The best Japanese cough remedy: white radish and honey.
coughWhen it is difficult to relieve the cough, the only advice you get from the doctor is to "rest more", which makes you feel helpless. In fact, the common household white radish with honey is a simple and effective natural cough remedy! This method originated from the Edo period in Japan, and people have long used honey and carrot to relieve coughs, reduce phlegm, prevent colds, and even to improve skin and beauty. Best of all, it can be easily made at home with just two ingredients, and a detailed recipe will be provided at the end of this article.
White radish: a natural "common ginseng".
Known as "common ginseng", white radish is rich in isothiocyanate, which has a slightly pungent flavour. This ingredient can activate white blood cells, inhibit bacterial reproduction and provide a natural antibacterial effect. Chinese medicine practitioner Wu Mingzhu also pointed out that white radish is flat and slightly cold in nature, and has the ability to clear heat and detoxify the body, strengthen the stomach and eliminate food,transform phlegm and suppress coughingIt also has the effect of promoting the flow of Qi, inducing diuresis and quenching thirst. She especially recommends "Double-Stewed White Radish with Rock Sugar" because both white radish and rock sugar can nourish the lungs and relieve coughs, resolve phlegm and remove fire, and the effect is even more effective when eaten together.
Honey: a natural remedy to moisten the lungs and relieve coughs.
Honey is not only a health food, it also has antibacterial properties that can inhibit cold and flu germs. Fujiki Ishihara, Director of the Kitashinagawa Fuji Hospital in Japan, mentioned that although the scientific community has not yet fully clarified the mechanism of honey in relieving coughs, studies have confirmed that "a teaspoon of honey at bedtime can reduce coughs even more effectively than some cough medicines".
Dr Zou Xiaoling, a Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor at the Hsinchu Hospital of the Chinese University of Medicine, added that honey is particularly effective in treating "dry cough", which is an irritating dry cough caused by dryness in the throat. Honey's mild texture soothes the throat, moistening the lungs and relieving coughs. She emphasised that although the saying "sweets produce phlegm" is widespread, it is not contradictory to the saying "honey is good for coughs", and the key lies in choosing natural honey rather than snacks with artificial additives. In fact, many processed sweets (e.g. candies, biscuits) tend to stimulate phlegm secretion, which may worsen coughing symptoms in patients with poor digestion or gastro-oesophageal reflux.
Japanese traditional cough remedy: honey and carrot syrup.
Recipe Ingredients: white radish, honey
Production Steps::
- Wash and peel white radish, cut into small cubes.
- Place the diced white radishes in a glass jar and pour in the honey, making sure it covers half of the radishes.
- Leave overnight at room temperature until the radish water comes out naturally and the mixture becomes syrupy.
Serving MethodsDilute honey-carrot syrup with warm water (or hot water, or black tea) and drink 4-5 times a day. The next day you will feel a significant improvement in your cough. This formula is good forasthmaIt also has some relief effect. If you don't like plain water, you can adjust the brewing base according to your personal taste.
This simple home remedy combines the antibacterial properties of white radish with the lung-boosting properties of honey to provide a gentle yet effective natural solution to cough discomfort. Give it a try so that coughing doesn't bother you in your daily life!
