"In New Zealand, when people have a cold, they often make a lemon and honey drink. This is believed to soothe the throat," said Shani Naylor, the communications manager for the New Zealand Medical Association.
This tried-and-true remedy has been passed down through the generations rather than being the treatment of choice from physicians, she pointed out.
As would be expected, the hot beverage is made by combining boiling water, juice from a lemon and honey to taste.
It could be manuka honey, a type that's native to New Zealand and thought to have additional germ-killing and healing properties, but it's not the only option, said Naylor. "Since this remedy gets passed down from families, there's no one correct way of making it."
The residents of this island country might drink it several times a day to relieve cold symptoms.
The lemon adds a bit of immune-enhancing vitamin C and may even help cut down the production of mucus. Besides adding sweetness, honey can coat an irritated throat and ease its raw and inflamed mucous membranes, which can release secretions or become dry. (It's no surprise that lemon-honey is a popular flavor of throat lozenges.)
Sipped slowly and frequently, this hot mixture can be balm to your throat to temporarily ease its pain. And its healing ingredients and warmth might also help break up congestion.
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