Some home remedies, such as lemon juice and honey, ginger syrup with cinnamon or mint tea, have substances with an expectorant, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and antioxidant action, which help eliminate secretions from the airways. respiratory and to strengthen the immune system, relieving cough with phlegm, caused by flu, colds, sinusitis or bronchitis, for example.
To be more effective, these home remedies can be sweetened with honey, as they help lubricate and reduce throat irritation, and eliminate viruses and bacteria from the body, relieving cough. However, honey should not be used by children under 2 years of age, or by people who have diabetes or are allergic to honey, pollen or propolis.
It is important to note that, although they have benefits, home remedies for coughing up phlegm do not replace the treatment indicated by the doctor. In addition, pregnant women should opt for inhalations and essential oils that can be applied to the skin, because the use of some teas is contraindicated in pregnancy. See the home remedies for cough that can be used in pregnancy.
Some home remedies for coughing up phlegm are:
1. Lemon juice and honey
Lemon juice and honey has an expectorant action as it is rich in vitamin C and antioxidants, which help reduce inflammation in the airways, relieving coughs and accelerating recovery from colds and flu. In addition, honey helps to lubricate the throat and reduce tissue irritation, relieving coughing.
Ingredients
- Juice of 1 lemon;
- 1 tablespoon of honey.
- 200 mL of water.
Preparation mode
Beat all the ingredients in a blender and sweeten with honey before drinking it right after preparation.
2. Orange, pineapple and watercress juice
Orange, pineapple and watercress juice is rich in vitamins C and A, iron, potassium, and bromelain that have expectorant, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant action, which help to fight cough with phlegm and strengthen the immune system, accelerating recovery from colds and flu.
Ingredients
- ½ cup of watercress leaves and stalks tea;
- Juice of 1 orange;
- 1 slice of pineapple.
Preparation mode
Place the ingredients in the blender and beat until obtaining a homogeneous mixture. Drink half a glass of juice 2 to 3 times a day, or whenever you have a stronger coughing crisis. See other ways to use watercress to fight cough.
3. Cinnamon Ginger Syrup
Ginger and cinnamon syrup has a drying effect on mucous membranes and is a natural expectorant, which helps fight coughing up phlegm caused by colds or flu.
Ingredients
- 1 cinnamon stick or 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon;
- 1 cup sliced peeled ginger root;
- 85 g brown, demerara or coconut sugar;
- 100 mL of water.
Preparation mode
Boil the water with the sugar, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Turn off the heat, add the ginger and cinnamon, and stir. Store the syrup in a clean, dry glass bottle. Take 1 teaspoon of ginger syrup 3 times a day.
This syrup should not be used by people who have clotting problems or who use anticoagulant medication, as it can increase the risk of bleeding and bruising. In addition, the use of this syrup should be avoided by pregnant women who are close to childbirth or in women with a history of miscarriage, clotting problems or who are at risk of bleeding.
4 Mint tea
Spearmint tea is rich in menthol, an essential oil that helps to improve symptoms of coughing up phlegm, runny or stuffy nose and headache, common in cases of flu or colds.
In addition, this tea has antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory properties, which help the body fight the cold and recover faster.
Ingredients
- 6 chopped mint leaves;
- 150 mL of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Add the mint to the cup of boiling water and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain, sweeten with honey if desired, and drink 3 to 4 cups a day.
5. Thyme and Honey Infusion
The infusion of thyme and honey is rich in anti-inflammatory and antiseptic substances, such as thymol, carvacrol, cymene and linalool, which also have an expectorant action, facilitating the elimination of phlegm, in addition to lubricating the throat, relieving cough, runny nose and feeling of stuffy nose.
For people allergic to honey, propolis or pollen, honey should not be added to the infusion, it should only be prepared with thyme.
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon of dried thyme extract or 2 sprigs of fresh thyme;
- 1 liter of boiling water;
- 1 tablespoon of honey.
Preparation mode
Add the dried thyme to the boiling water and let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and drink up to 3 cups a day.
Thyme infusion should not be used by people with stomach problems such as gastritis or ulcers, by people with liver disease or who use anticoagulant drugs such as warfarin or clopidogrel, for example.
6. Onion and Garlic Syrup
The home remedy for cough with phlegm with onion and garlic has expectorant and antiseptic properties, which in addition to helping to loosen phlegm, strengthen the immune system and reduce lung inflammation, preventing the production of more phlegm.
