Winter is around the corner and cough, cold, and flu come with it. Having a sore throat during winter is not a big deal for many. Hence, here I am with another blog post that tells you exactly what to do when you have a sore throat, and honey is a must ingredient anyway.
Why honey for a sore throat?
We all have used many home remedies for sore throat such as gurgling with hot water or using a humidifier. However, making teas and consuming them is the best remedy and has been followed for centuries.
Honey, along with its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and other healing properties is a must-have to cure sore throat. Not only can you add it to your everyday teas to get the perfect taste but also helps in soothing of throat.
How to get relief from using honey for sore throat?
Honey has been used as a natural sweetener for centuries and this is a preferred choice because it has a Glycemic Index of zero compared to other natural or artificial sweeteners having a much higher number. Not only does it make your tea or drinks taste sweeter but also adds a rich natural flavour to it.
Furthermore, its natural healing properties make honey the best option to be consumed in sore throat. All you have to do is dilute a desired amount of honey in your tea or lukewarm water.
This has to be repeated twice, once before breakfast and once before bed. In total, you need to consume this mixture twice daily. Drinking this mixture not only helps you heal but also helps soothe your throat.
Who should not be using honey?
According to the CDC report, honey is recommended for a sore throat. However, there are a few exemptions. One of the exemptions is infants. Children under the age of 1 are not recommended to use honey for consumption.
This is because honey contains a bacteria that causes an illness called infant botulism. The stomachs of infants remain upset during the illness causing pain, hence the disapproval. Moreover, people who are diagnosed with or at risk of diabetes are not recommended to use this remedy for longer periods of time.
Although the Glycemic Index for honey is zero, on constant use, it may also lead to an increased blood glucose level. Furthermore, people who have a problem of hyper blood pressure are also advised to use this remedy with care. Honey has the property of increasing blood pressure if consumed too much. It may also lead to severe conditions that would not be recommended.
In addition to this, let us not remind you of allergies. If you are allergic to honey, it must not be consumed even if you have a sore throat or even if it is just a teaspoon of honey. You can use other remedies for sore throats.
Type of honey recommended for curing sore throat
We all know by now that honey has different types and the categories are based on their properties. It is advised to use raw unfiltered honey for sore throat. This type of honey is natural and not processed yet.
It has all the nutrients and enzymes that are needed for healing purposes. Raw honey is not heated and as per a report by the National Centre for Biotechnology, if honey is exposed to heat that is more than 40 degrees Celcius, the enzymes in honey change its shape and it may also have adverse effects.
Apart from Raw honey, Manuka honey is also preferred. This type of honey has antibacterial properties that help flush out toxins and revive the body. However, in a recent report by UMPC HealthBeat, Buckwheat is the new top-of-the-line category of honey that should be consumed for sore throats.
The reason behind this is that although it has the same level of antibiotics as Manuka honey, Buckwheat honey has a higher dose of cellular antioxidants, making it the best fit for a sore throat.
Science behing honey for sore throat
As per a popular newspaper, the WHO has been supporting the use of honey for sore throat since 2001. Honey is said to have some antimicrobial properties that make it a germ magnet by the Cleveland Clinic Health Essentials.
Moreover, in a report by the Centre for Food Safety in Hong Kong, it is said that honey is best consumed in its raw form for the relief of sore throat. It may even cause some burning sensations in your throat because of its natural constituents.
However, if it tastes bitter, it must be discarded immediately and not consumed as the honey has gone bad or the enzymes have changed shape, making it poisonous to consume.
Honey products for sore throat:
Now that we know the benefits of honey in treating sore throats, let us also look at some of the recommended products that contain honey and are made for sore throats.
The most famous ones are Lozenges; they come in all flavourings but the best amongst them is the one that has lemon and honey. Here is a link to the website to buy them or to study them more.
Furthermore, Amazon has some sore throat pops that are made specifically for children above 3 years of age but adults can use them too. They claim to have used natural manuka Honey for the production of these pops.
You may also find some Gummies that contain honey and are used for the relief of sore throat. However, let me also add that these are all manufactured products that may contain some preservatives.
Making a ginger tea at home with a spoonful of honey and enjoying a warm cup of tea is the best feeling one could get in a sore throat. Remember, natural things made at home are a hundred times better than store-bought things for the same purpose.
I hope you found the article informative. Since winter is almost here, I hope treating a sore throat won’t be that big of a deal now that you know what exactly you are supposed to do. Stay tuned and let me know what you think of this in the comments section below.
