The comments below reflect the personal experiences and opinions of readers and do not represent medical advice or the views of this website. The information shared has not been evaluated by the FDA and is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any disease or health condition. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Honey Comparisons
Posted by KT (Usa) on 04/27/2017
Re: Clover versus Wildflower Honey
Which is better and why?
Honey Comparisons
Posted by Hisjewel (America, New York) on 04/29/2017
Mama to Many
I really enjoy your sharing of your wisdom and knowledge.
I was wrapped up in the honey info,
Then your post caught me by surprise, and I'm laughing out loud because intended or not
its so true.
HisJewel
Manuka Honey
Posted by Mrs A (London Uk) on 08/22/2016
About manuka honey - apparently more so-called manuka honey is sold in the UK each year than is produced annually in the whole of New Zealand. I can't now find the reference, but I also read that you can tell the real thing by a little label on the jar saying UMF - i.e. Unique Manuka Factor.
Manuka Honey
Posted by Kate (England) on 01/02/2017
This piece from the Guardian (UK) underlines just how competitive the market for Manuka honey has become - to the point of theft and sabotage:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/04/manuka-honey-wars-new-zealand-crime-booming-industry-poisoning-beatings
I quite like manuka honey as a treat but for me it's not crucial, so I took the decision to stop buying it. I find it difficult to believe that this one kind of honey in the whole world has exceptional qualities, and I'm now on a bit of a quest to see what else is out there. There are some lovely small businesses, selling stuff from the top of Greek mountains, from oak forests (very dark and comparatively less sugary tasting) not to mention Tasmania. With so much pressure on the manuka market, it would be great if Earth Clinic readers came up with other options.
Honey and Hydrogen Peroxide
Posted by Thewind777 (Mesa, AZ) on 02/22/2015
Just as one added comment about Hydrogen Peroxide.
It is great at killing anaerobic bacteria (bacteria which needs to have no oxygen). However, it tends to increase inflammation. It is a bit too rugged. So, don't use it every day. It should just be a thing which is used if you think anaerobic bacteria might be the problem (as a quick mouth swish when things were caught deep in your teeth for days and you now have a slight toothache - didn't floss right or didn't water pic on time).
The right way of using hydrogen peroxide is with the use of honey. Honey has hydrogen peroxide at about 1000th the dose of 3% hydrogen peroxide.
I have stopped using ointments when I get a cut. I just use one drop of honey. When it's REALLY BAD, I use my really expensive jar of "Kiwi Kosher Pareve Manuka Honey - Bio Active 5+"
It reduces inflammation. Unfortunately, over time, old remedies for treating wounds proved not very good. Sometimes the old method is the good method, but sometimes it is the bad method:
Mercurochrome had mercury in it and was banned. Codeine used in everything until people found that it was highly addictive.
Turpentine used to be used in many things until people started getting chemical pneumonia from gasping it into their lungs.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14621050
Gentian violet was oftentimes used... which creates big open sores in many people. I tried it one time, and that exact thing happened. Also turns you purple. The purple bear:
If one thing we are dealing with on this site is what is termed 'Mucocutaneous Candidiasis'... which is what really is the underlying cause of 'diaper dermatitis'... Here it shows that gentian violet can, "lead to irritation and ulceration".
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2819966/
And, a final mention about honey. Honey is a wonder. It is the only food which you can leave open on the table FOREVER without anything growing in it. Get any hints from that? No other food, including garlic, you can do that with. Garlic, even though they say it is antifungal, will grow fungus on it quite easily. Not so with honey.
In brief: "Honey has an antimicrobial activity that is effective against all types of bacteria and some fungi. It is fully effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria (the so-called "superbugs") It is effective against bacteria in biofilms and prevents formation of biofilms. The antimicrobial activity is partly due to the high sugar content and the acidity of honey, but mostly to hydrogen peroxide formed by enzymic activity when honey is diluted.
Some honeys also have antibacterial activity due to non-peroxide components. Manuka honey can have a high level of this. Some honeys have as much as 100 times more antibacterial potency than others. There is much clinical evidence for honey clearing infection in wounds. Honey is effective only when in localised contact with bacteria, not after infection has penetrated into the blood-stream. The antimicrobial action of honey is also used for treating eye infections and has potential for treating nasal infections, gum disease, gastroenteritis, fungal infections of the skin, and mastitis in dairy cows and goats".
