With flu season right around the corner, it’s a good idea to stock up on the sick day essentials. Next time you head out to grab heating pads and ingredients for chicken noodle soup, make sure you include plenty of sugar. Why? You’ll be wanting to whip up a few batches of your very own cough sweets and save yourself some money on the store-bought drops.
The recipe is super simple and easy. Start off by adding one cup of sugar and half a cup of water to a pan simmering on the stove. Then, halve a lemon and add in one tablespoon of its juice. Lemon juice is high in Vitamin C. Next add a tablespoon of honey, which boasts antibacterial properties, helps sooth sore throats and is a good cough suppressant.
You’ll next want to add half a teaspoon of ground ginger, which will help maintain the immune system and is rich with anti-inflammatory properties that assist with pain relief and nausea. Then you can add a quarter of a teaspoon of ground cloves. Cloves are packed with antioxidants in addition to holding antiseptic properties and phlegm-reducing capabilities.
Turn on the heat and stir, wait until the brew begins to simmer and stir again. Shift to low heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring regularly. While you wait, prep a baking tray with baking paper. After 15-20 minutes, you should allow the substance to cool and be left with a thick, dark and syrupy blend.
Use a spoon to add drop sized portions to the paper. Allow to cool for 20 minutes, and then add a dusting of powdered icing sugar. You can then line a metal tin with baking paper and present these as a get-well-soon gift the next time someone you know catches a bug, or keep them on you for any sudden coughs. They’re great tasting, effective and can also be dropped into some hot water and mixed to produce a warm drink that will help soothe all your symptoms this flu season.