Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Lemon Balm Cough Drops

That's right! I actually did it! Found a good use for lemon balm. One that I will want to make again!

I have allergies here, I don't know to what (my doctor is just not real good) so I cough a lot. I play violin and it vibrates my throat and causes more coughing. Once I start coughing there is nothing to do but just let it happen. My throat stays clogged. Cough drops help. I like the lemon and honey ones. So I had been looking at recipes for making cough drops at home and came up with the idea to use the lemon balm.

Lemon balm is in the mint family. It is considered a calming herb as some studies have shown that it reduces stress in people who took it and another herb valerian. Oil from the leaves contain terpenes which play at least some role in the herb's relaxing and antiviral properties. It also contains tannins, which may be responsible for lemon balms antiviral effects. Lemon balm also contains eugenol, which can calm muscle spasms, numb tissues and kills bacteria.

I went out and collected a large handful of lemon balm from the wild jungle of them that grow at the end of our house and I rinsed them off.


I boiled them for 5-10 minutes and then drained off the water. You need enough water after you drain it for 2 1/2 cups. 


Put the 2 1/2 cups back in the pan and add 3/4 cups sugar and 1/4 cup honey. Bring to a boil. Turn the fire down to medium and let it keep boiling. (I have seen recipes that just use honey but I just thought that would be too strong a honey taste). 


You have to boil this to the hard ball stage on your candy thermometer. Then shut it off and give it a minute to cool before you start dripping it from a spoon onto a lightly greased sheet pan. Just so you know, this was the second batch I made. The first one I used waxed paper and they are still stuck on that waxed paper in my trash can so I strongly suggest you just lightly grease the pan.


It didn't look like much but I needed two pans.


Let it cool and then take the tip of a sharp knife and gently pop them off the pan.


They do stay slightly sticky so you have to dust them with powdered sugar to keep them from sticking to each other. I then just wrapped them in the  paper towel and put them in a paper bag which I hope will keep moisture away as we are so humid here all the time. 


These did taste really good and I hope will be useful with my cough.

10 comments:

  1. Becky,

    What a great idea! And you know exactly what's inside each drop. Has it helped with your cough?

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    1. Yes, I have only eaten two and my throat is clear today.

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  2. WOW! I'm thrilled that you posted this. I've been looking for something to make like this that's homemade. Have an allergy cough that comes and goes and drives me crazy. Of course I have no lemon balm but guess what I'm going to look for? Ha! Thanks for this what a neat idea. :-)

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  3. Awesome! Thanks for sharing the recipe. I'll give them a try.

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  4. Thanks for this. Will definitely give it a try
    Gill

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  5. Well, respect is due to you for finding something good to do with Lemon Balm! You had better not eat too many though, because whilst they will soothe your throat all that sugar will rot your teeth!

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  6. Great tutorial, Beky! So glad you found a homemade version of cough drops. They will be so much healthier, even if they do contain sugar! Thanks for sharing! Blessings from Bama!

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  7. Great blog, I really enjoy it when you come up with these ideas. You would make a great Pioneer Woman.

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  8. What a great idea! I've been wondering what to do with the lemon balm I have in my garden. So far we added it to some fruit ice pops we made and mojitos but something medicinal sounds much better! Do they keep the lemony taste or are they really herbal?

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  9. Can't wait to give this a try. Now will you find something for me to use up my lemon verbena? I have TONS!

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