[teawithsunshine]

Ugh! To my dismay this morning, I woke up with a sore throat!

I really hate the idea of using cough drops, but I need 'em for my throat I just can't stand the idea of wasting my calories on them instead of a meaningful dessert I was looking forward to having after dinner tonight.

QUESTION: anyone know of any non-caloric cough drops I could buy? (*brand name would be lovely!)

PS: how many calories are in some certain cough drops anyway (for instance)?

~ tea

[nelie]

sugar free cough drops should be available in every store that sells regular cough drops. I've never had trouble finding them.

Brands: Store brand, Halls, Vicks, Ricola

[BarbPA]

Agreed. I needed them last week and there were several sugar-free brands at the drug store. They aren't that many calories and you need to feel better so get some and don't stress too much about the minimal calories to help yourself out.

Feel better soon!!!!

[bindersbee]

You can buy the sugar free ones.

However, I'm more concerned that you are stressing out over the calorie potential of a cough drop. One of the hardest parts about trying to lose weight is the obessessing. I don't know if you are but you may want to consider cutting yourself a little slack. The stress associated with a drive to be so perfect in your eating that you're accounting for cough drops seems counterproductive to your overall health. I could be wrong. Consider it anyway.

[Glory87]

Agree with Bindersbee - you are sick, lovingly take care of yourself. That includes cough drops and a cup of hot tea with honey.

[Lori Bell]

I usually take Halls Cherry, They have 15 calories per drop. Usually 3-4 a day will get me by. I count cough drops....I count everything that goes in my mouth, I guess you could call it obsessing if you want, but I sure the heck didn't get to 333 pounds by obsessing over calorie counts, so I figure this is a positive improvement for my health. Baby yourself with a hot bath and a warm bed. Sugar doesn't make you well, rest and time does.

[teawithsunshine]

Glory87 & Bindersbee--

LOL.... Actually, I'm on my TOM as well and my TOM pretty much always have me kind of feeling/behaving a bit irrational.

Intellectually, I know its silly to flip over this small thing as cough drops. I do take quite a lot of cough drops when I get a sore throat, and I never considered the caloric amount of cough drops before.

Thanks for the kind support & suggestions and yes I will have cups and cups of tea today!

~ tea

[WarMaiden]

The best remedy I have found for sore throat is liberal quantities of cayenne pepper in hot water, sipped like it's tea. It burns like the dickens at first, but then it completely numbs the throat. (So effective at dulling pain, in fact, that the active ingredient--capsaicin--is being investigated as a pharmaceutical analgesic.) And it's quite close to being non-caloric.

[kaplods]

Originally Posted by WarMaiden

The best remedy I have found for sore throat is liberal quantities of cayenne pepper in hot water, sipped like it's tea. It burns like the dickens at first, but then it completely numbs the throat. (So effective at dulling pain, in fact, that the active ingredient--capsaicin--is being investigated as a pharmaceutical analgesic.) And it's quite close to being non-caloric.

I do the same, though I drink my cayenne in either hot bouillon or cold lemonade. I read an article in a magazine about the "healing power" of capsaicin. It's chemically similar to guaifenesin, an otc (and once prescription) decongestant. The otc guaifenesin is fairly expensive, and I stopped taking it regularly when it went otc, because insurance of course doesn't cover otc medications.

Anyway, I read of adding cayenne or other hot pepper powder or sauces to lemonade, and drinking it hot or cold. I make Crystal Light pink lemonade and just add cayenne powder to each glass. I put it in a waterbottle, so I can shake it between drinks (otherwise the cayenne sinks to the bottom, and you get a real kick in the last few mouthfuls).

Lemonade with a KICK, does take a little getting used to. I love spicy food, and it still was weird, but I find it does stop the pain and cough, but doesn't feel numb like anesthetic sprays (I hate that numb sensation, and it always seems to numb the tongue, not the part of the throat that hurts).