4 TCM Herbal Remedies for Cough: Natural Alternatives That Actually Work

Cough Due to Wind-Cold: White Radish and Honey Drink

White radish is rich in various vitamins; it boosts the body's immune function and disease resistance, while also acting to suppress coughs and expel phlegm.

Honey has a sweet taste and serves to nourish Yin, moisten dryness, and tonify the lungs and kidneys.

White radish and honey are familiar ingredients; when cooked together, they effectively moisten the lungs, stop coughing, and dissolve phlegm.

Common symptoms of a cough due to wind-cold include an itchy throat accompanied by headache, nasal congestion, aversion to cold, and a clear runny nose.

Preparation Method:

1. Wash the white radish thoroughly and cut it into shreds or chunks.

2. Add an appropriate amount of honey, mix well, place the mixture into a clean, dry container (free of oil and water), and let it sit for one day.

Once the juices have seeped out, this natural, nourishing "remedy" is ready. You can also eat the radish itself!

Cough Due to Heaty Lung: Steamed Salted Orange

Oranges help dissolve phlegm, regulate Qi, boost immunity, and provide antioxidant benefits. The peel contains specific compounds that relieve coughs and clear phlegm—ingredients often found in Western medicines. Steaming and eating the orange this way yields immediate cough-relief results!

Common symptoms of coughs due to wind-cold include: an itchy or sore throat; abundant, thick, yellow phlegm; aversion to wind; headache and body aches; nasal congestion with thick mucus; thirst; and a thin, yellowish tongue coating.

Preparation Method:

1. Scrub the orange peel clean with salt, then slice off the top horizontally to create a "lid."

2. Place the orange in a bowl, use chopsticks to poke a few holes in the flesh, and sprinkle with a moderate amount of salt.

3. Place the orange "lid" back on and steam in a pot for 20 minutes.

Once cooked, scoop out the flesh and drink it along with the juices while hot—you’ll never need to buy cough suppressants or anti-inflammatories again!

Wind-Cold Colds: Garlic and Rock Sugar Water as a TCM Herbal Remedy for Cough

In Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), garlic is considered a food that doubles as medicine. Beyond its culinary uses, it helps reduce inflammation, offers resistance against bacteria and viruses, aids blood circulation, and even helps regulate blood lipids.

Meanwhile, rock sugar is known for clearing heat, relieving coughs, and dissolving phlegm. The combination of garlic and rock sugar is highly effective in preventing and treating wind-cold colds, which are common during the autumn and winter seasons.

Common symptoms of wind-cold colds: Absence of sweating, mild fever, body aches, nasal congestion and runny nose, and a cough with phlegm.

Preparation Method:

1. Peel the garlic and slice it thinly; let the slices sit for 10–15 minutes.

2. Add a small bowl of water to a pot and bring it to a boil; then, add the garlic slices and rock sugar.

3. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low, cover the pot, and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Once cooked, drink it while hot .The results are just as effective as rock sugar-stewed pear (another famous TCM herbal remedy for cough)!

Persistent Dry Cough: Sesame Oil and Egg

Rationale: Sesame oil helps clear the airways and soothe the lungs; it not only alleviates cough symptoms but also reduces lung damage caused by substances such as tobacco and alcohol.

Eggs also nourish the lungs and replenish the blood. Combining these two ingredients helps clear heat, detoxify the body, and soothe the throat, offering some relief from coughing.

Typical symptoms of persistent dry cough: Coughing without phlegm, accompanied by an itchy throat. This is usually caused by respiratory viral infections, such as the flu or pharyngitis.

Preparation Method:

1. Heat sesame oil in a pan, add a small amount of minced ginger, and sauté until fragrant.

2. Crack in some eggs and scramble until cooked through.

Note: Do not add any seasonings!