Hey there, HONEY
Whenever I got a sore throat as a child, Mum gave me honey on a spoon with a crushed Disprin. The gooey, golden liquid slid down my throat, making me feel better. Over the years, I’ve spent many winters guzzling lemon and honey drinks to soothe colds and sore throats, and sucking on propolis lozenges rather than cough drops.
Many centuries ago, the Romans, Egyptians and Greeks began using honey as a medicine and wound healer. Honeybee products – honey, propolis and venom – have been used medicinally for thousands of years. However, it was only relatively recently that scientific research revealed that honey has proven health effects.
A recent University of Oxford study found that honey was more effective in relieving coughs in children than pharmaceutical remedies. “Honey was superior to usual care for the improvement of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. It provides a widely available and cheap alternative to antibiotics. Honey could help efforts to slow the spread of antimicrobial resistance, but further high-quality, placebo-controlled trials are said.
