Find our top three cough/cold/sore throat easing honeys below - and our tip for the best way to use them to calm that misery-causing infection.
Horrible isn't it when your children have a cough or cold that they can't shake off?
Right now the cough and cold season is happening across the country and we're getting lots of calls and messages asking, 'What's the best honey for my sore throat/cough/cold?'
There's no miracle cure because colds and most coughs are caused by viruses but raw honey can help ease the misery. The important thing is to take action as soon as you get a hint that something is wrong.
So how does honey help?
Honey is a demulcent, that is a substance that forms a thick sticky film over the inflamed mucous membranes - hopefully setting you on the road to recovery. 
The thicker and stickier the better. (This is important, the thicker honeys are better for coughs.) This protective film helps to reduce the irritation and calms a cough and/or sore throat.
Pre-emptive use of honey in the early stages can help to relieve the inflammation meaning a child (or adult) stands a better chance of recovering quickly.
Dark honeys are best, because their antibacterial qualities are generally higher than lighter honeys - and they help to discourage secondary bacterial infections in a weakened throat area and chest area.
But which honey is best? We've got three recommendations for you.
(By the way, if the honey has crystallised then gently warm it on a radiator overnight. I put a thin book or pamphlet on the radiator and then drape a towel over the jar, trapping the warmth around the jar.)
(Please note that Government advice is that honey should not be given to children under the age of one. You should always seek your doctor's advice if you find your illness is not shifting.)
1. Debbie's 20+ (MGO 829) Manuka - with a saving of £33.24. Manuka is very expensive but it has certain qualities that other honeys don't have. The antibacterial affect of Manuka comes from a substance called Methylglyoxal (MGO). The thing is with Manuka is that the effectiveness of the antibacterial element isn't affected by heat. In other honeys the main antibacterial action comes from a solution of hydrogen peroxide released by an enzyme the bees add to the honey. This decreases with heat and light. So you can take your Manuka in a hot drink whereas that isn't going to be so effective with other honeys. We have a 20+ Manuka, which is one of the strongest grades, which normally sell for £200 plus for a kilo. It comes from an artisan beekeeper called Debbie and you can this top grade Manuka here with a saving of £33.24 per 250g jar if you click via this link
2. Menelaos' Greek Oak Honey - Active 21.5+. This honey was tested in teh laboratories of Minerva Scientific as 25+. This is the most potent honey we have ever sold. This raw Oak honey comes from a wilderness uninhabited region in the northeast of Greece, close to Bulgaria and Turkey. Strongly antibacterial, coarse-filtered, unpasteurised, and enzyme-rich.This is a potent high-quality Oak honey, that is very thick and delicious and perfect for coating your throat with and easing sore throats and coughs. You can find it here.
3. Active 10+ MGO 263 Raw Artisan New Zealand Manuka Honey 250g - a cheaper option than the 20+ and with a saving of 25% This raw Manuka honey is produced by the bees of Debbie, an artisan beekeeper, who lives in a paradise for producing premium Manuka honey. Her hives are in an area surrounded by Native Forest in the Mount Bruce Conservation Reserve. Here wild Manuka grows up the mountainside. And the Ruamahunga river provides fresh mountain water for the bees to drink. Unlike other Manuka's this is single source and traceable to source, so you know the whole story behind it. You can find this 10+ Manuka here.
Finally, what's the best way to use honey when you have a cough/cold/sore throat?
Basically, you want to coat the throat in the most effective way. Most people have a honey drink but the best way is to take a teaspoon of honey and let it gradually slip down and coat your throat - Menelaos' Oak would be ideal for this. Tip your head back a little and move it around so that the honey the whole throat, not just one side. Try not to eat or drink anything immediately after so that the honey has a chance to do its work.
You can supplement this with honey drinks, like the one here that you can store in your fridge.
Finally, If you want any other honeys then our catalogue is here.
Owner - The Raw Honey Shop 
2 comments
PETER BEBB
“Boiled water left to cool a little, Add 1tps of Raw Eucalyptus Honey & a slice of lemon every 4hrs. works a treat”
Peter
As a regular consumer of your raw honey I have discovered an effective natural remedy for coughs and it is simply mash a quarter banana with a teaspoon of honey of your choice and sip it several times allowing it to slowly run down your throat. I find this very effective. Good luck.