Orange
The juice of orange is an effective expectorant food. It helps clear mucus from the bronchial tube. This juice, mixed with a pinch of salt and a tablespoon of honey, forms an effective food medicine for respiratory systems disorders like tuberculosis of the lungs, asthma, common cold, bronchitis and other conditions of cough associated with difficult expectoration. Due to its saline action in the lungs, it eases expectoration and protects from secondary infection.
Safflower seeds
Safflower seeds possess mucus clearing property. They are especially beneficial in the treatment of bronchial asthma. Half a teaspoon of the powder of dry seeds, mixed with a tablespoon of honey, can be taken once or twice with great benefit in treating this disease. It acts as an expectorant and reduces the spasms by liquefying the tenacious sputum. An infusion of the flowers, mixed with honey, is also useful in asthma.
Sesame Seeds
Sesame seeds are an expectorant food. Their use have been found beneficial in the treatment of respiratory systems’ disorders, especially acute and chronic bronchitis, asthma and pneumonia. An infusion of the seeds can be made by steeping 15 g of seeds in 250 ml of water. This infusion, mixed with a tablespoon of linseed, a pinch of common salt and a dessertspoon of honey, makes an excellent medicine for treating these diseases. This will help remove catarrhal matter and phlegm from the bronchial tubes.
Spinach
This popular green leafy vegetable possesses mucus clearing property and helps control respiratory diseases. An infusion of fresh leaves of spinach prepared with two teaspoon of fenugreek seeds, mixed with a pinch of ammonium chloride and honey, is an effective expectorant tonic. It can be given with beneficial results in the treatment of bronchitis, tuberculosis of the lungs, asthma and dry cough due to congestion in the throat. It soothes the bronchioles, liquefies the tenacious sputum and forms healthy tissues in the lungs and increases resistance against respiratory infections. It should be taken in doses of 30 ml. three times daily.
Tamarind
Tamarind-pepper ‘rasam’ is considered a food of exceptional value in clearing mucus. It is used as an effective home remedy for cold in South India. It is prepared by boiling for a few minutes, very dilute tamarind water in a teaspoon of hot ghee and half a teaspoon of black pepper powder. This steaming hot ‘rasam’ has a flushing effect. As one takes it, the nose starts running and eyes begin to water. This enables the nasal passage to become clear.
Turmeric
Turmeric is a valuable expectorant food. It helps clear mucus from the bronchial tubes. It is thus an effective food medicine in bronchial asthma. The patient should be given a teaspoon of turmeric powder mixed in a glass of milk, two or three times daily. It acts best when taken on an empty stomach.
Vitamin C-rich Foods
Vitamin C-rich foods are considered very valuable in clearing mucus. They help control respiratory diseases. A recent major study on 9000 adults by Dr. Schwartz supports this view. He discovered that people who ate foods containing 300mg of vitamin C a day were only 70 per cent as likely to have chronic bronchitis or asthma as those eating foods with one-third that much, or about lOOmg. The difference is found in 225ml of orange juice. Foods rich in vitamin C are citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, Indian gooseberry, sprouted Bengal grams and green grams.