Herb
Horehound
This old-fashioned, bitter herb has soothed stubborn coughs for generations, often as a comforting tea or a homemade candy.
🌱 What it is
Horehound is a bitter, gray-green herb long used in cough teas and lozenges. It has a distinctive sharp taste that softens nicely with a bit of honey.
✨ How it may help
- Traditionally used to help loosen mucus
- May help support a calmer, easier cough
- Often used to soothe a scratchy throat
- Traditionally taken as a comforting warm tea
🥄 How to use it
Steep 1 teaspoon of dried horehound in hot water for 10 minutes and sip, sweetened with honey to soften the bitterness. Old-fashioned horehound candies use the same herb.
⚖️ Caution
Large amounts can upset the stomach or affect heart rhythm, so keep to modest tea amounts, and see a doctor for a cough lasting more than three weeks or with breathlessness or blood.
🍃 A note from nature
A humble, bitter-leafed plant that became a grandmother's trusted comfort — creation's gifts aren't always sweet at first taste.