Clover Honey: Evidence and Safety
Clover honey is the mild table honey made from clover nectar. What it is, what the sources say about cough, blood sugar and safety, and why babies under 1 must not have it.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Quick safety points
- Never give honey, including clover honey, to a baby under 12 months. Honey can carry spores that cause infant botulism, a serious illness. MedlinePlus says honey should not be fed to infants under 1 year, and WHO gives the same advice. [6][7]
- Cooking or pasteurizing is not a safe fix. WHO says the spores of this bacterium are heat-resistant and can survive even hours of boiling, and that commercial pasteurization may not kill all spores. WHO says this about foods in general, not about honey in particular. [7]
- Honey can rarely cause a serious allergic reaction. A case report describes anaphylaxis in a 5-year-old who was allergic to weed pollens (ragweed and mugwort) after eating artisanal honey; commercial honey tested negative for him. [18]
- Honey is a sugar. The 2023 review we read calls it a "free sugar" and measured blood sugar and cholesterol markers, not diabetes outcomes. [15]
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, medicine interactions, asthma and contaminants are not described in the sources we read for clover honey. See pregnancy and breastfeeding.
What clover honey is
Honey is, in the words of the FDA guidance, a thick, sweet substance bees make from plant nectar (or plant secretions) and store in honeycombs. [1] Honeybees (Apis mellifera) make it. [4] Clover honey is honey whose chief nectar source is clover. The FDA says a label may say "Clover Honey" if the producer has information that clover is the chief floral source. A label does not have to name the plant. [1] Codex, the international food standard, uses a similar idea: a plant name is allowed when the honey comes wholly or mainly from that plant and has matching properties. [2]The plants are members of the pea family (Fabaceae). White clover is Trifolium repens. [4] A 2022 review describes clover honeys as made from various Trifolium species, mainly the common perennial clovers (red, white and alsike). [5] "Sweet clover" (Melilotus) is a different genus in the same family. [4] The sources we read do not say how much sweet clover nectar goes into jars labeled clover honey.
Clover honey is sold as a liquid or as set (crystallized or creamed) honey. The USDA grade standard separates liquid honey (no visible crystals) from crystallized honey, and says the type of honey is not part of the quality grade. [3] It sorts honey by color from "Water White" to darker classes, and clover honey is not named in the part of the standard we read. [3] The sources we read do not describe the color or taste of clover honey, so we do not give a color here.
Food use and how it differs from medical use
Clover honey is an everyday food. It goes on toast, into tea and into baking. It is not a medicine and it is not the same product as medical-grade honey sold for wound dressings. Trials of honey dressings, honey for cough and honey eaten daily are different questions, and a result from one does not carry over to another. See honey and medical-grade honey for wounds.Traditional use (not proof)
Honey in general has a long history as a home remedy for coughs and sore throats. The NHS still lists hot lemon and honey as something people can try, and also says there is limited evidence that it helps. [9] We did not find a source we read that describes a separate traditional use for clover honey. A long history of use does not show that a food works.What research shows
Almost all human research is on "honey" in general. Very little names clover. The 2022 review of clover honeys says only a limited number of studies exist on them. [5] The table below separates trials of clover honey from trials of other honeys, because the two cannot be swapped.| Question | Who, how many, how long, which honey | What was found | Strength |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honey eaten daily versus table sugar | 37 healthy adults aged 24 to 57, two 4-week periods in a crossover design. The honey was clover honey. [16] | Insulin, total, LDL and HDL cholesterol did not change with either sweetener. Triglycerides rose at 1 week in both, and stayed up only with sugar. People ate less energy and sugar in the honey period. [16] | Preliminary (small, short) |
| Honey and cholesterol and blood sugar markers, pooled | 18 controlled trials, 1,105 people. Many honey types. [15] | Small lowering of fasting glucose, total and LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, and a rise in HDL. Most of it low certainty. The authors report that clover, robinia and raw honey showed the benefits for glucose and total cholesterol in subgroups, and say more studies by flower source are needed. [15] | Preliminary (low certainty; lab markers only) |
