Manuka Honey for Cough: How to Take It and Whether It Helps

The short answer

Honey is a traditional remedy for a cough, and the NHS and NICE both suggest it as something you can try at home for adults and children over 1. In studies, honey eased cough symptoms more than no treatment or a placebo, although the NHS and NICE say the evidence is limited. People take Manuka honey for a cough straight from the spoon, in warm water with lemon, in tea, or before bed. An Everyday grade (under MGO 400) is fine for this. Never give honey to babies under 12 months, and see a GP if your cough lasts more than 3 weeks.

A cough that keeps you up at night is no fun, and a warm honey and lemon drink is one of the first things many of us reach for. Here's what the NHS, NICE and the research say about honey for a cough, how people use Manuka honey when they have one, what to know before giving it to kids, which grade to choose and when it's time to see a doctor. At Manuka Hut, every jar we sell is New Zealand Manuka honey from Egmont Honey, Manuka Health and Comvita.

Honey has been used for coughs for a very long time, and it's one of the few home remedies that health bodies mention by name.

• NHS: the NHS lists a hot lemon and honey drink as something you can try for a cough, noting that it's not suitable for babies under 1. It also says there's limited evidence that hot lemon and honey helps ease a cough.
• NICE: the NICE guideline on acute cough (2019) lists honey as a self-care option for people aged over 1, while noting limited evidence of benefit.
• Cochrane: a Cochrane review of honey for acute cough in children (2018) found that honey probably relieves cough symptoms better than no treatment or a placebo.
• BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine: a 2021 review of upper respiratory tract infections found honey improved cough frequency and severity compared with usual care, and called for more high quality trials.

So studies suggest honey can ease a cough that comes with a cold, but it isn't a cure and it doesn't replace medical advice.

Is Manuka honey better than regular honey for a cough?

The studies behind this advice used a range of honeys, not Manuka specifically, so we can't say Manuka honey works better for a cough than other honey. What makes Manuka honey different is methylglyoxal (MGO). MGO is the main driver of its antibacterial activity, and every graded jar is lab tested and labelled with its MGO or UMF™ grade. For the full background, see what is Manuka honey. Manuka honey only comes from New Zealand.

There's no special method. These are the ways people use it most.

Straight from the spoon

The simplest way is a spoonful on its own. Many people let it sit in the mouth for a moment before swallowing. We like to serve ours with a wooden honey spoon, and our article on whether a metal spoon affects honey explains why.

In warm water with lemon

This is the drink the NHS describes: squeeze half a lemon into a mug of boiled water and add 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey. We suggest letting the boiled water cool slightly before you stir in Manuka honey, as our teaspoon a day guide suggests avoiding boiling water because too much heat may reduce some of the honey's properties. Drink it while it's still warm. A slice of fresh ginger adds extra warmth.

In tea

Stir a spoonful into herbal tea, green tea or black tea once it has cooled a little. Ginger, lemon and chamomile teas are popular choices. Our guide on how to use Manuka honey has more ideas for warm drinks.

Dry or chesty cough

People take it the same way whether the cough is dry and tickly or chesty with phlegm. The NHS also suggests resting and drinking plenty of fluids. If you're coughing up blood or your cough is getting worse, see our section on when to see a doctor below.

How much?

There's no set amount of Manuka honey for a cough, and there's no MGO "dose" for one. The NHS drink uses 1 to 2 teaspoons of honey in a mug. Remember that honey is mostly sugar, so it all counts towards your day. If you'd like a daily habit, see a teaspoon of Manuka honey a day.

A cough often feels worse at night, which is why a spoonful of honey before bed is such a popular habit. In two children's studies, children had a single dose of honey 30 minutes before bed, and parents rated their night-time cough better than with no treatment or a placebo. The Cochrane review found honey probably eases cough, and its effect on children's sleep, better than no treatment.

• Take a spoonful on its own, or in a small warm drink, before bed.
• Brush your teeth afterwards, as honey is sweet and sticky.
• Keep a glass of water by the bed.

If you'd rather have something you can keep in your bag or on your desk, we also stock a few throat products made with New Zealand Manuka honey:

• Egmont Honey Manuka Honey & Propolis Throat Drops: made with UMF 15+ Manuka honey, propolis and vitamin C.
• Egmont Honey Manuka Honey Throat Pops: lollipops made with UMF 15+ Manuka honey and vitamin C.
• Manuka Health Manuka Honey & Propolis Throat Spray: MGO 400+ Manuka honey with New Zealand propolis and a plant extract.
• Manuka Health Lemon Drops: MGO 400+ Manuka honey with a fresh lemon flavour.

Manuka Health also makes Ginger & Lemon Drops and Propolis Drops. They're a handy way to have Manuka honey with you, but they're not a medicine. Hard drops and lollipops aren't suitable for young children: the NHS lists hard sweets, including cough sweets, as a choking hazard. Propolis is a bee product, so skip these if you're allergic to bee products.

Honey is a common choice for children's coughs, and NICE and the NHS both include it for children over 1. The Cochrane review above looked specifically at children.

• Never give honey to babies under 12 months. Honey of any kind, including Manuka, can contain bacteria that cause infant botulism, a rare but serious illness.
• From age 1: a small spoonful on its own, or stirred into a warm drink, is the usual way. The NHS says not to give hot drinks to small children, so make sure it's only warm.
• Keep an eye on them. Sit with young children while they have honey, and brush their teeth afterwards, especially at bedtime.

If your child is under 1 and has a cough, or you're worried about a child of any age, speak to a pharmacist or GP. For more on ages, amounts and grades, see our guide to Manuka honey for kids.

For a cough, an Everyday grade is fine. The research on honey and coughs wasn't done with high MGO Manuka honey, so there's no evidence you need a higher grade for this. We group our jars into three tiers by MGO:

• Everyday (under MGO 400): a good fit for a spoonful, honey and lemon or tea.
• Premium (MGO 400 to 799): for those who want more MGO per spoon.
• Superior (MGO 800 and up): our strongest grades, for those who want the most MGO per spoon.

Higher grades are rarer, cost more and taste more intense. Our Manuka honey price guide explains why, and our MGO and UMF converter shows how the two scales line up.

Good Everyday jars to keep in the cupboard

Try Manuka Health MGO 263+ (UMF 10+), Egmont Honey MGO 265+ (UMF 10+), Comvita MGO 263+ (UMF 10+) or Egmont Honey MGO 85+ (UMF 5+).

The NHS says a cough will usually clear up on its own within 3 to 4 weeks. Honey is something you can try at home, but it's not a replacement for medical advice. Based on NHS advice:

See a GP if:

• you've had a cough for more than 3 weeks
• you're losing weight for no reason
• you have a weakened immune system, for example because of chemotherapy or diabetes
• you have a high temperature

Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from your local health line if:

• your cough is very bad or quickly gets worse, for example you have a hacking cough or cannot stop coughing
• you feel very unwell
• you have chest pain
• the side of your neck feels swollen and painful
• you find it hard to breathe
• you're coughing up blood

A few things to keep in mind

• If you're allergic to honey, bees or bee products, avoid Manuka honey.
• Honey is mostly sugar. If you have diabetes, keep this in mind and check with your doctor if you're unsure.
• Honey is sticky and sweet, so brush your teeth or rinse with water afterwards.
• If you take medicine or have a health condition, ask your pharmacist or doctor before using honey alongside it.