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| - Last Updated on November 14, 2024 by Neelam Singh
Quick Take
A social media post claims that a herbal kaadha can cleanse lungs and ensure lifelong health. Our fact check says it’s mostly false.
The Claim
An Instagram post claims that drinking a kaadha can cleanse lungs and cure respiratory diseases. The kaadha includes cinnamon powder (dalchini), turmeric (haldi), dry ginger (saunth), and black pepper (kaali mirchi). Lemon (nimbu) and honey (shahad) are added as well. The post suggests it can treat coughs and colds. It also claims to promote lifelong health.
Fact Check
Can this herbal kaadha cleanse and cure lung problems?
No, this kaadha cannot cleanse lungs or cure lung conditions as claimed. Ingredients like cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, lemon, and honey have mild health benefits, but they can’t “cleanse” the lungs in the way the claim video suggests.
The lungs have a natural self-cleaning mechanism involving cilia and mucus. We cannot speed up or enhance it by a single herbal drink. Serious lung conditions like chronic bronchitis, pneumonia, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) require medical treatment—not a herbal remedy.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), COPD can’t be cured, but we can manage it by quitting smoking, avoiding air pollution, and getting vaccines. The main treatment is using inhaled medicines called bronchodilators, which help open up the airways. Other treatments include taking steroid pills or antibiotics for flare-ups, using oxygen for severe cases, and doing pulmonary rehab to improve breathing and fitness. Surgery may help some people with severe COPD.
Similarly, there’s no cure for chronic bronchitis, and we can only manage the symptoms.
Expert opinion
Pulmonologist Dr Sarthak A. Rastogi states, “The lungs have the ability to regenerate or repair themselves to some extent, but significant damage often results in scar tissue. Chronic lung diseases, such as emphysema, cannot be completely reversed, though eliminating harmful substances, like quitting smoking, can help prevent further deterioration.”
Dr Rastogi adds, “Detox diets, which involve cutting out unhealthy foods or substances to boost health, are often discussed. However, there is no scientific proof that these can repair the lungs. For chronic conditions like COPD, lung damage is irreversible and cannot be fixed through detox methods.”
Dr P. Rammanohar, Research Director at the Amrita Centre for Advanced Research in Ayurveda, clarifies that treatment strategies vary based on the stage of lung damage. He notes, “Ayurveda does not provide a detox or a miraculous cure to reverse lung damage. However, Ayurvedic therapies can help in preventing further damage to the lungs. It is important to quit smoking if you do, and in case the damage is detected early, some recovery in lung function is achievable.”
Unfortunately, the market is full of products which claim ‘lung detox’ even without quitting smoking. This is even more dangerous because it suggests that you do not need to quit smoking to have healthy lungs. But this is false and dangerous.
Can this homemade concoction treat coughs and colds?
Partially, yes. Some ingredients in this kaadha—such as ginger, turmeric, and honey—have anti-inflammatory and soothing properties. For instance, honey is known to reduce night-time coughing, and turmeric’s curcumin can help ease sore throats. Similar to this, people also claim that black cardamom can prevent coughing for life. But, this is incorrect.
However, while this concoction or kaadha may ease symptoms, it’s not a cure. It won’t necessarily eliminate the underlying cause of coughs or colds.
Can this kaadha ensure lifelong health?
No, health is not about relying on a single herbal remedy. True health requires a healthy lifestyle: a balanced diet, daily exercise, mental well-being through yoga or meditation, and medical care when necessary. Although the ingredients in this kaadha can contribute to a healthy diet, they are no substitute for comprehensive healthcare and preventive measures like regular check-ups.
What does science say?
Scientific studies confirm that some of these ingredients—like turmeric, cinnamon, and ginger—do have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, they require specific dosages to be effective, and not all of these effects translate to curing respiratory conditions. For example, while honey can soothe sore throats, it doesn’t cure serious lung problems. Likewise, cinnamon and turmeric show promise in some studies, but they need more research to confirm their broad health benefits.
THIP Media Take
The claim that this kaadha can cleanse the lungs and ensure lifelong health is mostly false. While ingredients like cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, black pepper, lemon, and honey can offer mild symptom relief for sore throats or coughs, there’s no scientific evidence to suggest they can cure lung diseases or ensure lifelong health. Health requires a balanced lifestyle, regular medical care, and not just herbal remedies.
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