At the first sign of a cough or sniffle, skip the trip to the corner drugstore and make up a batch of this All Natural DIY Pineapple Cough Syrup ~ it’s effective, and delicious!
*Note: If you have a serious or persistent cough, see your doctor. This natural cough syrup will not take the place of prescribed medications, and is meant to be used to soothe and help alleviate symptoms.
I have to confess, I’m a big fat sissy when it comes to medicine. I’d much rather suffer a cough than down some of that nasty stuff they sell over the counter. I cringe just thinking about it. So when I read about the surprising cough suppressing benefits of pineapple, I was all over it.
The deal is that pineapple contains the enzyme bromelain, which is a natural anti-inflammatory, and it’s been proven to help control coughing and mucus. I mixed it with ginger, another natural anti-inflammatory, honey, a throat soother, warming chili pepper, and astringent lemon to make a potent but delicious cough remedy. At the first sign of a tickle in your throat, mix up a batch and keep it in the fridge. Take it as often as needed; it will give you a nutrition boost with each dose! It’s easy to mix up in a blender, and it will keep in the fridge for at least a week or more.
This is a real godsend if you have kids who aren’t keen on yucky cough syrup, or if you are just trying to avoid the extra ingredients and side effects of mass produced medications. The proportions in this recipe are approximate, so you can play with them to suit your taste. Young children may not want the cayenne, and some adults might appreciate even more than I’ve added.
TIP: Be sure to use fresh pineapple — you can juice it if you have a juicer, or process it in a blender or food processor. Canned or pasteurized juice won’t have the same benefits.
There’s quite a bit of controversy about whether pharmaceutical cough medications have any effect at all, and lots of professionals have come out and recommended simpler, homemade remedies as being just as effective, and cheaper. This one has the added benefit of being delicious!
I have other soothing recipes on the blog to help you through the flu season ~
- DIY HIBISCUS AND LEMON COUGH DROPS are another natural way to ease a cough and sore throat.
- My TURMERIC TEA is a nurturing tea that soothes, and de-stresses, too.
- My GREEN GODDESS IMMUNE BOOSTING SOUP is a delicious way to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to staying healthy.
Don’t let a cough ruin your holidays, mix up a batch today!
All Natural DIY Pineapple Cough Syrup
Ingredients
- 2 thick slices of fresh pineapple peel removed, but core intact (about two good cups)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper omit or reduce for children
- a thumb sized piece of fresh ginger peeled and sliced or rough chopped
- juice of 1 lemon
Instructions
- Give the pineapple a rough chop, including the core, which is not only edible but particularly healthy.
- Blend everything up in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Use as is, or push the mixture through a mesh strainer to get a smoother syrup.
- Keep in the refrigerator and take as needed.
notes:
- Do not give anything with honey to children under 1 year old.
- If you have a persistent cough, seek medical attention.
don’t forget to pin my all natural pineapple cough syrup!
Other homemade remedies to try—
Homemade Cough Remedy | Barefeet in the Kitchen
Honey Thyme Cough Syrup | Cafe Johnsonia
Onion Honey Cough Syrup | The Clean Dish
Honey and Lemon Tea | Simply Recipes
Garlic Honey Sore Throat Remedy | Healthy Green Kitchen
DIY Honey Cough Drops | Bakeaholic Mama
Hibiscus and Lemon Cough Drops | The View from Great Island
Cough-Be-Gone Tea | The Clean Dish
90 Comments
Chris
October 12, 2021 at 4:41 pmSo for those of you asking “dosage” I started it like “cough syrup” (one spoonful for a few hours) for a bad cough and then realized I could use as much as I wanted. I started downing 2 or 3 spoonfuls every 20 to 30 minutes. The “dosage” is keep taking it until your cough suppresses sufficiently. I went through an entire pineapple in a few days. So don’t consider it like “medicine” its “food” take as many spoonfuls as you want until it works. It is “acidic” so too much of it may cause some people some issues.
Hailey
March 30, 2020 at 8:50 amHi there,
Have you ever tried omitting the honey for younger children? Will it have the same effects?
Thanks
Sue
March 30, 2020 at 9:56 amI think the honey does help, but definitely you’d need to omit it for young children. It’s worth a try without it, for sure.
maricela
April 11, 2020 at 3:26 pmWhen will I notice the difference in the cough
Sue
April 11, 2020 at 3:41 pmIt should be an instant relief Maricela. But keep in mind this is just for soothing a mild cough, if you have a bad or persistent cough you’ll need to talk to your doctor.
Jessica tavera
March 28, 2020 at 7:48 pmWhat’s the shelf life? Do you keep it In The fridge?
MsLinda
September 17, 2019 at 7:23 pmThis is great. Thank you. I remember something similar our Grandma used to make when we were kids. I think hers had a bit of cinnamon too. I’m making a batch of this for myself and my grandkids because between elementary school germs and preschool germs we gonna need all the remedies we can get around here.
Sue
September 17, 2019 at 7:32 pmGosh I don’t miss that stage one bit, those germs are nasty!