons and honey. The ginger is just for a different taste.
…..need to pick up more fresh ginger next shopping trip.
I could leave the ginger out but want to add it later. Do you think adding it to the honey/lemon mixture in weeks time would be alright?
So, my ginger went bad because I left it in a sealed plastic bag on the counter…..oops. I was wondering if ground ginger would be recommended to substitute. If so, how much would you suggest? Thanks
You can just leave the ginger out. It will still work fine and will taste just as good.
Okay I’m gonna ask it. Do you the lemons and too with the rind on it?
Sorry…. Do you eat the lemons with the rind on it too?
You can if you want to. Usually, you just stir the honey into your tea or water…whatever. The lemon juice infuses into the honey and the honey into the lemons.
Curious if I could replace the honey with agave? As a vegan I don’t consume honey. Thanks :)
I’ve never tried it with agave.
If I didn’t use honey, I would try pure maple syrup in it.
I don’t believe maple syrup would have the high viscosity of honey so it wouldn’t coat the throat as well. Honey also has antibacterial properties and has been used for medicinal purposes for ages.
I just put a jar together yesterday. Is it supposed to be liquidy? Also, should I stir it all together before using it or just take out a spoonful? Thanks. :)
Depending on how juicy your lemons are, it could be fairly thin. It doesn’t really make any difference to the taste or effectiveness. You don’t have to stir it.
How many times per day should you drink this?
You can drink it as often as you like. It’s a beverage, not a medication.
I made this last night but it has not turned to a jelly consistency. Did I do something wrong?
Tessa, this is not jelly. Please read the entire post carefully to understand the uses of this mixture.