Honey’s Secrets: Health Benefits and Everyday Uses

Honey has outlasted most food trends by several thousand years. Ancient Egyptians buried it in tombs as a symbol of eternal life; the Greeks called it “nectar of the gods.” It’s stuck around this long for a reason — it works, both as food and as a genuinely useful remedy.

What’s actually in it

A tablespoon of honey is mostly sugar — fructose and glucose — with small amounts of calcium, iron, and potassium mixed in. It’s not a superfood by nutrient density, but it brings real functional benefits that plain sugar doesn’t.

The cough remedy that actually holds up

This isn’t folklore: honey has been studied against over-the-counter cough suppressants like dextromethorphan and performed comparably in reducing cough frequency and severity, particularly in children. A spoonful before bed is a reasonable, low-risk option worth trying (skip it for infants under one year, due to botulism risk).

Beyond the kitchen

Honey’s antibacterial properties and moisture-drawing texture make it a reasonable addition to a skincare routine — as a hydrating mask, or mixed into a DIY treatment for minor irritation. It’s not a replacement for actual skincare products, but it’s a solid, low-cost supplement to one.

Cooking with it

Swap sugar for honey at roughly three-quarters the amount, since honey is sweeter, and cut back slightly on other liquids in the recipe since honey adds moisture. It works well drizzled over yogurt, stirred into marinades, or paired with something acidic like lemon to balance its sweetness.

For related reading, see our pieces on honey benefits and ghee.