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Gripe Water Recipes

Girija Shinde
Gripe water is an effective remedy to ease colic in babies. Go through this write-up for some recipes to make gripe water at home.
Infants often develop colic and upset stomach, and gripe water is commonly used as a remedy for these conditions. It is also used for alleviating teething pain in babies. Gripe water was developed for the first time by an English pharmacist, William Woodward, during 1851. In 1876, he registered 'Gripe Water' as a trademark.
What is gripe water made of? Well, the original gripe water recipe, the one formulated by Woodward, contained dill oil, sugar, water, 3.6% alcohol, and sodium bicarbonate. Even today, sodium bicarbonate and dill oil are found as the main ingredients of gripe water.
You may come across different brands of commercial gripe water in stores. However, many of them are quite expensive, and only a few mention all the ingredients used in the product. That is why it is safe to make gripe water at home.

Make Gripe Water at Home

Recipe #1

Ingredients:
  • Dill seeds - 1 tbsp.
  • Water - 2 cups
Procedure:
Boil water in a large saucepan. Place the seeds in a strainer, and lower it into the saucepan. Let it stand for five minutes. Transfer the water to a shallow bowl and allow it to cool. Discard the seeds. Pour the gripe water into a sterilized bottle.

Recipe #2

Ingredients:
  • Fresh peppermint leaves - 2
  • Water - 4 cups
  • Peeled ginger - ΒΌ-inch piece
  • Fennel seeds - 1 tsp.
  • Corn syrup - 1 tbsp.
Procedure:
Take all the ingredients in a heavy-bottom pot. Bring the water to a boil; reduce the heat and let it simmer for about 20 minutes. Allow it cool at room temperature. Strain and store in the refrigerator. Use this homemade gripe water within 24 hours.

Recipe #3

Ingredients:
  • Lemon balm leaves - 3 to 4
  • Water - 2 cups
  • Sugar - 1 pinch
  • Persian cumin - 2 tsp.
Procedure:
Grind cumin seeds into a fine powder. Bring water to a boil, and add lemon balm leaves and cumin powder. Boil for another 10 minutes. Strain the gripe water and add sugar.
If you are worried about the side effects of gripe water, try these recipes and prepare some homemade versions. Given ahead is a list of safe and unsafe ingredients in store-bought gripe water.

Unsafe Ingredients

  • Citric Acid
  • Dairy
  • Vegetable Carbon (Charcoal)
  • Alcohol
  • Gluten
  • Sodium Bicarbonate
  • Yeast
  • Soy

Safe Ingredients

  • Ginger - It is useful for curing nausea and gastric problems.
  • Fennel - It helps to control spasms in the intestinal tract. It also cures indigestion and reduces pain.
  • Peppermint - The herb is known to be extremely useful for promoting digestion.
  • Lemon Balm - It helps to cure insomnia. When combined with peppermint, lemon balm soothes upset stomach.
So, check the ingredients before you buy gripe water from stores.