Honey Side Effects
Posted by Ellen (London, Uk) on 03/07/2013
Hi Ted, I am very curious as to why honey is so damaging to the health of some folks. Please explain or point me in the right direction. Thank you very much.
Sty
Posted by Mrsmarc (Shelton, Ct, USA) on 02/02/2013
★★★★★
I get Sty's a couple of times a year. It's so annoying. I use [manuka honey] to get rid of them QUICK. It's good for soooo many things. I would never be without it. I'm sure any brand of 16 would do. As soon I feel a sty coming on (you know that pain you get when you blink), with a CLEAN finger or Q-tip, I just rub a bit into my lashes right where the pain is. I do this two to three times a day. The sty never comes full force and is gone completely within 3 days. Do your best to not get the honey into your eye because it really stings and your eye will water like crazy. Do yourself a favor and try this. If you catch the sty first thing, you will be so happy in a few days when you are sty-free!
General Feedback
Posted by Liza (Newry, United Kingdom) on 12/17/2011
Hello Everybody! I am just enquiring if anyone has taken Life Mel Honey for any health issue. I know it is very good for patients recovering from Chemotherapy. My issue is M. E. And I am wondering if it will help me?
Eyes
Posted by Francisca (Michelbach-le-bas, Alsace, France) on 04/13/2011
General Feedback
Posted by Alfred (Bangkok, Thailand) on 09/03/2010
Most honey on the market is 20% - 80% water.. Government says okay to label bottle 100% honey. Found one that must be 95% honey.. Taste is delicious.. Wow simply the best
Where to Buy: Mumbai
Posted by Alex (Mumbai, India) on 03/28/2010
We need a "Where to buy raw unheated honey" page. I have read many times that raw honey is not the same as unheated honey. Raw means unpasteurized and without additive but they still heat up the honey to allow better filtering of it so that they can put a label saying pure honey on the bottle. This procedure reduces the healing properties of the honey by destroying enzymes and making the honey more dangerous for blood sugar level swings. Unheated specifies it hasn't been tempered with at all. I know raw unheated honey is quite easily available in the USA but I have been all over Mumbai and can't seem to find any. Honey in general is badly labeled in India. Lots honey is labeled pure but all of them give me blood sugar level swings. Only Hymalaya honey does not. I have contacted this company and they have confirmed that they do not pasteurize their honey but they do eat it up to 50 Celsius in order to filter it. If anyone can tell me of a brand, a shop or a farmer in the area selling raw unheated honey please do tell me. I'm also looking for raw unpasteurized dairy by the way. Thanks
Where to Buy: Mumbai
Posted by Manish (Mumbai, Maharashtra) on 09/12/2011
Did you fine any Brand or Shop for Raw UnHeated Honey ?
General Feedback
Posted by AC (West Midlands, England) on 02/18/2009
Dear EC, will you consider doing a manuka honey page? There are several mentions of this helping ulcers and fungus problems. I'd also like to know what your other contributors (Joyce and Ted) think of it.
General Feedback
Posted by Joyce (Joelton, Tn) on 02/18/2009 490 posts
Hello to AC from West Midlands,
I can't comment on Manuka honey because I have never used it, but I see lots of good comments on it on EC and elsewhere.
I will comment on local honey however, because I have used it a lot and still do. Our regular honey also has antihistaminic and antibiotic properties. To get the best results of the antihistamine effect, be sure to purchase honey produced within a 50 mile radius of where you live. The reason for this being, local honey will contain minute amounts of pollen from every plant growing in your locality.
By making sure that it is within a 50 mile radius, the honey is doing the same thing the specialists injections for allergy do: exposing you to minute amounts of the offending pollens to help your system build up a tolerance to them.
Our local honey mixed 50/50 with ACV is one of the best cough syrups I have found. The ACV is known to kill streptococcus and psuedomonas, and probably very effective against others that I don't know about.
I have never used honey in a bedsore or other lesion, but have read of others using it locally with good results. I think that local plants will also contain those healing properties because there are usually healing plants in all countries.
I have also been told by individuals that a teaspoon of honey at bedtime will cure a child's bedwetting, but my kids had already outgrown it by the time I heard this so did not have an occasion to check it out.
