A hot toddy is a classic cold weather drink made with whiskey, honey, lemon, and hot water or tea. It’s long been touted as a home remedy to soothe cold and flu symptoms. But does a hot toddy really help when you’re sick? Let’s examine the evidence behind this cozy concoction.
What is in a hot toddy?
A basic hot toddy contains four ingredients:
- Whiskey or bourbon
- Honey
- Lemon juice
- Hot water or tea
The whiskey provides a kick of alcohol, while the honey and lemon add sweetness and vitamin C. The steaming liquid soothes a sore throat and warms you from the inside out.
Some recipes also include spices like cinnamon, cloves, or ginger to amp up the flavor and potential medicinal effects. The basic proportions for a single serving are:
- 1-2 ounces whiskey
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Juice of 1/4 lemon
- 6-8 ounces hot water or tea
You stir everything together in a mug until the honey dissolves into the drink. Some additional garnishes could include lemon slices, cinnamon sticks, or cloves.
Potential benefits of ingredients
Let’s break down what each ingredient brings to the hot toddy and how it could help relieve cold symptoms:
Whiskey
Alcohol causes vasodilation, meaning it enlarges your blood vessels. This produces a sensation of warmth as more blood circulates through your skin. The flushed skin can help relieve chills.
There’s also a popular myth that alcohol can “disinfect” a cold or flu virus inside your body, but that’s not true. The alcohol percentage would need to be extremely high to actually kill viruses.
Honey
Honey is an emollient, so it coats and soothes irritated tissues in your throat. It contains antioxidants and has some antimicrobial effects, so it may be able to fight infection. Honey also gives your immune system a mild boost. Adding it to hot water or tea can make the drink more soothing.
Lemon
Lemons provide vitamin C, an essential nutrient when you’re sick. Vitamin C supports your immune system and acts as an antioxidant. The juice also helps moisten your throat and adds an extra layer of soothing citrus flavor.
Hot liquid
Sipping any hot liquid helps loosen mucus and prevents dehydration. The steam from a hot toddy may ease nasal congestion and coughs by thinning out mucus. Staying hydrated thins out mucus too, making it less sticky.
Scientific evidence on hot toddy ingredients
While a hot toddy has anecdotal support as a home remedy, there aren’t many scientific studies testing its effectiveness. However, research does back up some of the potential benefits of key ingredients:
Honey for sore throats
Multiple studies confirm that honey can reduce coughs and soothe sore throats:
- In one study, children ages 2-18 with upper respiratory infections found greater symptom relief when taking honey versus over-the-counter cough medicines. Honey reduced cough frequency and severity.
- Another study looked at people with acute coughs taking buckwheat honey versus an over-the-counter cough suppressant. Those who took honey had better cough relief at night and could sleep more soundly.
- One review of several trials found that honey was superior to usual care for improving symptoms like cough frequency and severity in both children and adults.
So while honey won’t cure the underlying cold, it can clearly ease your suffering from sore throats and coughing.
Vitamin C for colds
Many people reach for vitamin C supplements when they feel a cold coming on. While the benefits have been debated, vitamin C does appear to offer some advantages:
- Taking vitamin C regularly may slightly shorten the duration of colds in adults. It doesn’t seem to affect incidence or severity though.
- In children, vitamin C supplementation can reduce cold duration by about 14%. It may provide a modest protective effect against colds as well.
- Vitamin C may help prevent pneumonia complications from the flu virus.
So getting vitamin C from the lemon juice in a hot toddy could offer some minor cold relief. However, you’ll get a much larger dose from taking a supplement.
Alcohol for colds
Here’s what we know about alcohol and cold symptoms:
- Drinking alcohol may cause immediate vasodilation leading to sensations of warmth, but it also leads to increased heat loss over time as more blood circulates closer to the surface of your skin.
- One study found vodka diluted to 40% alcohol provided the most relief for cough, sore throat, and nasal congestion when compared to different alcohol concentrations.
- Research on gargling vodka shows it can reduce cold symptoms for a brief period of around 5 minutes, but the effect didn’t last long.
In general, any benefits of the small amount of alcohol in a hot toddy likely only last briefly. Drinking too much can impair your immune system and make you feel worse when sick.
Conclusion
Based on the evidence, a hot toddy may offer some temporary relief for cold and flu symptoms like:
- Sore throat
- Cough
- Congestion
- Chills
The main advantages come from honey coating the throat, vitamin C from the lemon juice, and the hot liquid thinning mucus.
However, the effects are generally mild and brief. Once you finish the drink, your symptoms will likely return. There’s no scientific proof that a hot toddy can shorten your cold.
Some risks include consuming too much alcohol when sick, which could worsen your condition. The hot liquid could also burn your mouth.
While not a miracle cure, a hot toddy can be a comforting part of your cold relief toolkit. Just be sure to get plenty of rest and stay hydrated as well. And if symptoms last over a week or don’t improve, see your doctor to rule out strep throat or another complication that may need treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of a hot toddy?
A hot toddy can temporarily relieve sore throat, cough, congestion, and chills from the common cold or flu. The main benefits come from honey, vitamin C, and warm liquid soothing your throat and loosening mucus.
Does hot toddy help you sleep?
It may help temporarily. The honey can coat and soothe an irritated throat, allowing you to sleep better. But once the drink wears off, it likely won’t have lasting effects for sleep.
Can a hot toddy shorten your cold?
There’s no strong evidence that a hot toddy can shorten the duration of a cold. While it provides temporary symptom relief, it doesn’t treat the underlying viral infection. Colds generally last 7-10 days with or without a hot toddy.
Is a hot toddy an expectorant?
Yes, the hot liquid can act as a mild expectorant by loosening mucus secretions in your airways. This makes coughs more productive.
Does hot toddy raise body temperature?
It may briefly raise body temperature due to vasodilation from alcohol and the hot liquid. But it likely doesn’t have any lasting impact on body temperature beyond the duration of drinking it.
Hot Toddy Recipes
Want to whip up a hot toddy? Try these tasty recipes:
Basic Hot Toddy
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Whiskey | 1-2 oz |
| Honey | 1 tbsp |
| Lemon juice | 1/4 lemon |
| Hot water | 6-8 oz |
- Add honey and lemon juice to mug.
- Pour in hot water and stir until honey dissolves.
- Add whiskey and stir again.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
Spiced Hot Toddy
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Bourbon | 2 oz |
| Honey | 1 tbsp |
| Lemon juice | 1/4 lemon |
| Cinnamon stick | 1 |
| Cloves | 2 |
| Hot tea | 6-8 oz |
- Add honey, lemon juice, cinnamon, and cloves to mug.
- Pour in hot tea and let steep 2-3 minutes.
- Add bourbon and stir again.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
Apple Cider Hot Toddy
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Whiskey | 1-2 oz |
| Honey | 1 tbsp |
| Lemon juice | 1/4 lemon |
| Apple cider | 6-8 oz |
| Cinnamon stick | 1 |
- Add honey, lemon juice, and cinnamon to mug.
- Pour in hot apple cider and let steep 2-3 minutes.
- Add whiskey and stir again.
- Garnish with lemon slice.
Enjoy your homemade hot toddy when cold season strikes! The honey, lemon, and warmth will get you feeling better in no time.