by Shelly Mcrae

Created on: August 26, 2008   Last Updated: May 03, 2012

A cup of warm tea with honey will soothe your sore throat. Don't care for tea? Then just take the honey.

Honey has antimicrobial properties that actually kill the bacteria that cause your sore throat. It will also alleviate bronchial discomforts such as coughing and congestion. The antimicrobial properties found in honey are very similar to the active ingredients found in many cough medicines. And it tastes better.

Honey can be used for more than just easing influenza symptoms. In September of 2000, in Melbourne, Australia, attendees of the First World Wound Healing Conference explored the medicinal properties of honey as a healing agent.

A topical application of honey to a surgical wound, for example, may result in the patient healing quicker and with less damage to healthy skin. Topical applications of hydrogen peroxide, the active ingredient used in antibiotics with dressings, can cause cell damage to healthy skin.

Honey, as a topical application, provides the same healing properties without the damage.

But researchers also had more to present at the conference than honey as a topical medicine. Research is also being conducted to explore the use of honey in combating strains of bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics, such as salmonella.

Be cautioned, though. Should you cut your finger open, smearing a glob of your household honey on the wound won't necessary work any more efficiently than a rinse with hydrogen peroxide. It just won't sting as much.

Not all honey is equally medicinal. The potency of honey as a healing agent depends on where the honey was made and what the bees used to make that honey.

Bees that frequent the flowers of the tea tree produce Manuka honey; the tea tree flower is called manuka. This honey retains a high concentration of antibacterial properties, even through processing. This is due to its high concentration to begin with, as compared to other honeys.

Most of the honey consumers buy off the shelf of their local supermarkets is processed. This does reduce the efficacy of honey as a healing agent, but it does not negate it. If you have a sore throat, a spoonful of honey will relieve your discomfort. It just may not be as effective on a surgical wound.

The medicinal uses for honey are not limited to sore throats and stitched up skin. Honey can also be used to ease sore eyes. Apply as poultice, though; please don't just drop a glob of honey on your eye.

Honey can also be used to settle an upset stomach and even heal stomach ulcers. It has enzymes that aid in digestion, relieving both constipation and diarrhea.

A strong word of caution: Honey should not be given to children under two years of age. It does contain an active enzyme that can cause infant botulism.

Keeping a jar of honey in a kitchen cabinet as a sweetener and a substitute for sugar is a healthy practice. But that jar of honey can also be used to treat the flu and settle your stomach, stop the itch and swelling from bug bites, and ease your tired eyes. It's not just for sore throats anymore.

So relax, and enjoy a little tea with your honey. You'll feel better soon.

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