Honey Helps Calm Coughs, Heal Wounds

Sweet! Honey has Many Real Benefits
By Dr. Murray Feingold, The Daily News Transcript (USA), 2/19/2008

…For years, your grandmother has recommended putting honey in your tea as a treatment for a cough or sore throat. Now, a scientific study has shown that granny was right.

A cough can be very disturbing. To make matters worse, recent studies have shown that most over-the-counter cough medications are ineffective.

The recent study compared the effectiveness of three different treatments used to suppress coughing in children: honey; an over-the-counter anti-cough ingredient, dextromethorphan; and a placebo.

The results showed a significant decrease in the frequency of coughing in the group of children who were given honey compared to those who received dextromethorphan or a placebo...

Another reported use of honey involved the treatment of wounds and burns. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the use of honey-impregnated dressings to treat minor burns and cuts.

It has been theorized that applying honey to an open wound cuts off the air supply and exposure to outside contaminants, including bacteria. This decreases the risk of the wound becoming infected.

Also, an enzyme present in honey reacts with the fluid present in damaged tissues to form hydrogen peroxide, which acts as a disinfectant…