Tuffy, Consumer Advocate

Tuffy Shopping Tip #24: Cough Drops

Did you know that not all cough drops are the same?

On a recent visit to a local bear of a grocery store, I decided to inspect their cough drop offerings. This particular store offered a wide selection of flavors from mainly two cough drop manufacturers, so there was a lot of research.

The research, however, was simple, quick, and time-efficient -- if you know what you're looking for. The active ingredient in cough drops is menthol, and the menthol is there to soothe the throat pain and suppress the cough.

But, guess what? Almost every different flavor of cough drops has a different menthol content. Menthol content levels ranged from a measly 1.1 mg to a whopping 10 mg per drop.

Therefore, look closely before you purchase your cough drops this winter. While that one particular flavor might seem very appealing for the taste buds, another flavor might deliver close to ten times the impact.

PS: One "Euro" cough drop company also has a wide variety on the number of drops they put into the bags of the varying flavors, so keep an eye on that, too.

Good luck, savvy consumer!