Make Your Own Herbal Throat & Cough Candies
Warmth , Winter 2011
Rhythm of the Home4 Comments
Now that winter is here, I like to have several natural remedies on hand in case our household comes down with a cold, flu or sore throat. And since we generally don’t do refined sugar in our household, we started making our own “cough drops.” This is a great way to hide often bitter-tasting herbs in something sweet that the kids will like. It’s also much easier to take than a capsule—for everyone!
What I love about this recipe is that it is very malleable. You can change the base ingredients by using other dried fruits and/or nuts or you can change the herbs themselves to treat other ailments besides the typical sore throat and cough.
Materials
1 cup dates, pitted
1 cup walnuts
¼ cup honey
1 tsp organic goldenseal powder
1 tsp Echinacea powder
1 tsp slippery elm powder
2 tsp mullein
2 tsp cocoa or carob powder
First add the dates and nuts to a food processor and process until the mixture clumps together.
Add honey and process until mixed in. The mixture will be much smoother now.
Add herbal powders and cocoa powder. Process to mix in.
Turn mixture out into a bowl and begin rolling the “dough” into small marble-sized balls. Roll the balls in cocoa powder to coat. Arrange balls in rows on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and store in freezer.
When the candies are frozen remove them from your cookie sheet and place them in a freezer-safe container. Store in freezer for up to six months. Or store them in your refrigerator for several weeks.
This recipe is intended to be an all-purpose winter cough/throat remedy. The dose is low enough to use with most children over three years, a couple of times each day. I encourage you to refer to a dosage chart if you are considering changing the quantities for any reason or if you or your children are particularly sensitive to medicinal herbs. And remember with a sore throat it is always best to check with a trusted health professional to rule out strep.
All above information is intended for educational purposes only. When in doubt, consult a trusted health care professional.
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Nicole Kraft lives in Seattle with her husband, two sons and a lively Australian Shepherd. You can read more about natural health on her blog.
