On any chilly night, a hot toddy is a great idea, but I really enjoy this hot toddy recipe for cold relief. This warm cocktail is my go-to recipe when I’m under the weather with a nasty cough.
The best and tastiest cold remedy is a traditional whiskey hot toddy. Easy to make and much tastier than cough syrup, a homemade remedy for the common cold! You’ll be able to treat your cold in no time after learning how to make a Hot Toddy!
Stay with me, and I’ll show you how to make the ideal hot toddy for a common cold.
Is Drinking a Hot Toddy Beneficial for a Cough?
A hot toddy is a homemade remedy for cold and flu symptoms that uses ingredients found in most homes. The ingredients are warmed and ingested as a drink to help with sore throat pain, runny nose, and cough.
Hot water, honey, and lemon (or lemon juice) are the components of a hot toddy. There is no available research on the advantages of a hot toddy, but each of these three ingredients has been shown to relieve cold and flu symptoms on its own.
Additional ingredients like ginger or peppermint can appear in the recipe depending on its origin.
Although some recipes call for whisky, brandy, or rum, alcohol is not necessary in order to enjoy a hot toddy’s soothing effects. Research from 2015 suggests that adding alcohol might be counterproductive since it impairs the body’s ability to defend against infection.
Other cold and flu symptoms may be lessened by the ingredients in a hot toddy.
In a 2008 study, participants reported that consuming a hot beverage provided immediate and sustained relief from symptoms of runny nose, cough, sneezing, sore throat, chilliness, and tiredness.
However, drinking the same beverage at room temperature only reduced coughing, runny nose, and sneezing.
How to Make a Hot Toddy for Sore Throat?
Detailed Instructions
This cold remedy is easy to make, which is great because you’re probably not feeling that well while making it. A microwave, a few calming ingredients, and about five minutes are all you need!
Hot Toddy Ingredients:
- Whiskey (good quality)
- Hot Water
- Honey
- Ginger
- Lemon Juice
How to Make a Hot Toddy:
- Mix whiskey, water, & lemon juice
- Microwave 1 minute (until hot)
- Stir in honey (& ginger for an extra kick to that cold)
Enjoy this hot toddy for a cold; it will quickly warm you up and sooth your throat. It’s the ideal beverage to have before bed to promote sleep.
Benefits
- Whiskey works wonders to clear your sinuses and ease any headache discomfort.
- Any hot beverage can help a sore throat feel better.
- Lemon and honey are effective cough and congestion relievers.
- Although ginger is an optional ingredient, it is very effective in treating cold symptoms.
Being ill is no justification for not having fun! In fact, whether or not you have the wintertime flu and colds, this is a comforting cocktail. We’re inclusive of everyone. This Hot Toddy is sure to comfort anyone and everyone (except children under the age of 21).
Patients to Avoid Hot Toddy
In the United States, it is against the law to serve any alcoholic beverages to children under the age of 18. Anyone who consumes a hot toddy containing alcohol must be of legal drinking age.
Due to the possibility of botulism, babies younger than 12 months old shouldn’t consume honey. Honey can contain harmful bacteria unsuitable for young digestive tracts. It is safe for children over age 1 to consume honey, though, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
alternatives for a hot toddy
There are additional natural treatments that could help to sooth a chronic cough. Some of them can be combined to aid in symptom relief.
Gargle With Saltwater
An irritated throat might be relieved by drinking a solution of one teaspoon of salt and six ounces of warm water.
There’s some evidence that a saltwater gargle flushes out unwanted pathogens from the throat, although more research is necessary to prove definitive healing.
Herbs and Essential Oils
Some herbs, including thyme and primrose, have antispasmodic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant properties. Your hot toddy may have more advantages if you include these herbs.
You can help get rid of respiratory infections by incorporating essential oils into your treatment regimen. According to research from 2015, eucalyptus and peppermint show promise in treating cough and other symptoms when wafted into the air under the nose.
OTC Options
To help relieve the symptoms of a cough, numerous over-the-counter medications are available. Cough suppressants can stop the cough reflex, and expectorants can break up mucus to make it easier to expel.
A doctor should be consulted about any potential interactions after reading the labels of OTC medications. It’s not advisable for minors to take codeine, which is present in some medications and may interact with alcohol.
Additionally helping to relieve postnasal drip and sinus inflammation is a corticosteroid nasal spray. Postnasal drip can cause throat irritation and cause a cough.
Summary
The season of colds and flus is such a mess and a financial burden for families. This hot toddy won’t cure anything (nothing truly cures a cold; you just gotta deal with the symptoms), but I know it can lift some spirits while soothing your throat.
FAQs
What Alcohol is Best for Hot Toddy?
We choose dark rum or bourbon as the ideal alcoholic beverage for making hot toddies. We prefer a hot toddy made with dark rum or bourbon but brandy or whisky also work well. There are other options besides honey and lemon. It would be lovely to have orange, grapefruit, or Meyer lemon.
Will a Hot Toddy Put You to Sleep?
Perhaps a hot toddy will aid your sleep if you’re having trouble. Hot drinks are steamy and can ease a sore throat and sinus congestion. The claim that this drink will help you recover from a cold is unsupported by any medical research. However, it might make you feel more at ease or put you to sleep.
