Fruit Drinks
Homemade Pineapple Juice for Cough
If you want something cool to sip while you have a cough, this pineapple, lemon and ginger drink is easy to blend. It is a drink, not a cough treatment: there is no good evidence that pineapple juice cures a cough or that the amount of bromelain in a glass of juice clears mucus. NCCIH's bromelain overview describes the limits of the evidence.
Recipe reviewed 25 Sep 2026. How we test recipes.
Have ingredients already? Find cocktails you can make with My Bar.
WHAT YOU NEED
Ingredients
METHOD
How to make it
- Put the pineapple, ginger and lemon juice in a blender. Add a little cold water if needed and blend until smooth.
- Strain if you prefer a thinner juice.
- Stir in the optional honey and salt to taste. Serve chilled.
Pineapple and lemon can feel sharp on an irritated throat. Skip the citrus or dilute the drink if it feels uncomfortable. Honey may help relieve cough symptoms for adults and children at least 1 year old, according to the CDC's advice for chest colds. Never give honey to a child under 12 months because of the risk of infant botulism. This recipe is not a substitute for medical care if a cough is severe, persistent or accompanied by breathing trouble.
Recipe notes
Serve fresh and refrigerate promptly. Pineapple juice is not a proven cough treatment. Honey may help cough symptoms for adults and children at least one year old; never give honey to infants under 12 months.
TASTED THIS RECIPE?
Rate this drink
Something wrong or not matching?
Storage and variations
Refrigerate promptly in a clean covered container and make only what you expect to drink soon. Fresh juice is best served the day it is made. For a milder version, use less ginger and add water or ice. You can omit honey or sweeten to taste; maple syrup changes the flavor but does not have the same evidence for cough relief as honey.
Reader comments
Loading comments…