My suggestion would be to try your local honey for wound healing first and then try the Manuka honey on the next one and see if you think one works better than the other, stick with the one that works best or heals the fastest.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Joyjoy (Queens, Ny) on 05/12/2010
I would like to see the pictures of your sister's foot. Thank You.
General Feedback
Posted by Ruth (Buckeye, Arizona, U.S.A.) on 11/20/2008
For a good price on raw honey, look in your local yellow pages for beekeepers. Our local beekeeper sells a gallon of raw honey for $20.00 (U.S. dollars). If your area has no listings for beekeepers, be sure to also check under "honey" and "pest removal." Its a good idea to confirm the honey you are buying is raw, as it won't necessarily say it is raw on the label.
General Feedback
Posted by Irin Ramos (South Jordan, Utah, USA) on 10/26/2008
Hi! I am here from Salt Lake city and I would like to buy RAW Honey but doesn't know where to buy it in Salt lake Utah. Please help me!
EC: Try your local health food store or a farmer's market.
Broad Benefits
Posted by Kelly (WA) on 03/14/2023
Manuka honey however has been shown to DELAY the healing of wounds compared to other agents. There are studies that back this up, but of course they're not mentioned by those who make millions on selling the honey.
Eyes
Posted by Judy (Kansas City, Mo, Usa) on 07/25/2010
I am wanting to try the raw honey in my eyes but all of the raw honey that I look at is unfiltered, and I don't think the small pieces of wax would feel good in eyes. I would like to see if it will help my cataracts before I have surgery.
General Feedback
Posted by Maggie (Toronto, Canada) on 04/02/2008
I am thrilled to read about remedies on this website, especially the article about honey and cinnamon - HOWEVER BE CAREFUL - HONEY SHOULD ALWAYS BE RAW TO BE BENEFICIAL! Heating, boiling, cooking or baking honey creates toxic bi-product and is not safe.
General Feedback
Posted by Mirna (Quebradillas, Puerto Rico, United States) on 10/21/2009
Hello Maggie from Toronto, Canada. I have a question about your comment on WARNING Honey should be RAW to be Beneficial. Does Raw Honey have an expiration date?? Being on the island Honey in the RAW form is not readily available. But am able to find it, in all places, Marshall's, But the jars do not have expiration dates. I'm interested in using honey for home; body and soul:)
Thank you for your feed-back.
Mirna from Puerto Rico!
General Feedback
Posted by Lisa (Thousand Oaks, Ca, USA) on 12/01/2009
I would suggest not putting the honey in boiling water as you can destroy the precious enzymes (hopefully you have raw honey) and nutrients. Just gently warm it.
General Feedback
Posted by Cured (Niceville, Fl) on 12/02/2009
***If you could remove my post from yesterday please, I was a bit off but have found today the correct information.***
Honey is the only food on the planet that will not spoil or rot. It will do what some call turning to sugar. In reality honey is always honey. However, when left in a cool dark place for a long time it will do what I rather call "crystallizing". When this happens I loosen the lid, boil some water, and sit the honey container in the hot water, turn off the heat and let it liquefy. It is then as good as it ever was. Never boil honey or put it in a microwave. To do so will kill the enzymes in the honey.
General Feedback
Posted by Mawgee (Shelton, Wa) on 05/30/2012
Hi, you say heating honey produces toxins, and depletes good stuff from honey. I like honey in my tea, is this having a bad effect on the honey? thanks, this is a great site!!
