What the research says

Research on honey for specific conditions includes:

• Heart and blood vessel disease, also called cardiovascular disease. Honey may help lower cholesterol. This may help to improve heart health.
• Cough. Honey may help lessen a cough in children age 1 and older. Research hasn't shown that honey is better than other cough medicines for adults.
• Dry eyes. Some studies support using a medical eye drop made with honey to treat dry eyes. These eye drops also may help with eye redness.
• Digestive conditions, also called gastrointestinal conditions. Studies suggest that honey might help ease diarrhea in people with infections caused by bacteria. Because honey is high in sugar, eating too much honey could cause diarrhea. Honey also might help lessen irritation that can happen with conditions that cause gut inflammation, such as ulcerative colitis.
• Seasonal allergies. Research studies haven't found that taking honey or using it as a nose spray eases seasonal allergy symptoms, also known as hay fever or allergic rhinitis. A small study found that taking honey and a medicine used to treat allergies called loratadine lessened allergy symptoms.
• Wound care. Honey that has been cleaned using strict methods, known as medical-grade honey, may help heal wounds. This honey type may be used to treat burns and foot wounds in those with diabetes.

Results might vary because honey isn't controlled by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, called the FDA. Producers can make it in different ways, and the quality may not be the same between different brands.