Honey is a thick, sweet fluid produced by bees from plant nectars. It is commonly used as a sweetener in food, but should be avoided in infants.

Some chemicals in honey might kill certain bacteria and fungus. When applied to the skin, honey might serve as a barrier to moisture and keep skin from sticking to wound dressings. It might also provide nutrients and chemicals that speed wound healing. But honey can become contaminated with germs during production. Although rare, some infants have gotten botulism from taking honey by mouth.

People commonly use honey for burns, wound healing, swelling and sores inside the mouth, and cough. It is also used for many other conditions but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these other uses. There is also no good evidence to support using honey for COVID-19.

Don’t confuse honey with bee pollen, bee venom, or royal jelly, which are other types of bee products.