Honey as a Cough Remedy: Groundbreaking New Study

2020 Study: Oxford researchers now recommend honey as a genuine treatment for the common cough, colds and even upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs).

Honey for cough treatment an oxford study

In the wake of COVID-19, we finally have some good news for 2020. New research published in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine in August confirms what most of us have already known.

Honey is more than just a delicious natural sweetener. It also has powerful healing properties.

So powerful, in fact, that honey may now be safely recommended by doctors as a genuine treatment for the common cough, colds and even upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs).

The buzz - honey as an effective natural treatment

Doctors typically prescribe antibiotics to treat URTIs. However, the problem is that viruses, not bacteria, cause most infections - rendering antibiotics ineffective. Although antibiotics offer little medical benefit in these situations, there is a dearth of alternative treatments.

Thus, scientists have been searching for a new remedy to treat these types of infections.

Now, they have have identified a natural treatment that is more effective at reducing URTI symptoms than usual care.
That therapy comes straight from one of Mother Nature’s best healers: The honeybee.

The test - antibiotics versus honey

Three researchers undertook the studies. Hibatullah Abuelgasim, of the Oxford University Medical School, and Charlotte Albury and Joseph Lee, of the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences.

The team performed 14 tests on 1,761 patients. They compared cough severity, frequency, and symptom length. They studied the effects of taking honey in the form of tea, straight, or combined with other ingredients. The results were then compared to those of antibiotics and over-the-counter medicines.

The findings

The studies revealed a remarkable reduction in cough severity and frequency. Two of the studies showed symptom length decreased by one to two days.

This is great news for public health systems where antibiotic-resistance has become a worldwide issue. This also addresses antibiotic side effects, such as kidney and liver problems and gastrointestinal upset.

In 2018, the UK’s National Institute for Health, and Public Health England touted the antimicrobial effects of honey. They announced a plan to reduce unnecessary antibiotic treatments and recommended honey for mild coughs and colds. Now, science has finally proved it is an effective and safe home remedy for cough for children and adults.

Honeybee nectar is affordable, non-toxic, and has almost no side effects. Doctors now have the green light to confidently recommend nature's superfood as URTI treatment. New Zealand doctors are hopeful that this news may soon decrease the overuse - and over-prescription - of antibiotics.

What’s the best honey to take?

Not just any honey, according to the researchers.

New Zealand’s very own Mānuka honey stands out, due to its superior natural antibacterial properties.

The Māori have known for centuries about its curative properties. They used the leaves of the Mānuka bush to make sedatives, mouthwash, cough medicines and to relieve a sore throat. It was also used as a topical treatment for skin diseases and burns.

New evidence shows that Mānuka honey may increase antimicrobial activity and can be used as a safe treatment for clearing infections in the upper airways.

Can you use honey for cough in children?

Yes - it can be an excellent way to treat coughs. However, note - doctors don’t recommend that honey is fed to children under the age of one.

If you require further medical advice on URTI treatments, or your symptoms persist, contact your GP.

How can I create my own home remedies for cough?

Check out our range of delicious, pure medicine in a jar. Give your system a natural boost and use as a natural alternative to refined sugar.

Dissolve the Mānuka honey either in warm, or hot but not boiling water making sure to coat your throat with drinking the mixture. You can also consume it straight or the spoon or stick.

Heal your body from the inside out and add your jar of Happy Valley’s UMF® Mānuka Honey deliciousness to your cart today.