Does honey help when you have a cough or coughing fits? Here at the Scottish Bee Company, we’ve known for years about the wonderful benefits honey has on your health, especially as a home remedy for common coughs and colds. Passed down through generations, we often call it ‘the medicine yer granny used ta take’,as it has always been considered an old wives tale, with little scientific evidence to back it up. That is, until now….
Last week the University of Oxford released the findings from their study into a cure for coughs and the common cold. Pharmaceutical companies make trillions every year from selling over the counter products and medicines to ease the symptoms and shorten the length of colds, but there has always been an ongoing search for an actual cure. Now this research does not provide it, but what it has shown is that honey - pure honey - is in fact better than over the counter medicines and antibiotics at treating coughs and cold symptoms. The University’s systemic review compared the results from fourteen studies involving 1,761 people and concluded that honey is effective, if not more so at treating the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections – including sore throats, blocked noses, coughs and general congestion. The article states that:
"Since the majority of upper respiratory tract infections are viral, antibiotic prescription is both ineffective and inappropriate… a lack of effective alternatives, as well as a desire to preserve the patient-doctor relationship, both contribute to antibiotic over-prescription."
Since the fall out of the coronavirus, there has been a public shift towards a cleaner, healthier, more natural lifestyle. People are now searching for remedies to illnesses that involve less man made products, to limit the amount of known and unknown future side effects that may occur in years to come. Similarly, as there has been antibiotic resistance on the rise, ‘alternative’ medicine is beginning to become more widely trusted. Read our blog here on why our honey is a superfood and why heather honey trumps manuka.
Suzie, our founder, tells us that 'Last year we worked with the University of Strathclyde to do our own research into the healing benefits of heather honey, and as expected, we found it to have antifungal, antibacterial and antimicrobial qualities. For us to learn exactly how this natural product can compare against over the counter medicines, a lot more money needs to go into this type of research.'
Until then, we'll have to trust the folks at Oxford University and hope that this leads the way for more detailed studies that will reveal the mighty power that honey holds.
To read the full published article, click here and to buy some of our award winning pure honey, click here. Gifts are also available on our website.
