Somewhere between grandmother’s kitchen and modern research, this warm glass of water keeps finding believers. Whether it clears your throat or just your doubts about trying it, the answer might be in the sipping.
Representative Image: Instagram
Patanjali co-founder Acharya Balkrishna posted a home remedy on Facebook for a blocked or sitting throat. He suggested taking half a cup of lukewarm water and adding half a teaspoon each of ginger juice and lemon juice, along with a pinch of salt. According to his post, drinking this mixture opens up a blocked throat and makes the voice more pleasant.
Advertisement
Ginger has long been used in traditional remedies for throat and respiratory issues. Research points to its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties, which are commonly cited as reasons it may ease throat irritation and reduce swelling in the throat lining.
Advertisement
Lemon is often added to warm water remedies for its vitamin C content, which is linked to general immune support. Salt water gargles are one of the more studied home remedies for throat discomfort. A study covering nearly 400 healthy participants found that gargling salt water at least three times a day helped ease symptoms of laryngitis and upper respiratory infections.
While these ingredients are widely used for a sore or irritated throat, the picture is different when it comes to actually improving voice quality. Speech pathology researchers point out that the vocal folds sit behind the epiglottis, which closes over them during swallowing. This means liquids, including ginger, lemon, or honey drinks, do not make direct contact with the vocal cords themselves.
Because of this, experts say home remedies like warm lemon and ginger water may soothe a sore throat temporarily but do not directly reduce hoarseness or restore vocal clarity. Some studies estimate that close to 30 percent of people experience some form of voice disorder during their lifetime, and much of the popular advice circulating for it lacks strong scientific backing.
Nutrition experts also flag that lemon is acidic. In people prone to acid reflux, frequent consumption of acidic drinks can trigger reflux that travels back up the food pipe, which may irritate the throat further instead of helping it.
Doctors generally recommend simple measures for voice or throat issues, such as resting the voice, staying hydrated, and using a humidifier in dry environments. Warm salt water gargles remain one of the more evidence backed home options for throat discomfort specifically, separate from voice hoarseness.
Advertisement
