Chocolate Is The Best Natural Cure For Your Sore Throat
Chocolate lovers, rejoice! It turns out that the sweet stuff is more effective than almost any other home remedy for winter colds. Learn why chocolate is the best natural cure for a sore throat, as well as how to choose the right kind for maximum health benefits.
Don't like the taste of lemon? Are you allergic to raw honey? You don't think you'll be able to stomach elderberries? No need to worry, science has discovered a cure for winter coughs and sore throats that almost everyone enjoys: chocolate!
Yes, you read that correctly. Chocolate. As in the delectable, rich and creamy, melty, dreamy chocolate. But don't go out and buy your favorite Hershey bar just yet, because there's a catch. It can't just be any old milk chocolate, can it? Choose dark chocolate that is made with real cacao for the best results.
Cacao has incredible health benefits. It contains a lot of minerals and antioxidants in its raw form. It also has demulcent properties, which means that it soothes inflammation or irritation. If you want to learn more about cacao's incredible health benefits, please read Cacao vs. Cocoa: What You Need to Know.
How Chocolate Can Help You Get Rid of a Sore Throat
According to Professor Alyn Morice of the University of Hull, there is some strong evidence that cacao is effective in soothing a sore throat. The International Society for the Study of Cough was founded by Professor Morice. He is also an expert in cough and respiratory medicine, as well as the University's head of cardiovascular and respiratory studies.
He and his colleagues set out to thoroughly assess the efficacy of over-the-counter cough remedies. The ROCOCO study compared medications containing diphenhydramine, ammonium chloride, and a cocoa-based demulcent to determine their safety and effectiveness.
In the end, the cocoa-based medicine was victorious. "We have just seen the results of Europe's largest real-world study of an over-the-counter cough remedy," Morice told the Daily Mail. "... In a head-to-head comparison, patients taking the chocolate-based medicine experienced a significant improvement in symptoms within two days."
In fact, twice as many patients as those taking other medications were able to discontinue treatment early. They simply didn't require it any longer.
This is not the first study to show that chocolate can help relieve a sore throat. Researchers at Imperial College in London discovered a few years ago that theobromine, an alkaloid in cacao (and the same stuff that makes chocolate toxic to dogs), suppresses the urge to cough better than other well-known ingredients like codeine (and with far fewer side effects).
How to Select the Best Chocolate
A good rule of thumb is to use the darkest chocolate you can tolerate. I recommend a percentage of 70% or higher. Why? As any dog lover will tell you, there's a reason why puppies are at a much higher risk of fatal complications when they eat a bar of baker's chocolate rather than a plain old milk chocolate bar. The higher the theobromine content, the darker the chocolate.
Darker chocolate is also lower in sugar. I also chose one that is dairy-free to get the most out of eating cacao. My children enjoy it as well, and they are very natural. Choose brands that use raw cacao if possible. Chocolate made with raw cacao – such as OMBAR – has a higher nutritional content.
Stay away from white chocolate at all costs. While the debate over whether it even qualifies as "real" chocolate is far from over, no one can deny that it contains by far the least amount of cacao. By the smallest amount, I mean none. There is nothing.
The only reason the "sure, it's real chocolate" crowd has a qualm is that it's made with cocoa butter, which comes from the same plant. Saying they're close enough is akin to saying you can substitute eggs for chicken breast in a recipe and get the same results. They are derived from the same source, but they are not the same food.
I still stand by my original advice: the darker, the better. With my DIY Chocolate recipe, you can even make your own chocolate. I love this recipe, and now that I've read these studies, I can make it to relieve a sore throat! It only has three healthy ingredients! These little DIY chocolates may also serve as cough drops for me this winter.
How to Use Chocolate to Treat a Cough
Coughing up a fistful of candy isn't going to help. Sure, it may help, but not as much as if you do it correctly. Besides, we don't want to risk sugar shock in exchange for a sore throat! So, how exactly do you use chocolate to treat a sore throat?
Morice explains that the chocolate needs to be in contact with your throat for a longer period of time than it takes to swallow a large bite of candy. Instead, he suggests slowly sucking on a piece of chocolate. Chocolate works because, in addition to theobromine's benefits, it coats the nerve endings that cause us to cough. That takes a lot of willpower, I know. Consider this: a single piece will last much longer and will satisfy your chocolate cravings with far less chocolate.
Of course, that advice also implies that you shouldn't just down a cup of hot cocoa, even if it's made with real cocoa rather than the "mostly sugar & dehydrated milk with a little chocolate-flavored pow."
Because the liquid slides right down your throat, it doesn't stay there long enough to be beneficial, and it doesn't really coat those nerve endings.
To summarize, if you want to reap the benefits of chocolate as a natural cough remedy, choose the darkest type possible, eat it slowly, and use it sparingly. Also, keep in mind that the internet is not a replacement for a doctor. Consult a doctor if you have a persistent cough or sore throat. None of this should be construed as medical advice.
I hope you enjoyed reading this post about Chocolate Being the Best Natural Cure for a Sore Throat. Please read my most recent articles if you want to learn more about my blog. I am a mom blogger who enjoys sharing fun and healthy food ideas.
I also believe that children have the right to eat real food. If you're interested, please take a look at my recipes for quick, healthy, and homemade family meals. Because I am not a chef or have a lot of cooking experience, most of my recipes are very simple to make.
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