| Acute cough in children, pooled | 6 trials, 899 children aged 12 months to 18 years, mostly one night of treatment. Honey types not listed in the abstract. [10] | Honey probably relieved cough more than no treatment, placebo or diphenhydramine, and may be about the same as dextromethorphan. The authors say there was no strong evidence for or against honey. [10] | Promising but limited |
| Acute cough, newer pooling | 6 trials, 576 children, followed 3 days. [14] | No significant difference from drug treatment in the main analysis. A later analysis favoring honey is called hypothesis-generating. [14] | Promising but limited |
| Cough, single trial | 105 children aged 2 to 18, one bedtime dose. The honey was buckwheat honey. [11] | Parents rated honey best, better than no treatment for cough frequency; no clear difference from honey-flavored dextromethorphan. [11] | Preliminary |
| Cough, single trial | 300 children aged 1 to 5, one 10 g bedtime dose of eucalyptus, citrus or labiatae honey versus a date extract. [13] | Parents rated all three honeys higher than the date extract for cough and sleep. Everyone, including the comparison group, improved. [13] | Preliminary |
| Cough, single trial | 139 children aged 24 to 60 months, about 24 hours. The abstract does not name the honey type. [12] | Honey scored better than the comparison groups on parent questionnaires. [12] | Preliminary |
So, the cough trials we read did not use clover honey. Whether clover honey would behave the same way is unknown. We did not find a source we read that tested clover honey for cough.
Lab work: in a test-tube study, clover honey slowed the growth of four types of bacteria less than manuka and kanuka honeys did. [19] Lab results do not show effects in people.
Proper evidence not found in the sources we read for clover honey as a treatment for any illness, or for clover honey having special health effects beyond other honeys.
Forms and why they matter
- Liquid honey: free of visible crystals. [3]
- Crystallized, set or creamed honey: solid or spreadable. The standard says these are the same honey in a different physical type. [3]
- Filtered or strained: the USDA describes filtered honey as having most fine particles and pollen grains removed, and strained honey as having mostly larger particles such as bits of comb removed. Codex says honey filtered so that pollen is significantly removed must be labeled "filtered". [2][3]
- Raw or unfiltered: "raw" has no standard meaning in the sources we read. The 2023 pooled review reports a subgroup result for "raw" honey, but its abstract does not say how raw was defined. [15] Raw or not, honey is not safe for babies. [6][7]
- Honey dressings and honey products for wounds: not the same thing as jar honey. See medical-grade honey and wound care.
Safety and cautions
- Babies under 12 months: no honey. Infant botulism is rare, and honey is the only consistently confirmed food source in a 2026 narrative review. The same review says health authorities uniformly advise against honey before 12 months. [6][7][8] Signs in a baby include constipation, weak cry, poor feeding, drooping eyelids and a floppy body; MedlinePlus says to go to the emergency room or call 911 right away. [6] See honey and infant botulism.
- Children over 1 with a cough: the NHS says hot lemon and honey is not suitable for babies under 1 year, and not to give hot drinks to small children. [9]
- Side effects seen in trials: in the Cochrane review, stomach symptoms were reported in 12% of children on honey and 11% on placebo (pooled risk ratio 1.91, 95% CI 1.12 to 3.24, moderate certainty). Nervousness, sleeplessness and hyperactivity were reported in 9.3% of children on honey and 2.7% on dextromethorphan, low-certainty evidence. [10]
- Allergy: honey allergy is rare, but a case report describes anaphylaxis in a child sensitized to Compositae weed pollens, after artisanal (local, less processed) honey. The authors suggest pollen in the honey, not the honey sugar, was the likely cause. [18] See bee products and allergy warning signs.
- Blood sugar and diabetes: honey is a free sugar. [15] The pooled review reports small lab-marker changes and calls most of the evidence low certainty. The abstract does not say whether the results apply to people with diabetes, so ask a clinician or pharmacist about your own situation. [15]
- Wounds and burns: the Cochrane review of 26 trials (3,011 people) looked at honey as a wound treatment, including honey dressings for burns. It does not show that kitchen honey is a substitute for medical care. Get medical advice for wounds and burns. [17] See medical-grade honey and wound care.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, medicines, asthma, contaminants: not described in the sources we read for clover honey. Tell your clinician about any bee product, especially before surgery.
