Drinking tea or warm lemon water mixed with honey is often used to soothe a sore throat. But honey alone may work as well as medicines available without a prescription to lessen coughing.
In several studies, people with upper respiratory tract infections were given honey to lessen coughing. The honey seemed to lessen their coughing and help them sleep better. These studies included children.
In these studies, honey appeared to work as well as diphenhydramine (die-fen-HI-druh-meen), though higher-quality studies are needed to confirm the results. Diphenhydramine is a common ingredient in medicines available without a prescription to lessen coughing. Since honey is safe for people over age 1 year, it might be worth a try.
Children ages 1 and older can be given 0.5 to 1 teaspoon (2.5 to 5 milliliters) of honey to treat a cough. The honey can be given as is or added to other liquids, such as juice, to lessen its strength. Due to the risk of infant botulism — a rare but serious form of food poisoning — never give honey to a child younger than age 1.
And remember: Coughing isn't all bad. It helps clear mucus from your airway if you have an infection or an allergy, for example. If you or your child is otherwise healthy, there's usually no reason to try to stop occasional coughing. If you have any concerns, check with your doctor or other healthcare professional for advice.
Show References
- Polin RA, ed. Pulmonology. In: Pediatric Secrets. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Sept. 18, 2024.
- Pappas DE. The common cold in children: Management and prevention. https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search. Accessed Sept. 18, 2024.
- Honey. Natural Medicines. https://naturalmedicines.therapeuticresearch.com. Accessed Sept. 18, 2024.
- Pappas DE. The common cold. In: Principles and Practice of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2023. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed Sept. 18, 2024.
- Botulism. Healthychildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/infections/Pages/Botulism.aspx. Accessed Sept. 18, 2024.
- Coughs and colds: Medicines or home remedies? Healthychildren.org. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/chest-lungs/Pages/Coughs-and-Colds-Medicines-or-Home-Remedies.aspx. Accessed Sept. 18, 2024.
- Understanding mucus in your lungs. American Lung Association. https://www.lung.org/blog/lungs-mucus. Accessed Sept. 18, 2024.
- Oduwole O, et al. Honey for acute cough in children (Review). Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2018; doi:10.1002/14651858.CD007094.pub5.
- Abuelgasim H, et al. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine. 2021: doi.org/10.1136/bmjebm-2020-111336.
- Kuitunen I, et al. Honey for acute cough in children — A systematic review. European Journal of Pediatrics. 2023; doi:10.1007/s00431-023-05066-1.
- Cough and colds — Medicines or home remedies? Pediatric Patient Education. https://publications.aap.org/patiented. Accessed Oct. 4, 2024.
Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/cough/expert-answers/honey/faq-20058031