Mayo Clinic Minute: Can honey help with coughs?

Coughs due to respiratory infections such as colds are common this time of year. An effective treatment for a disruptive cough might be sitting in your kitchen pantry.

 Dr. Angela Mattke, a pediatrician with Mayo Clinic Children’s Center, says honey can help soothe coughs for adults and children. But, she says, never give honey to a child under 1.

A spoonful of sugar might help the medicine go down, but the medicine is honey, in this case.

Dr. Angela Mattke says adding honey to warm water or tea, or just a spoonful of honey itself can help with coughs.

Honey helps by soothing the throat and coating cough receptors. Here are her recommendations for children over age 1.

She recommends using a teaspoon every two hours. And this dosage applies equally to adults.
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