Audio: How Honey Heals

Southern California Public Radio, 5/19/2009

Yes, time heals all wounds – but how about honey?

This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science.

Honey's been slathered on wounds since the days of King Tut. But it was unknown whether it actually heals or just leads to a sticky situation. Some studies had been done, but they were all rather small – and inconclusive.

Andrew Jull, from the University of Auckland, New Zealand, recently took a bigger look. He pored over official publications, and the databases of hospitals and pharmaceutical companies for unpublished findings…

Honey treatment significantly sped up healing, even outperformed conventional dressings. Injuries healed a full five days faster, on average.

The delicious goo appears to help skin shed dead tissue. It also provides nutrition that spurs tissue growth – like a cell culture. Plus, honey contains enzymes that gradually turn the sugars glucose and fructose into hydrogen peroxide, bathing boo-boos in a continuous trickle of antiseptic…