Honey Better at Soothing Kids Coughs, Study Says

Honey is a popular home remedy for cough and colds in many cultures. A study in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine provides the first evidence showing that honey may help to calm children's coughs and help them sleep better. Researchers gave 105 children with colds with honey, honey-flavored cough medicine or no treatment. All of the children got better, but honey consistently scored best in parents' rating of their children's cough symptoms.

Why honey? The researchers say that honey may work by coating and soothing an irritated throat and it’s believed to have antioxidant and antibacterial effects. Dark-colored honey, such as the buckwheat honey used in the study, is particularly high in antioxidants. Honey isn't recommended for infants younger than one year old, because of the risk of botulism.

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