Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
← Natural Healing: Herbs & Home Remedies (all 15 herbs)
Honey
Raw or commercial honey
- Traditional use
- A traditional sweetener and home remedy for sore throats and coughs, and for covering small wounds.
- How people take it
- A spoonful on its own or stirred into warm tea or water. Medical-grade honey dressings are used by clinicians on some wounds.
- What the evidence shows
- Mayo Clinic notes that honey may soothe a cough in children older than one year and in adults, and may work about as well as some over-the-counter cough ingredients in studies. Medical-grade honey is used in some wound care. Ordinary honey from the kitchen is not a wound treatment.
- Cautions and interactions
- Never give honey to a baby under 12 months old because of the risk of infant botulism. Honey is sugar and counts toward your daily intake, which matters with diabetes. People with pollen or bee allergies can react. A cough that lasts, brings a high fever or causes trouble breathing needs a doctor.
More herbs
Where to read more
The information here was written for this site as a plain-language overview. For current, detailed and regularly reviewed information, check the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH), part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Mayo Clinic, which both have herb and supplement fact sheets. Your pharmacist can also check your medicines for interactions. Research changes over time, so these sources are always the better place to confirm the latest guidance.
Important: This is not medical advice
This page is for general information only. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose, treat or cure anything. Herbs are complementary support, not replacements for prescribed medicine.
- Talk to your doctor or pharmacist before using any herb, tea or supplement, especially if you take medicine, are pregnant or nursing, have a health condition, or are planning surgery.
- Do not stop or change any prescribed medicine on your own.
- Get emergency care right away (call 911) for serious symptoms such as chest pain, trouble breathing, signs of a stroke, severe allergic reaction, heavy bleeding, confusion, or thoughts of harming yourself.
