Marshmallows Soothe Sore Throats by Promoting Mucous Production

Hello everyone!

It has been brought to my attention that my posts are too lengthy to be blogs. At first I thought, “Preposterous! I’m a writer! A writer needs space!” And then I looked over some of my latest posts…

Yeaaaaah…

So here’s what I propose: You’ll be getting smaller posts, but there’ll be a lot more of them, one after the other. Think of them as little tidbits to pique your interest and capture your curiosity throughout the week. This way, I can get more posts out, encourage active readership, and keep this blog alive.

So, this week, we’re looking at unusual home remedies!

Marshmallows to Treat a Sore Throat

I promise this isn’t just an excuse your kids can use to avoid a spoonful of Robitussin. Eating a couple marshmallows, or melting them down in a hot cup of cocoa, can help ease a sore throat. Not only does the goo feel good going down, but the gelatin in marshmallows can promote mucous production, thus soothing inflamed tissues.

Thank you, my puffy, fluffy friends.

Marshmallows used to be made of extract from the marshmallow root. Yep, marshmallows used to be vegetarian! The extract is what used to make marshmallows gooey. Today, the extract has been replaced by gelatin, a cheap by-product of the meat industry. I’m told my blog tends to gross people out, so I’ll leave the details of gelatin at the very bottom of my post this week. Scroll all the way down at your own peril!

 If you prefer an herbal remedy (with far less sugar) try boiling two teaspoons of marshmallow root in a cup of water. Let the tea steep for 90 minutes before removing the root and reheating the tea for ingestion.

Although I couldn't find the study myself, this article reports that marshmallow root tea was tested in the 90s and found to be more effective than 2 out of 3 common over-the-counter cures.

Gelatin is a protein that comes from the denatured collagen found in animal skin and bone marrow. Based on their size and the popular demand for their meat, it is likely that the gelatin found in most marshmallows comes from cows.