Quality and buying
- A product sold only as "honey" is a single-ingredient food. If it is a mix of honey and another sweetener, the FDA says it cannot be labeled as only "honey". [1]
- The FDA says its guidance helps keep honey from being adulterated or misbranded, but that the guidance is a recommendation, not a legal requirement in itself. [1]
- Codex says honey should have nothing added and should not be heated or processed so much that its composition changes. [2]
- In a lab paper, researchers describe a laser test that could pick up added water, sugar solution, glucose honey or starch in clover honey. This shows adulteration of clover honey has been studied. It does not tell you how common it is. [20]
- A "clover" label is a claim about the plant source. The FDA says such a claim must be truthful and not misleading. [1]
Related pages
Uses studied and safety checks for Clover Honey
Read the safety checks first. Each card says whether a finding comes from people, from the lab or from tradition, which product and way of use was tested, and how strong the evidence is. A finding for one product or one way of using it does not carry over to another.
Check before you use (4)
- Infant botulism and honey (babies under 12 months). Honey can carry spores that cause infant botulism. Health bodies say never give honey to babies under 12 months. WHO says commercial pasteurization may not kill all spores in foods generally.
- Honey is a sugar (blood sugar and diabetes). Honey is described as a free sugar. The sources we read do not say what amount is suitable for people with diabetes.
- Honey allergy and pollen cross-reaction. Honey allergy is rare but a case report describes anaphylaxis in a child sensitized to weed pollens after artisanal honey; commercial honey tested negative.
- Labeling, adulteration and quality of honey. FDA says honey must be named honey only if it is just honey; honey plus another sweetener needs a different name. A lab paper studied ways to detect added syrups and starch in clover honey.
Clover honey as an everyday food
Established roleClover honey is honey whose chief nectar source is clover. The FDA allows the label 'Clover Honey' when clover is the chief floral source; Codex allows plant names when honey comes wholly or mainly from that plant.
Supplements: Not a supplement; a food with no established nutritional need.
Honey and cough in children
Preliminary or mixedTrials in children used buckwheat, eucalyptus, citrus and labiatae honeys; a Cochrane review says honey probably eases cough more than no treatment or placebo, but there was no strong evidence for or against. No clover honey cough trial was found.
Supplements: Promising but limited for honey in general; untested for clover honey.
Clover honey and blood lipids versus sugar
Preliminary or mixedA 4-week crossover trial in 37 healthy adults used clover honey versus sucrose. Insulin and cholesterol did not change with either; triglycerides rose at 1 week with both and stayed up only with sugar.
Supplements: Preliminary; no change in cholesterol or insulin.
Honey, blood sugar and cholesterol markers (pooled trials)
Preliminary or mixedA meta-analysis of 18 trials (1,105 people) found small, mostly low-certainty changes in fasting glucose and blood fats; subgroup results named clover, robinia and raw honey as showing benefit for glucose and total cholesterol.
Supplements: Preliminary; low certainty.
Honey and wounds or burns (not jar honey)
Not enough evidenceThe Cochrane review looked at honey as a wound treatment, including dressings for burns. It does not show that kitchen honey can replace medical care.
Supplements: No evidence for clover jar honey on wounds.
Laboratory findings on clover honey
Lab or animal research onlyIn test-tube work, clover honey slowed growth of four bacterial types less than manuka and kanuka honeys. A 2022 review says few studies exist on clover honeys.
Supplements: None shown for people.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Health goals (2)
- Blood Sugar BalancePreliminary or mixed
Honey is a sugar. A pooled review found small, low-certainty changes in fasting glucose, and a clover honey trial in healthy adults found no change in insulin.
- Cholesterol BalancePreliminary or mixed
A pooled review reported small, low-certainty cholesterol changes; a trial of clover honey versus sugar found no change in cholesterol.
Body systems (5)
- Digestive SystemDocumented risk
Infant botulism begins when spores grow in a baby's gut; honey is a confirmed food source, so babies under 12 months must not have it.
- Blood Sugar SupportPreliminary or mixed
Honey is a sugar; pooled marker changes were small and low certainty.
- Immune SystemDocumented risk
Honey allergy is rare, but a case report describes anaphylaxis, with pollen in the honey the suspected trigger.
