Honey does more than just sweeten. Here's what the science shows.
Written by
The Lineage Team
Fact checked by
Paul Saladino, MD
Written by
The Lineage Team
Fact checked by
Paul Saladino, MD
Honey is often called a superfood, and for once the reputation has real science behind it. It is one of the few foods humans have used as more than food for thousands of years, and modern researchers have put many of those traditional uses to the test.
Some benefits are well established. Others are still being studied. Here is what honey does, why it works, and how strong the evidence is.
TL;DR
Honey has built-in antibacterial chemistry, driven mainly by hydrogen peroxide produced by a bee enzyme.
Clinical trials suggest honey may ease cough and cold symptoms, likely by coating and calming the throat.
In children with nighttime coughs, honey appears to improve sleep compared with common cough medicines.
Medical honey dressings may heal partial burns faster than conventional dressings.
Note: honey should never be given to babies under 12 months old.
Honey has unusual chemistry
Honey is mostly sugar, but its chemistry sets it apart from any other sweetener. Bees add an enzyme called glucose oxidase, which converts glucose into gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, and that hydrogen peroxide drives most of honey's antimicrobial activity. Honey's low water content, moderate acidity, and variety of plant compounds called phenolics add to the effect, and some types of honey also contain methylglyoxal. (1) Not all honey is equal: varieties differ in phenolic content and antioxidant capacity, and darker honeys generally contain more of these compounds. (2)
Honey soothes coughs and colds
This is honey's best-known use, and trials back it up. A 2021 review of 14 randomized trials found honey outperformed usual care for cold symptoms, with the clearest gains in how often and how severely people coughed. (3) The main reason is physical: honey coats the throat in a protective film that calms the irritation that triggers coughing. Its sweetness also stimulates saliva and mucus that lubricate the airway, and may dampen the cough reflex itself. (2) Researchers are still calling for more high-quality trials, but the direction of the evidence is consistent. (3)
Honey may help coughing kids sleep
For parents, this may be the most useful finding. A 2026 meta-analysis of 6 trials and 576 children found honey matched common cough medicines on most measures, and significantly improved the child's sleep. (2, 4) The likely reason is simple: a soothed throat means fewer nighttime coughs and fewer wake-ups. Honey also contains small amounts of melatonin and its precursors, though whether that plays a role is unproven. (2) The authors rated the overall evidence as very low certainty, so more trials are needed. (2)
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Medical honey helps heal burns
Honey's antibacterial chemistry has made it a real tool in wound care. A Cochrane review of 26 studies found high-quality evidence that honey heals partial thickness burns about 4 to 5 days faster than conventional dressings. (5) Why could it work? Honey tackles a wound in several ways at once.
Its hydrogen peroxide and acidity help control bacteria. (1) Its high sugar content pulls fluid out of the wound, which helps clear away dead tissue and debris while keeping the wound moist, conditions that favor healing. (6) Honey also appears to calm excess inflammation, which can otherwise slow repair. (6)
Honey may feed beneficial gut bacteria
Honey contains oligosaccharides, carbohydrates that may nourish beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus. Lab and animal studies are encouraging, but human trials are still needed to confirm the effect. (7)
Raw honey shows promise for blood sugar and cholesterol
A meta-analysis of 18 trials with 1,105 participants found honey slightly lowered fasting glucose, total and LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides, and raised HDL cholesterol. The HDL result was rated high certainty; most others were low. (8) Raw honey stood out in a subgroup of trials, which suggests processing may matter. (8) The researchers note honey is still a sugar, and saw these effects within a healthy diet.
FAQ
What is "raw" honey?
Raw honey is honey in its most natural form. It is never heated above 115 degrees and is not pasteurized, preserving all the natural antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that can be degraded by heat. Additionally, raw honey actually contains bits of pollen, which can help fight allergies.
What can I use honey for?
Take tablespoons from the jar. Mix it in your raw milk. Put some in your smoothie. Drizzle it on you meat / burgers / fruit. Apply it to a wound or infection. Optimal health never tasted so sweet.
What is honey's shelf life and how should I store it?
Our honey lasts 18 months and can be stored at room temperature. If you choose to store them in the refrigerator, they may crystallize. This is perfectly normal and can be easily reversed by gently warming the product to dissolve the crystals and return it to its liquid state. Over time, it will gradually thicken. This is completely normal as well.
Should I avoid feeding honey to my infant?
Infants are advised against eating honey due to the risk of botulism, a rare but serious illness. Honey can contain spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can produce a toxin in a baby's immature digestive system. This toxin can lead to muscle weakness and breathing problems, so it's recommended to avoid giving honey to children under one year of age.
Bottom line
Honey earns its reputation. Its natural chemistry helps explain why it soothes coughs, may help coughing kids sleep, and speeds healing of certain burns in clinical settings. Gut and metabolic benefits are promising and still being studied. Enjoy it in place of refined sugar, and never give it to babies under one. (9)
Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32817011/
This article is educational and is not medical advice. Talk to your doctor before starting any supplement, especially if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a health condition. Statements on this page have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Lineage products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The studies cited test specific preparations and doses, and individual results may vary. Articles marked Fact Checked are built from primary research, cite every source, and are reviewed before publishing.
