Best Honey Remedies for Sore Throat | Manawa Honey NZ (2024)

During the peak of cold and flu season, sore throats become a common complaint for many of us. While over-the-counter medicines may abound, it’s honey that stands out as an age-old remedy known to work wonders for this ailment.

We know that a spoonful of honey on its own is an ideal way to soothe a sore throat, but combining honey with other natural ingredients can further enhance its therapeutic benefits. Here are some of our top honey-based remedies for sore throats and coughs…

Ginger has anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties which, when combined with honey, can offer significant relief to a sore throat. Add a few slices of fresh ginger (or 1 tablespoon of grated ginger) to boiling water. Let it steep for 5-10 minutes, and then mix in a spoonful of honey to your taste.

This honey concoction is a deliciously spicy way to deal with a sore throat.

Cinnamon has high antioxidant content with both antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. In Chinese medicine, cinnamon is a traditional remedy for colds, flu, and sore throats.

Add a pinch of cinnamon to a tablespoon of honey and consume this paste once or twice daily. Or make a tea by infusing ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder in boiling water for a minute then adding a tablespoon of honey.

These are delicious spicy ways to soothe and heal a sore throat.

This special combination is especially soothing for a sore throat:

1. Place ½ tsp cinnamon powder and 1/8 tsp baking soda in a saucepan and mix together.
2. Add 1 cup almond milk and mix until combined.
3. Heat the mixture until it just begins to simmer, then remove it from the heat.
4. Stir in 1 tablespoon honey.

Sage is an astringent herb that has been used medicinally for centuries. It can contract the tissues of the throat tissues, thereby relieving swelling and easing a sore throat.

1. Add 2 teaspoons of sage leaves to 1 cup boiling water
2. Allow to steep for 10 to 15 minutes, then strain out the leaves.
3. Add a good spoonful of honey to your taste

Peppermint has anti-inflammatory and other properties that can relieve a sore throat. It also contains plenty of menthol which is well known for its cooling effect.

Steep a sachet of peppermint tea in mug of boiling water, and add honey to your taste. You can also use fresh leaves of peppermint to make this honey tea. A fragrant, refreshing remedy for dealing with a sore throat.

Chamomile flowers have properties that work as a natural pain-killer and encourage relaxation. So chamomile tea, an hour before bed-time will relieve a sore throat and make for a sound sleep.

Just steep a sachet of chamomile tea in boiling water in a mug, and add a good spoonful of honey to your taste.

This Hot Honey Toddy soothes a sore throat and warms the chest, so you can get a good night’s sleep. For adults only this one, of course!

1. 1. Put ¾ cup boiling water in a mug
   2. Add 30 ml of your favourite whiskey, 2-3 teaspoons of lemon juice and the same of honey, to taste.
   3. Garnish with a lemon round and cinnamon stick if you have it.

A traditional remedy for sore throats and nagging coughs, used throughout the ages.

• Go for raw honey: True raw honey has not been heat-treated or filtered, so it retains its natural enzymes and medicinal properties. Avoid honey that is labelled as raw but has clearly been heat-treated to keep it liquid or has been filtered or processed in some way to make it smooth and creamy in consistency. Note that most types of honey, if truly raw, will crystallise. Some raw honeys will crystallise to a relatively smooth texture; others will be grainy and an uneven consistency. These are classic signs that honey is really raw, just as bees naturally make it.
• Avoid giving honey to infants under 12 months old: The gut of an infant under 12 months old does not have the bacteria acquired later in life that can fight off some germs, such as botulism spores. Although the chances that botulism spores will be found in honey are very low, the impact for young infants can be fatal. So it’s our recommendation that this risk never be taken.
• Warm, not hot: When using honey in hot drinks, make sure the drink isn’t boiling as high temperatures can diminish honey’s beneficial properties.
• Stay consistent: For best results, regularly consume honey-based remedies until your symptoms subside.

Manawa Honey NZ has produced a raw forest honey infused with limes, that is perfect for drinks or straight off the spoon to soothe sore throats and suppress coughs. This delicious infusion is packed just like honey in a jar, and when opened lasts in cool storage conditions for up to a year. In this way, it is conveniently available for you and your family to use as a remedy for sore throats when you need it.

In 2022, our won Gold at NZ Artisan Awards and Bronze at the Outstanding Food Producers Awards. So this infusion is not only a remedy for sore throats, it’s award-winning quality. Manawa Honey staff and their families use this infusion regularly to replace tea and coffee, and to ward off or deal with coughs and colds.

Prepare this infusion by dissolving a good spoon of the honey and lime to your taste in hot water. Then drink it warm or leave to cool and chill it for a refreshing health-giving drink.

Brenda Tahi draws on a range of areas in her diverse experience for her writing. She has an MBA in Strategic Management from Henley College (UK) and has had careers in public sector management and governance in New Zealand. Brenda has published research in topics ranging from public sector management policy to Māori history and traditional knowledge. Brenda is a trustee for the Tuawhenua Trust of Ruatāhuna, and, drawing on beekeeping as her hobby, she was part of founding Manawa Honey NZ, of which she is now CEO.