From Salt to Turmeric: Common kitchen foods that soothe an itchy throat

There is nothing worse than dealing with an itchy throat accompanied by a cold or cough. Itchy throat can be of different types. You can experience pain, itchiness, heaviness or soreness in the throat. Even COVID-19 symptoms include an itchy throat nowadays. In order to relieve the heaviness, here are some common kitchen ingredients that will soothe a sore throat in a natural way. (image credits- istock)

Gargling with salt water brings instant relief from an itchy and heavy throat. Warm-up some water and pour it into a glass. Add about ½ tsp salt and mix well. The water should not be lukewarm, instead, it should be slightly towards the hotter side. Take a sip of the salt water and gargle it for about 10 seconds. Repeat this step to use all the salt water in the glass. You can safely gargle with salt water 2-3 times a day.

The combination of black pepper and honey is an age-old remedy that our grandmothers used to stick to in order to treat an itchy throat, cold and even cough. Honey is a natural cough suppressant and can instantly bring some relief to you. The antibacterial properties of the combo can fight against several infections.

Ginger contains gingerol, which has powerful medicinal properties. We can find mentions of ginger in age-old treatments and it is an intrinsic part of homemade nuskhas. Crush or grate 1-inch ginger and add it to a pan. Now add 1 glass of water to it and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Lastly, just strain the ginger water and sip it while hot.

Drinking apple cider vinegar can not only bring relief to an itchy throat but also help in weight loss. Mix 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar in 1 glass of hot water. Let it cool down a bit and sip it on an empty stomach while the drink is still warm.

Mulethi, also called liquorice is a herbal remedy blessed with anti-viral, anti-inflammatory & anti-bacterial properties. Not only an itchy throat, mulethi can also benefit the body by treating indigestion, constipation, stomach ulcers and many other health issues. The easiest way to consume mulethi is by making tea. Drop 1 liquorice root in a pan along with 1 glass of water. Bring to a boil, let it simmer for 5 minutes and then let it sit for another 5 minutes. Now just strain and drink the mulethi tea.

Turmeric has some amazing healing properties due to the presence of curcumin. It contains anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antioxidant properties. Pour 1 cup milk into a pan, add ¼ tsp turmeric powder and bring to a boil. Instead of turmeric powder, you can also add grated raw turmeric to make the drink more effective. Let it simmer for about 5 minutes. Drink while warm. You can also add some jaggery powder to sweeten it up.

Amla is a super-effective remedy for sore throat which can provide great relief within 24 hours. Just mix 2 tbsp amla juice, 1 tsp honey, 1/4 tsp black pepper powder in hot water. Mix well and drink twice a day for maximum benefits.

Cloves are power-packed with anti-inflammatory compounds. You can either chew on raw cloves or just boil them in water to make clove water.

Just like the above-given ingredients, cinnamon too contains anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties. To make cinnamon drink, just boil a cup of water with 1-inch cinnamon stick in it. Simmer for 5 minutes and then let the cinnamon water rest for about 5 more minutes. Now just strain the drink and sip it while warm.

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