Sticky Plum (Sapistan), How It Soothes a Cough (Video)

Transcript

Ever wonder how a sticky plum can calm a cough?

Ever wonder how a sticky plum can calm a cough?

Sticky Plum Cough Help

Here's the short, honest answer, and one tip most people miss.

What is Sapistan?

Sapistan is simply the dried fruit of the lasora tree, known locally as sapistan or lehsua. The same tree gives you fresh green fruit for pickles and the sticky dried drupes used in Unani cough recipes.

Two Latin Names

Botanists list two Latin names for this plant: Cordia myxa, described by Linnaeus from Mediterranean material, and Cordia dichotoma, the name used for the South Asian varieties. Both names appear in major databases, so you’ll see either on labels.

Mucilage Coating

The secret is mucilage, long sugar chains that swell into a slippery gel when soaked. That gel coats the throat, reducing irritation and the urge to cough for a short time, just like honey or marshmallow root.

Typical dose

Traditional recipes call for about eight to ten dried fruits soaked in two cups of hot water.

Soak, Then Simmer

The best way to extract mucilage is to place the whole dried fruit in hot, not boiling, water and let it sit for a few hours or overnight. Then gently warm the liquid with your other herbs, strain out the stones, and sip while warm.

Fresh vs Dried

Green, unripe lasora is used for pickles and cooking, but it won’t help a cough. The dried fruit, sold whole or as a powder, is the cough remedy, though powder loses its gel quickly, so whole fruit is best.

The one tip to try

If you want a quick, soothing cough aid, take about eight to ten whole dried sapistan, soak them in hot water overnight, strain out the stones, and sip the warm gel-rich liquid. That’s the only step you really need.

Like, subscribe and comment

If this helped, a like and a subscribe really help. Drop your question in the comments.

Read the full guide

The full guide is on thecareonline.com. General information only, so check with your doctor for your own case.