Sweetener

“Last winter, my daughter came down with a cough that made it difficult for her to sleep,” says father-of-two Will Bulsiewicz, M.D., a gastroenterologist in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. “I treated her with my go-to before-bed cold remedy: 2 tsp. of honey. By the second night, her cough was gone. “The thick syrup acts as a soothing agent, coating the throat,” he explains. “And the sweet taste encourages salivation, thinning the mucus and reducing the urge to cough.” Plus, it’s easy to get kids to take it. “My daughter loves honey because it tastes so good.” (Note: Children under age 1 shouldn't consume honey.)