A simple “cough, cough” is enough to make people around you self-conscious these days.

That’s because the most common symptoms of the highly contagious Omicron variant include dry cough, phlegm, and sore throat.

For people already anxious about COVID-19 infection, spring can feel like a particularly harsh season. This is also the time when respiratory health is constantly under threat from yellow dust, fine particulate matter (PM), and pollen.

We cannot simply avoid these risks. Instead, we need to strengthen our immunity and improve the body’s resistance. One way to do this is by consistently consuming natural foods that are beneficial for the bronchial tubes and lungs.

Bellflower root, rich in saponins, helps relieve cough and phlegm

Bellflower root (Platycodon root) is a well-known medicinal food beneficial for the respiratory system. It has a mild aroma and a slightly bitter taste, and is usually eaten raw or cooked as a side dish.

Being alkaline, bellflower root contains abundant calcium, iron, potassium, minerals, vitamins, dietary fiber, and beneficial amino acids.

In particular, it is rich in saponins. As the saying goes, “an old bellflower root is as valuable as ginseng,” it is regarded as one of the major natural sources of saponins along with ginseng and deodeok (wild mountain herb). Its characteristic bitterness comes from these saponins.

Saponins help stimulate mucus secretion in the respiratory tract, strengthen the body’s defense against bacteria, and help reduce cough and phlegm. For this reason, bellflower root has long been used in traditional medicine for respiratory conditions.

When people caught colds or had coughs, they often drank bellflower tea or consumed bellflower root preserved in honey, known as doraji-cheong.

In traditional Korean medicine, bellflower root is called Gyeonggyeong (桔梗). The dried root is used as a medicinal herb. In Donguibogam, it is described as helping the flow of lung qi and treating breathlessness caused by heat in the lungs.

It was used for conditions such as cough with phlegm, nasal congestion, throat irritation due to poor circulation of lung energy, chest tightness, and sore or swollen throat.

Modern pharmacological references describe its effects as antitussive and expectorant. It is also noted for anti-inflammatory, anti-ulcer, anti-tumor, and antioxidant properties. Today, it is used in the management of acute and chronic bronchitis, upper respiratory infections, cardiopulmonary conditions, emphysema, and even lung cancer.

Pear and honey: perfect partners for bellflower root

Foods that pair well with bellflower root include pear and honey.

Pear contains luteolin, a compound known to help suppress coughs and respiratory illnesses such as colds. Honey is a natural food widely recognized for its anti-inflammatory properties and immune-boosting effects.

Traditionally, people have used bae-suk (steamed pear drink) when suffering from frequent coughs or weak bronchial health. Bae-suk is a traditional beverage made by stuffing pear with peppercorns and simmering it in honey water before cooling.

Both bae-suk and bellflower root infused with honey (doraji-cheong) represent traditional wisdom—natural health foods for respiratory wellness.

However, extraction methods significantly affect nutrient quality. The most common method is heat-based “hot water extraction,” which is convenient but can destroy heat-sensitive nutrients.

For example, a 2002 Seoul National University study showed that high-pressure heating at 121°C for 15 minutes destroyed up to 52% of vitamin A.

To minimize nutrient loss, “low-temperature extraction and concentration” methods are used. This technology concentrates ingredients at low temperatures (around 35–50°C) using centrifugal force, preserving more nutrients.

When purchasing concentrated extracts, it is important to check whether low-temperature concentration was used.

Source: 조선일보 (https://www.chosun.com/)