There’s nothing like a hot drink on a cold day, especially during cold and flu season.
While legend has it that the hot toddy – a warm blend of honey, lemon and whiskey – can cure the worst winter colds and coughs, one ingredient may cause more harm than good, medical experts say.
Hot drinks are among the most common home remedies for colds and flus, providing relief to symptoms including runny noses, sore throats, fever, body aches, fatigue and coughs, according to Medical News Today.
A 2008 study involving 30 people suffering with a cold or flu found that that drinking a hot beverage reduced sore throat, chillness and tiredness compared to drinking a room-temperature beverage.
Drinking a hot drink like a hot toddy may improve a cough or sore throat – and some of its ingredients may also provide additional benefits.
Lemon is rich in vitamin C, a powerful antioxidant commonly used to treat colds. A 2013 study found that vitamin C reduces the duration and severity of colds.
While there is little evidence currently that lemon can specifically treat a sore throat, medical professionals say consuming vitamin C supplements or vitamin C rich food may reduce the risk of getting a cold.
Meanwhile, honey is proven as a treatment for coughs – and may even be as effect as some cough medications, VeryWell Health reports.
The reasoning behind honey serving as a cure to coughs is that it coats the throat and soothes irritation.
Experts also recommend drinking hot water when sick with a respiratory illness as it may feel soothing. In addition to water, hot tea or broth may also improve certain symptoms of sickness.
Some people also add spices, like ginger, to their hot toddy, which may be helpful in treating a sore throat as it has anti-inflammatory properties.
While some of the ingredients in a hot toddy can certainly improve symptoms of a cold, medical experts warn that adding whiskey or other alcohol to the drink may cause issues.
For example, alcohol can cause dehydration and lower immune system function, which may worsen a sick patient’s symptoms, according to Medical News Today.
Experts also urge caution against adding whiskey or other liquor to a hot toddy if the sick patient is also consuming cold and flu medications that cannot mix with alcohol.