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion grated;
- 1 crushed garlic clove;
- Honey.
Preparation mode
Place the onion and garlic in a glass container and add enough honey to cover the onion and garlic. Mix the ingredients and store in the fridge overnight. For children over 2 years old, 2.5 ml of the syrup, which is equivalent to about half a teaspoon of the syrup, can be given up to 3 times a day. For adults, you can take 5 ml or 1 teaspoon of the syrup, up to 3 times a day. Discard any unused amount of this syrup after 1 week. Check out other ways to use garlic to fight cough.
Because it contains honey, onion and garlic syrup should not be used by children under 2 years old, pregnant women with gestational diabetes or people who have diabetes, as it can increase the amount of sugar in the blood and make it difficult to blood glucose control.
7. Eucalyptus vapor inhalation
A good home remedy for coughing up phlegm is to inhale eucalyptus vapor because it has expectorant and antiseptic properties, which quickly relieve nasal congestion.
However, there are some people who may be more sensitive to the essential oil released by eucalyptus, and in these cases, symptoms may worsen. If this happens, you should avoid doing this inhalation.
Ingredients
- 5 drops of eucalyptus essential oil;
- 1 liter of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Place the boiling water in a basin and add the drops of eucalyptus essential oil. Then cover your head and basin, inhaling the tea steam. Then, cover the head with an open towel, so that it also covers the container containing the eucalyptus essential oil solution. Lean your head over the container and breathe in the steam as deeply as possible for up to 10 minutes, repeating 2 to 3 times a day. This towel helps keep the solution steaming longer.
If you don't have essential oil at home, you can also inhale it by dipping some eucalyptus leaves in boiling water, as the natural oil of the plant will be transported by water vapor. See other ways to use eucalyptus to relieve a cough with phlegm.
8. Licorice tea
Licorice tea, prepared with the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza glabra, is rich in substances such as glycyrrhizin, glabridin, apigenin and liquiritin, with a potent expectorant action, as well as antioxidant, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, which help to fight coughing with phlegm and other respiratory problems such as colds or bronchitis, for example.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon licorice root;
- 1 cup of boiling water;
- Honey to sweeten to taste.
Preparation mode
Add the licorice to the cup of boiling water, cover and let it rest for 10 minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey if desired. Drink this tea up to 2 times a day.
Licorice tea should not be consumed by pregnant or breastfeeding women and by people with heart problems, kidney disease and low blood potassium levels.
9. Guaco and mallow tea
Guaco and mallow tea has a calming effect on the bronchi, reducing phlegm production and shortness of breath. In addition, the properties of guaco make secretions more liquid, making it easier to remove phlegm stuck in the throat and lungs.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of dried mallow flowers or leaves;
- 1 tablespoon of fresh guaco leaves;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Place the mallow and the guaco in the cup of boiling water. Cover for about 10 minutes. It is recommended for adults to drink 1 cup of the tea, up to 3 times a day. See other recipes with guaco to relieve a cough.
This tea should only be taken from 2 years of age, and younger children are recommended to inhale water vapor. Check out the main expectorants indicated for babies under 2 years old.
10. Sweet broom tea
Sweet broom tea, prepared with the medicinal plant Scoparia dulcis, is rich in fatty acids, diterpenes and flavonoids, with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, expectorant and antiseptic properties, which help relieve cough with phlegm, caused by colds, asthma or bronchitis.
Ingredients
- 10 g sweet broom;
- 500 mL of water.
Preparation mode
Place the broom and water in a container and bring to the boil, letting it boil for 10 minutes. Then let it cool down, strain and drink 3 to 4 cups a day.
Sweet broom tea should not be used by pregnant women as it can cause miscarriage. In addition, this plant should not be used during breastfeeding either.
11. Echinacea tea
Echinacea tea is rich in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunostimulating substances, such as flavonoids, chicory and rosmarinic acids, which help to strengthen the immune system, decreasing the duration of flu, colds or sinusitis, which helps to relieve cough with phlegm.
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon of echinacea root or leaves;
- 1 cup of boiling water.
Preparation mode
Place 1 teaspoon of echinacea root or leaves in a cup of boiling water. Let stand for 15 minutes, strain and drink twice a day.
Echinacea tea should not be used by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women, or by people who have asthma, tuberculosis or autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus or psoriasis.
To complement these home remedies, it is recommended to drink plenty of water to help thin the thicker secretions, which helps fight coughing up phlegm. Also know other home remedies to eliminate phlegm.