Immunity
Posted by Laurie (Sudbury, Ontario) on 02/04/2009
hi, how are you, just wondering exactly what one means by 'honeycomb" is it the ceral? Also how much honey and for long does one take for the flu like symptons which I have now and went out to buy some raw honey. Does it work on bad headaches also related to flu. As of now its not working. Thank you
Honey Side Effects
Posted by Joella (NYC) on 03/11/2008
I have been having a strange response to honey as of late. I used to take about 1 TBSP of Trader Joes' Mesquite or Clover honey in tea about 3-4 times a day. However, a month ago, after 10-20 minutes of drinking or eating something with honey, I would get a popping sensation in my heart area, then a racing heart, then light headedness. After that passes, I feel a bit funky for the rest of the day. I stopped the honey for the last month, then today I had some Sweet and Spicy Mustard (also from Trader Joe's) and had the same reaction about 10 minutes after finishing eating. Didn't realize it had honey in it. It does. This is a weird question, but do you think the fungal infection killing off the honey bees had anything to do with this? I have eaten honey for years with no problem. Now it's a no-no. Regular sugar (well, organic brown sugar) is fine for me, no reaction. Any comments would be great, thanks. P.S. I haven't tested other brands of honey to see if the same thing happens
Honey Side Effects
Posted by London (Sandusky , Ohio) on 10/08/2008
That is so weird. You know, Trader Joe's is a corporation. The ingredients in their products may not be as pure as they say it is. You might want to give Raw honey from VITACOST.com a shot. You know, don't go to Trader Joes anymore. I would say you are allergic to bees or something, but you never had that reaction before. That's weird. Get checked out by a doctor.
Honey Side Effects
Posted by Nathan (St. George, UT) on 02/20/2009
During the course of a persons life, allergies may come and go. I work in a hospital and saw a 50 year old doctor come in to the ER because he became allergic to shell fish that day. It was odd because he had eaten shell fish his entire life but that day was the day a new allergy manifested its self. Your symptoms don't sound like a typical allergic reaction. If your heart is misbehaving, I would look at eliminating caffeine before honey. Caffeine is a stimulant and has effects on the heart in lots of people.
Honey Side Effects
Posted by Lymerhyme (Boston, Ma) on 11/11/2011
Honey has many antifungal and antimicrobial properties, it may be that you are experiencing a herx reaction. That means the honey is killing off these bad organisms, and the dead toxins permeate your body and make these bad or worse symptoms. This happens with antibiotics too when one fights an infection, one gets worse (as the bacteria are killed) before one gets better. For more info, look up "herx reaction."
Honey Side Effects
Posted by Lorayne (Sun City, Az) on 01/22/2012
I don't believe the honeys you mention are raw. Only raw honey has benefits. Also, I recently read that GMOs (genetically modified organisms--go to mercola's site to read about the dangers GMOs pose to the environment and animal and human health) can show up in honey. Since I read that, I will only buy raw organic honey. I use it for cuts externally and eat a couple of Tbs a day for infections. It tastes good.
Immunity
Posted by Adriana (Eatontown, NJ) on 10/29/2008
How much water do you add to her sippy cup and how much honey also?
Broad Benefits
Posted by Heather (Alta Loma, CA) on 03/04/2008
★★★★★
It is that time of the year again for people my age: midterms! The stress caused from midterms causes me to eat more, and sleep less. Luckily I was browsing along and came across the healing properties of honey and as a science major, felt obligated to try it out. I first used honey in my tea to wweeten and help soothe my nerves. Once calmed, I also used honey to help me sleep and before going to bed applied honey to my skin thay had recently broken out to resemble the greasy pizza I had been eating for the past week. When I woke up the blemishes were significantly reduced, my skin was softer and firmer, and I had a great night sleep thanks to the honey soothing my nerves. I feel great and I am ready to takle all of my exams with a well rested mind and a clear face! *PS someone in here suggested alcohol to kill bacteria but I found that a bit too harsh. I dab a bit of tea tree oil (which acts as a natural antiseptic) on my blemishes before applying honey.
Wounds
Posted by Trish (Iowa) on 06/07/2023
There are a lot of valuable benefits in using honey and so many other natural ingredients. I'm glad to see so many people going for any and all health alternatives. And, I love reading about how people are getting relief. So awesome!
General Feedback
Posted by Veronica (Tucson, Arizona) on 12/12/2007
★★★★★
Tip: Make sure to use raw unfiltered honey. This honey has not been heated and the bees' enzymes and healing properties are untouched. Unfortunately, when you buy honey at the supermarket, it is likely that it has been filtered and heated to make it more attractive to the consumers, but many of the nutrients have been removed (B1, B2, C, B6, B5, B3, magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron, phosphate, propolis, wax, pollen). In addition, using Manuka honey instead of regular honey will give you better results when dealing with internal/external infections, skin problems and even wrinkles. Manuka honey comes from the nectar of tea trees.
General Feedback
Posted by Zo (Gaithersburg, Md) on 11/11/2011
Hello! Where can I find Manuka honey? I love this site!
