This herbal cough syrup with Ribwort Plantain and Dandelion syrup soothes the throat, eases the symptoms of a dry cough and helps reduce cough irritation. Oh, I forgot to say that it smells and tastes wonderful and is hard to keep children away from.
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What is a cough
A cough can be an unenviable friend that often makes our lives miserable. Few people know that a cough plays an important role in defending against various diseases. It is a reflex action that clears the respiratory tract from microbes, mucus, and foreign bodies and keeps our lungs safe from infections and diseases. There are several ways how to treat it depending on the cause.
For a healthy person, self-treatment is the most effective. Drinking enough liquids including linden tea might be one of them.
As an alternative, homemade cough syrup with ribwort plantain and dandelion might be another way to help your body fight a cough.
As a kid when I had a cough we used to buy ribwort Plantain syrup in the pharmacy. I still remember its taste. That time I didn’t know how easy and delicious homemade ribwort plantain syrup could be.
Which herbs to use in herbal cough syrups?
There are many edible plants that could be used to make a homemade cough syrup. It’s important to look at their benefits specifically for the respiratory tract. We made this amazing syrup with Elderflower, Linden and Thyme that had an excellent soothing effect to ease your symptoms.
Other plants that are suitable to use in herbal cough syrups
- Malva neglecta, also known as common mallow, buttonweed, cheeseplant, cheeseweed, dwarf mallow and roundleaf mallow
- Glechoma hederacea, also known as ground-ivy, gill-over-the-ground,creeping charlie, alehoof, tunhoof, catsfoot, field balm, and run-away-robin
- Artemisia vulgaris, also known as mugwort , riverside wormwood, felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, wild wormwood, old Uncle Henry, sailor’s tobacco, naughty man, old man
- Verbascum thapsus, the great mullein or common mullein,
One of the best things about all wild edible plants like ribwort plantain or dandelion is just how abundant they are. Once you get this herbal vision you just see them everywhere – in trails, new pathways, bus stops, in the sidewalk cracks… Moreover, these two plants are available at least 6 months in a year. They are typically used in commercially sold cough syrups as well.
RIBWORT PLANTAIN – Plantago lanceolata
(also known as ribwort plantain, narrowleaf plantain, English plantain, ribleaf and lamb’s tongue)
Plantain is well known for its amazing effects on respiratory diseases.
- bronchitis – ribwort plantain contains polysaccharides known as demulcents that have a soothing effect and help people with bronchitis
- dry cough – these demulcents can provoke the production of more mucus in the lungs and are therefore efficient in the treatment of dry cough
- relieves symptoms of asthma
- treatment of cold
- used in the past for treatment of lung tuberculosis
DANDELIONS – Taraxacum officinale
Dandelions contain polyphenols that might be effective in reducing inflammation.
These lovely yellow plants possess antimicrobial and antiviral properties that help our body fight infections.
4 METHODS OF PREPARATION OF HERBAL SYRUP
I came across several methods that are used to make homemade syrups.
1. DRY METHOD WITHOUT HEATING
Put a layer of ribwort plantain leaves into the preserving jar, pour about 1 cm of sugar on it, then a layer of plantain again. Continue like this, the last layer must be sugar. Make sure the herbs don’t stick. Leaves must be dry, otherwise, the syrup will be moldy. Close the glass with a cap and leave at room temperature for 14 days. Once the liquid syrup is formed, grind the liquid with a soft cloth to get rid of all the herbal substances. Keep in the fridge. Use 1 tablespoon 3 times a day.
2. HEATED PLANTAIN SYRUP
For this method, you can also use roots of ribwort plantain. Wash the plants and the root (approx. (A handful), grind in a grinder or crush in the blender. Add 1 liter of water, cook for 20 minutes. Leave it for 24 hours to infuse. Next day add 1.5 kg of sugar and 2 sliced lemons (for taste). Cook until thick. Then fill in glasses (instead of some sugar, honey can be used, but most of the valuable honey is lost by boiling).
3. SYRUP WITH USE OF ETHANOL
Fill half of the 500 ml jar with the ribwort plantain leaves, add 1 dl of 40% alcohol and fill the rest with boiling water. Let it infuse for 24 hours, then strain the leaves and add 250 g of sugar. Let it boil. Serve 1 teaspoon three times a day.
4. METHOD AS PER MARIE TREBEN
Place the ribwort plantain into the jar, alternate with sugar layers as in method #1. Close the jar with the lid, cover with clay. Do not move the jar until after 3 months. The syrup will be fermented. Press it through a sieve or a meat grinder. Boil and fill in jars.
HOW TO MAKE HERBAL COUGH SYRUP WITH RIBWORT PLANTAIN AND DANDELION
Start with a nice walk and collect 2 handfuls of ribwort Plantain and 2 handfuls of dandelion blossoms. Be careful as the leaves tend to wilt rapidly so better to make the syrup as soon as you arrive from your walk or put them in the bowl with water and keep them in the fridge.
the first method listed above for syrup preparation is really quick and herb friendly so we used it for our syrup.
How long will this cough syrup last?
The method we used didn’t use high temperature to preserve the syrup. This method is very herb friendly – it keeps all the medicinal benefits of herbs untouched, but it will not last as long as the syrups made with method #2 or #3. Sugar acts as a preserving agent and if you keep your syrup refrigerated it will last several weeks.
How to make herbal cough syrup for people with diabetes?
In the case of diabetics, you can use a sorbitol solution instead of sugar.
What is your favourite cough syrup?
Herbal cough syrup with ribwort plantain & dandelion
Materials
- 2 handful of ribwort plantain
- 2 handful of dandelion blossoms
- 200 g raw sugar
- 1 bio lemon
Tools
- 500 ml jar
- funnel
- 200 ml bottle for syrup
Instructions
- Pour a handful of plantain leaves and a handful of dandelion flowers into the jar.
- Lay the slices of lemon and sprinkle with a layer of sugar
- Continue through the next layer, and repeat the same until the jar is full
- The last layer must be sugar.
- Close the jar with the lid and let it stand for 14 days in a cool place.
- If during this time the layer is decayed, it can be refilled. Just make sure the last layer is alwasy sugar.
- syrup should be formed in 14 days. grind the syrup with a soft cloth to get rid of all the herbs
- Pour into prepared smaller closable jar and store in refrigerator.
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Thank you! I’ve used all those herbs but I’ve never thought to put dandelion in with my cough herbs. You’re right, though – what a great addition!
This is soooo much healthier than anything you’d buy in a store. Can’t wait to try!
Good to know that I can use malva neglects – I have it everywhere! I always forget I can actually use it for things – lol! Love this recipe! Great way to put the weeds to work!
I can’t wait to make this and have it ready for the fall and winter! We get tons of plantain here later in the summer, and although I knew it was a medicinal superstar, I didn’t know what to do with it. Now I know. Can’t wait! Thank you for sharing! 🙂