If you have a sore throat, relief may be in your refrigerator – pickle juice.
An infectious disease specialist says it helps because of the high salt content – up to 5%.
And the reason it helps is because it has a higher salt concentration than our bodies, so it helps draw water out of the tissues and reduces inflammation. Sugar does this as well, which is why tea and honey makes you feel better.
However, it’s only a temporary solution – you may get about 15 minutes of relief, so you’ll still need other remedies for the long term.
And if pickles aren’t handy, gargling with saltwater works fine too.
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