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Honey for coughs: what the evidence says, and why babies must never have it
A spoonful of honey has decent trial support for children's coughs at night. It must never be given to a baby under 12 months because of infant botulism.
By the editors of Alimentotherapy Last reviewed 3 min read Not medical advice
Honey
Best-supported use: Acute cough in children over 1 year
The short answer
A Cochrane review found honey probably relieves acute cough in children aged one year and over better than no treatment or placebo, and about as well as dextromethorphan, an over-the-counter cough medicineOduwole 2018. Honey must never be given to infants under 12 months, because it can carry the spores that cause infant botulism MedlinePlus.
The evidence, use by use
Each claim graded on human studies only. How we grade
| Use | Grade | What the research found |
|---|---|---|
| Acute cough in children aged 1 year and over | Moderate | Six trials (899 children) found honey probably reduces cough frequency more than no treatment or placebo, with a similar effect to dextromethorphan. Most children were treated for one night only. Oduwole 2018 |
| Cold symptoms in adults and children (upper respiratory infections) | Limited | A review of 14 studies found honey improved cough frequency and severity compared with usual care, but placebo-controlled data were sparse and the authors called for better trials. Abuelgasim 2021 |
| Partial-thickness burns (medical-grade honey dressings) | Moderate | Cochrane found high-quality evidence from two trials (992 people) that partial-thickness burns dressed with honey closed faster than those under conventional dressings. These are sterile clinical products, not kitchen honey. Jull 2015 |
| Hay fever relief from local honey | Not supported | In a randomized trial of 36 people with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis, a daily tablespoon of local raw honey did no better than pasteurized honey or a honey-flavored corn syrup placebo. Rajan 2002 |
Coughs: what the trials tested
The children's trials compared a dose of honey, usually at bedtime, with no treatment, placebo or common cough medicines such as dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine. Honey probably reduced cough frequency more than no treatment or placebo, and may have made little difference compared with dextromethorphan. There was no difference in side effects between honey and the comparisons Oduwole 2018.
The weakness is short follow-up: most children got honey for a single night. Even so, it is a cheap, familiar option for a child over one year old with a cold. A cough that lasts for weeks, comes with high fever, noisy or fast breathing, or a child who seems very unwell needs a clinician. See what the evidence says for colds.
In the kitchen
A spoonful straight, or stirred into warm (not boiling) water with lemon, is how most people take it. Honey is still sugar, so brush teeth afterward, and people managing their blood sugar should count it.
Never give honey to a baby under 12 months
Spores of Clostridium botulinum can be found in honey. In an infant's immature gut they can grow and produce toxin, causing infant botulism, which mostly affects babies between 6 weeks and 6 months old but can occur up to a year. MedlinePlus advises that honey should not be fed to infants less than 1 year oldMedlinePlus. That includes honey on a pacifier or stirred into a bottle. Ask your pediatrician about any food for a baby that lists honey as an ingredient.
Honey on wounds is a clinic product
The burn trials used medical-grade honey dressings, which are sterilized and applied under clinical care. Cochrane found partial-thickness burns dressed with honey closed several days sooner than those under conventional dressings, while evidence for other wound types was of lower quality Jull 2015. Kitchen honey is not sterile and should not go on burns or open wounds at home.
Before you try it: safety and interactions
Who should avoid it or ask first
- The child is under 12 months old: risk of infant botulism.
- You manage diabetes and have not counted it in your carbohydrate plan.
- You plan to put kitchen honey on a burn or wound: use medical-grade products under clinical advice instead.
Possible side effects
- Honey is mostly sugar: it raises blood glucose and can contribute to tooth decay.
- Rare allergic reactions, especially in people allergic to pollen or bee products.
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
Honey in food amounts is considered fine for pregnant and breastfeeding adults; the botulism risk applies to infants, whose gut is not mature. MedlinePlus; Oduwole 2018
Medicine interactions
We found no well-documented medicine interactions for honey at food amounts. That is not proof there are none: tell your pharmacist about any herb or supplement you take.
Check another food or medicine in the interactions list.
Common questions
At what age can a child have honey?
Honey should not be given to babies under 12 months old because it can contain Clostridium botulinum spores that cause infant botulism. From the first birthday onward it is considered safe as a food.
Does honey work as well as cough medicine?
For children over one year with an acute cough, a 2018 Cochrane review found honey may have a similar effect to dextromethorphan and probably works better than no treatment or placebo. Most trials only treated one night, so longer-term effects are unknown.
Does local honey help with allergies?
The evidence says no. In a randomized trial of 36 people with hay fever, a daily tablespoon of local raw honey did no better than a corn syrup placebo.
Sources
Primary research and government sources, each checked on the date this page was reviewed.
- CochraneOduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018. PMID 29633783.
- PubMedAbuelgasim 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. PMID 32817011.
- CochraneJull AB, et al. Honey as a topical treatment for wounds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015. PMID 25742878.
- PubMedRajan TV, et al. Effect of ingestion of honey on symptoms of rhinoconjunctivitis. Ann Allergy Asthma Immunol. 2002. PMID 11868925.
- MedlinePlusMedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Infant botulism.
Keep reading
- GoalFood and colds: honey, zinc, vitamin C and chicken soupNo food stops a cold. Honey has good evidence for easing cough in children over one, and regular vitamin C slightly shortens colds; most other remedies are comfort.
- RemedyChicken soupThe most famous food remedy of all. The studies behind it are small lab experiments, but a hot, salty, savory broth does bring short-term relief and fluids.
- RemedyElderberryA popular syrup with a short, conflicting trial record. Early small studies suggested faster recovery from flu; the most carefully run recent trial found none. Raw berries are toxic until cooked.
- RemedyGingerThe best-studied kitchen remedy for nausea. Trials support it for pregnancy and after surgery; the evidence for joint and period pain is thinner.