Study: Honey Offers Better Cold Symptom Relief Than Traditional Remedies
Lauren Manaker MS, RDN, LD, CLEC
Key Takeaways
Upper respiratory tract infections come with symptoms like cough and congestion.
Traditional treatments, including antibiotics and over-the-counter medications, have not been shown to be as effective as honey for relieving cold symptoms.
Honey might not be able to prevent a cold, but it’s a safe alternative remedy for most people who have cold symptoms.
If you have an upper respiratory tract infection—also known as the common cold—researchers have found that honey might be more effective at relieving your symptoms than traditional treatments.
A study published on August 18 in The British Medical Journal evaluated 1345 unique records and 14 studies that compared honey to standard medical treatments for upper respiratory tract infection symptoms, such as cough frequency, cough severity, sleep difficulty, and congestion.1
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. 2020 Aug 18;bmjebm-2020-111336.doi:10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336
* THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION. THIS IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE.