Skeptics Stack Exchange
Skeptics Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [honey]

for questions about claims based on honey, its properties, and its benefits.

16 questions
45
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2 answers

Does honey ever go bad?

I have read that honey never spoils. Is this claim true? If so, what is it about honey that can cause it to remain edible for thousands of years?
jrdioko
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32
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1 answer

Can locally produced honey help to build an immunity to hayfever?

I suffer quite badly in the summer months with hayfever and I've been told by numerous people that eating a spoonful of locally produced honey a day in the months leading up to summer will help me become immune to the local pollen that causes my…
Hayley Stevens
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24
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4 answers

Does honey cure or alleviate the symptoms of a common cold?

A friend of mine insists that downing honey by the heaping tablespoon at the first sign of a cold will alleviate the symptoms, shorten the duration of the cold, or prevent it entirely - any and all of the above. I have found a few sites online (that…
hairboat
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Does honey with warm water and lemon reduce tummy fat?

There is a common belief that one can reduce tummy fat by drinking honey and lemon juice mixed in warm water the first thing in the morning. This questionable website, for example, makes this claim without citing research: Fasting on honey and…
Dheeraj Vepakomma
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18
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1 answer

Have edible jars of honey been found in thousand-year-old Egyptian tombs?

A recent xkcd contains the claim that honey has a shelf life that's so long that edible jars of honey have been found in Egyptian tombs several thousand years old. Image taken from http://www.xkcd.com/1717/, licensed under a CC BY-NC 2.5…
E. P.
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16
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1 answer

Is honey toxic when heated up in tea?

Last night, we ran out of sugar so I suggested to add honey in tea but my cousin said it would have very harmful effect on health and then he showed me these link1, link2 claiming: While warm water is fine, according to Maharishi Ayurveda, above 42…
GorvGoyl
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12
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2 answers

Can honey help heal wounds?

Many sources claim that honey help healing wounds. Consider for example DermNet New Zealand consultant360 webmd TF1 telejournal (in french) From DermNet New Zealand, it seems that honey is most often used to heal Leg ulcers Pressure…
Remi.b
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10
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1 answer

Does Honey Promote Tooth Decay or Prevent It?

Both honey and sugar are comprised of a combination of glucose and fructose. In sugar glucose and fructose are bound together to form sucrose while in honey glucose and fructose exist independently of each other. Among the foods which cause tooth…
Alex K
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1 answer

Does honey and cinnamon cure any diseases?

While I know the answer is no, I was baffled to see this posted on a friends Facebook page and figured this would be the best place to find the facts, that and I suck at research. I feel fallacies like this need to be fought with facts. The claim…
Nick S
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8
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1 answer

Was the combination of yoghurt and honey called "the food of the gods" in ancient Indian records?

From Wikipedia's article on yogurt: In ancient Indian records, the combination of yogurt and honey is called "the food of the gods". All that the provided reference states is: Whatever the real origin, yogurt is mentioned in records of ancient…
serendip.in
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7
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Does honey, applied topically, cause your hair to go white?

I used to hear this from my friends: If you apply honey to your hair, your hair will turn white. Is it true?
Sabapathy
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6
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Do ants feed on pure honey?

Honey vendors say that to identify pure honey drop a spoonful of honey. If the ants don't feed it is pure. For example: Leave a little of testing honey near some ants, if the ants hover around it then the honey is adulterated.Bees naturally build…
Hari Nandha
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Does taking honey and apple cider vinegar lower blood pressure in humans?

Livestrong claim: You can now lower your blood pressure by consuming apple cider vinegar. Other herbs, foods and dietary changes can assist in increasing the effectiveness of the vinegar. You can take a shot of it diluted in water or use it as a…
grieve
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Does honey contain traces of alcohol?

This question is similar to the case of bread, but I am more skeptical with honey because of its properties somewhat resemble to an alcohol (being acidic and tangy on tongue). Relative source I found this paper on ScienceDirect describes the…
user29319
3
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0 answers

Was honey used preserve psychoactive mushrooms in the ancient past?

I have read personal reports of adding mushrooms to honey to effect preservation. To save the magic, all one needs to do is immerse those morsels in raw honey and stash them in a cool, shady place, and let osmosis do its thing. The honey will first…
New Alexandria
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