1. Lemon
Lemon is renowned for its high vitamin C content. A glass of lemon juice provides one-third of the recommended daily allowance of vitamin C. Lemons are packed with immune-boosting vitamin C, antioxidants for cell repair, and antibacterial properties. Each component of lemon contributes to cough relief, and when used together, they provide enhanced benefits in combating stubborn coughs.
Homemade Lemon Cough Remedies:
- Treat coughs with lemon-honey water: 1 cup organic honey, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/4 cup warm water. Mix a cup of honey with three tablespoons of lemon juice. Add warm water and stir until well blended. You can drink a tablespoon of this mixture twice a day for cough relief, once during the day and once before bedtime for a restful sleep. Refrigerate the remaining lemon-honey mixture for further use. Can be used for up to one month.
- Treat coughs with lemon-honey-garlic: 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon honey, 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic, 1 glass of water. Take a saucepan and add lemon juice and garlic to it. Fill with a glass of water and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour this mixture into a glass, add a tablespoon of honey, and stir the solution. Drink this mixture once daily for immediate relief.
- Treat coughs with lemon-honey-ginger: 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon ginger, 2 cups water. Take a saucepan and add two cups of water, ginger, and lemon juice. Boil the mixture and then turn off the heat. Let it cool for about 20 minutes. Strain and transfer the solution to a glass. Add honey and stir well. Drink this mixture once daily until the cough subsides.


2. Lemon Balm Leaves (Thick Leaf Variety)
Lemon Balm is an easy-to-grow herb, with a pleasant aroma, tangy flavor, and warm nature. It is also a common remedy for coughs and sore throats, ranked among the essential 70 herbs in traditional medicine by the Ministry of Health. According to the Dictionary of Medicinal Plants and Animals (published by Science and Technology), lemon balm contains essential oils, with carvacrol being the main component, known for its strong antibacterial properties against respiratory pathogens.
Lemon Balm Cough Remedies:
- Treating common coughs: Clean 15-16 lemon balm leaves, 4-5 green huckleberries, and blend thoroughly in a blender. Add sufficient rock sugar, steam with water for about 20 minutes, and have the child drink continuously 1-2 times a day until the cough subsides.
- Treating heat-related coughs, sore throat, hoarseness: Clean and finely chop 20g of fresh lemon balm leaves. Crush the lemon balm leaves with 20g of rock sugar, then mix with 10ml of boiling water to infuse, strain and give the child to drink twice a day.
- Treating colds, coughs, headaches, fever without sweating, bitter taste in the mouth: Infuse 15g of lemon balm leaves, 5g of mint leaves, 8g of perilla leaves, and 3 thin slices of fresh ginger. Have the child drink daily for one month.
- Cold, flu, headache, stuffy nose: Boil fresh lemon balm leaves for steaming or add ginger, onions to sweat.


3. Beetroot
Beetroot is a root vegetable with a sweet, spicy taste and fragrance. It is effective in treating many diseases: cough relief, except for asthma, ... Beet greens also have a bitter spicy taste and neutralizing properties that are effective in treating coughs. In traditional medicine, this is considered an important remedy for coughs, sore throats, and even allergic rhinitis. Beetroot contains a high amount of Carbohydrates, Fiber, minerals such as Phosphorus, Manganese, Iron, and other vitamins.
Beetroot Cough Remedies:
- Cold: Use 2 tablespoons of beetroot juice, 2 tablespoons of soybean paste, half a liter of water, simmer until condensed. Drink, cover with a blanket to sweat.
- Hoarseness: Mix beetroot juice with ginger water. Drink for about 2 - 3 days, the condition will improve.
- Excessive coughing, body weakness: 1kg of white beetroot, 1kg of pear, 250g of fresh ginger, 250g of milk. Peel the pear and remove the seeds. Clean the beetroot and fresh ginger, chop finely, squeeze out each type of water separately. Cook the beetroot and pear juice until thick, then add ginger water, milk, honey, mix well, bring to a boil again. When cool, pour into a jar and cover tightly. Use 1 tablespoon diluted with hot water to drink, twice a day.
- Asthma, excessive phlegm, chest tightness: 10g beetroot seeds, 19g perilla seeds, 3g beetroot seeds. Roast and wrap in cloth bags, put in a pot, add 300ml of water, simmer. Drink 3 times a day.
- Acute pharyngitis, acute bronchitis: 500 - 1,000g beetroot, 250g black plum. Decoct and drink.
- Long-lasting cough with sore throat, mixed with blood: 300g beetroot, 150g honey, 10g alum, 400ml water. After preparing, boil the beetroot with water until about 100ml remains, then strain out the residue, add honey and alum to this water, stir well, bring to a boil, then drink 3 times a day before each meal.
















