Cause Science Says So

As flu season kicks into high gear, most of us are bound to come down with a cough at some point. But when you do, before you reach for cough syrup to relieve your symptoms, there’s a tasty treatment that actually works better and doesn’t give you any of the fuzzy-headed side-effects medications can cause - and it’s chocolate.

According to Dr. Alyn Morice, a professor and respected authority on all things cough and respiratory medicine related, chocolate can soothe coughs better than codeine syrup because it forms a sticky coating in the throat. The melted chocolate coating protects nerve endings in the throat that cause you to cough, allowing the naturally present cough-suppressing ingredients to calm your damaged throat nerves down.

And while it might seem like drinking a cup of hot chocolate would be the ideal cough soother, unfortunately, it doesn’t work as well. The warm, sweet beverage may feel cozy and comforting going down, but Dr. Morice says the liquid doesn’t have enough long-term clinging contact with the nerves to be effective. She advises sucking on a piece of chocolate and letting it melt slowly to coat your throat. And this is one home remedy we’re happy to try.

Source: Shape