A "fancy fiber" lollipop

“When my children have a sore throat, I get them a special kind of lollipop that contains pectin,” says Anne Negrin, M.D., an ophthalmologist in Purchase, New York, and a mother of two. Pectin is a type of soluble fiber that forms a protective film in the mouth to relieve irritation of the mucous membranes. “It helps the kids almost instantly. It also makes them thirsty, and as far as I’m concerned any cold is made better faster by drinking tons of water,” she says. It’s also easier to get her kids to suck on a pop than a lozenge. “They think it’s a treat,” says Dr. Negrin. (One to try: Lolleez, available at drugstores.)