What the Horehound?! (A Recipe for Cough Syrup)

You won’t get your mouth washed out with soap for saying this word, at least not among those who know that this herb is an effective natural remedy for laryngitis and coughs!

Horehound is ridiculously easy to grow, and will be abundant in your garden in no time. As a tea, fresh or dried horehound relaxes the muscles of the lungs, expectorates mucous, and is great for whooping cough, or any severe cough. But keep in mind that this bitter herb needs a little honey or some peppermint leaves in the mix to help the medicine go down.

Another great way to get the benefits of horehound in the winter is with a cough syrup. Here’s an easy recipe for making your own, and this batch should be enough to last you well through the cold season!

You will need:

*1 ounce organic horehound leaves-fresh or dried

*1 pint of water

*Raw, local honey (about 8 oz)

1. Make an infusion of the herbs by boiling 1 ounce of fresh or dried horehound leaves in about a pint of water for 10 minutes.

2. Strain the herbs using a fine strainer or cheese cloth.

3. Add about twice as much honey as liquid and stir.

4. Pour syrup into a jar. Keep in the refrigerator and take one to two tablespoons as needed to soothe sore throats and coughs!