Honey for Throat Pain: Does It Work?

Honey can be a very effective remedy for throat pain thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Different types of honey offer different levels of antimicrobial potency, with Manuka honey coming out on top.

It’s best to opt for UMF™-graded Manuka honey to ensure your product isn’t contaminated, low grade, or diluted. Many of the honeys on grocery store shelves will have diminished health benefits, or may even have lost them altogether thanks to overprocessing.

The best way to get results from your Manuka honey for a sore throat is to eat it raw. You can lick it straight off the spoon, add it to foods, or make your own delicious smoothie.

Throat pain is a common occurrence for many of us and can be caused by any number of things.

Sometimes it's a bacterial or viral infection, perhaps it’s from straining your singing voice, or from changing humidity levels in the air.

Whatever the reason, you don’t always have to take medication. Many people have had amazing results using honey to help relieve symptoms like a sore throat and cough.

In this article, we’ll explore how it works and the best honey to use for easing a painful throat.

In this blog about using honey for throat pain:

• Why does my throat hurt?

• Why honey is good for throat pain

• The best honey for throat pain

• How to use honey for your throat

• When you should see a doctor

• Where to buy your honey for a painful throat

Why Honey is Good for Throat Pain

Using honey for health and wellness dates back to the very first medical journals³.

Thousands of years before we could verify whether it actually worked with scientific studies, honey earned an impressive and enduring reputation for healing.

It had to be doing something.

Today, we know much more about its benefits and we have the science to back them up.

Honey has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties³ which have been found effective in treating many medical conditions, including the specific bacteria that causes throat pain⁴.

“Honey is effective in faster recovery of signs and symptoms of sore throat having antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties without causing any side effects.”

- Role of honey in patients with sore throat¹⁰.

In some cases, honey has proven even better than traditional medications:

“Honey was superior to usual care for the improvement of symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections. It provides a widely available and cheap alternative to antibiotics.”

- Honey for relief from upper respiratory tract infections¹¹.

Honey works by coating the damaged area with a moisture barrier that also keeps out microbes and helps to boost tissue regeneration⁵.

The potency of these effects varies between different types of honey and their botanical origins. In other words, the nectar that was used to create the honey is a big driver of how effective it is.

This means there’s one type of honey that is best for throat pain, which we’ll discuss next.

Does honey get rid of a sore throat quickly?

This all depends on how you use the honey, the problem with your throat, and lifestyle factors such as your diet and whether you smoke. When used properly, honey can certainly help to speed up your recovery. Here’s what a few of our customers have to say:

“I enjoy the rich creamy flavor and with a spoonful a day, I seem to avoid colds even with minor signs that I might have a scratchy throat. It’s gone the next day.”

- Jeffrey M., verified buyer | UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+

“I sincerely believe that the honey has helped boost my kids’ immunity! They don’t fall sick as often and bounce back much faster if they do. Highly recommend!”

- Yanqi L., verified buyer | UMF™ 20+ | MGO 829+