- Respiratory HealthPreliminary or mixed
Trials of honey (other types, not clover) for acute cough in children: promising but limited.
- Respiratory SystemPreliminary or mixed
Same cough evidence as above; honey types in trials were not clover.
Body parts (1)
- GutDocumented risk
In infants, spores germinate and release toxin in the gut (infant botulism); honey is a confirmed food source.
Functional actions (1)
- Respiratory SupportPreliminary or mixed
Cough trials in children used other honeys; results for clover honey are unknown.
Root causes (1)
- Blood Sugar ImbalanceDocumented risk
Honey is a free sugar and counts toward sugar intake.
Biomarkers (4)
- Blood GlucosePreliminary or mixed
Pooled trials: small fall in fasting glucose (low certainty); subgroup named clover.
- HDL CholesterolPreliminary or mixed
Pooled: small HDL rise. The clover honey trial found no HDL change.
- LDL CholesterolPreliminary or mixed
Pooled: small LDL fall, low certainty. The clover honey trial found no LDL change.
- TriglyceridesPreliminary or mixed
Pooled: small fall (low certainty). In the clover honey trial triglycerides rose at 1 week with both honey and sugar.
Conditions & symptoms (2)
- Acute CoughPreliminary or mixed
Trials in children used other honeys (buckwheat, eucalyptus, citrus, labiatae); no clover honey cough trial was read. Evidence is promising but limited.
- Food AllergyDocumented risk
Honey allergy is rare; a case report describes anaphylaxis in a pollen-sensitized child after artisanal honey.
Frequently asked questions
Can a baby have clover honey?
No. No honey, of any kind, before 12 months, because of infant botulism. [6][7]
Does clover honey help a cough?
Trials in children suggest honey in general may ease nighttime cough a little, mostly over a day or so, but the trials we read used other honeys (buckwheat, eucalyptus, citrus, labiatae), and the Cochrane authors say there was no strong evidence for or against it. We found no clover honey cough trial. [10][11][13]
Is clover honey better for you than other honeys?
The sources we read do not show that. One pooled review reported clover in a subgroup with better fasting glucose and cholesterol results, but those are lab markers, and the evidence was low certainty. [15]
Is clover honey okay with diabetes?
Honey is a free sugar. One 4-week trial of clover honey versus sugar in healthy adults found no change in insulin or cholesterol, but it did not study people with diabetes. [15][16] Ask your clinician or pharmacist.
Is raw clover honey safer?
No source we read shows that raw is safer. WHO says commercial pasteurization may not kill all spores (a general statement about foods), and no honey is safe for babies. [7]
References
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Proper Labeling of Honey and Honey Products: Guidance for Industry, February 2018. Read 2026-10-24.
- Codex Alimentarius, Standard for Honey, CODEX STAN 12-1981 (revised 2001 text). Read 2026-10-24.
- USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, United States Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey (effective 1985). Read 2026-10-24.
- GBIF Backbone Taxonomy name matches for Trifolium repens L., Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. and Apis mellifera. Read 2026-10-24.
- Sultana S, Foster K, Lim LY, Hammer K, Locher C. A Review of the Phytochemistry and Bioactivity of Clover Honeys (Trifolium spp.). Foods. 2022;11(13):1901. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia, Infant botulism, reviewed 7/1/2025. Read 2026-10-24.
- World Health Organization, Botulism fact sheet. Read 2026-10-24.
- Aricò MO, Caselli D, Stefanizzi P, Tafuri S, Aricò M. Infant Botulism and Honey Exposure: Global Epidemiology, Prevention Policies, and Communication Strategies. Acta Paediatr. 2026. Narrative review; abstract read 2026-10-24.
- NHS, Cough, last reviewed 8 December 2023. Read 2026-10-24.
- Oduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;(4):CD007094. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, Shaffer ML, Duda L, Berlin CM. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Shadkam MN, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Mozayan MR. A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents. J Altern Complement Med. 2010. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Cohen HA, Rozen J, Kristal H, Laks Y, Berkovitch M, Uziel Y, Kozer E, Pomeranz A, Efrat H. Effect of honey on nocturnal cough and sleep quality: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Pediatrics. 2012. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Timm Brun M, Abreu Vianna Braga MC, Teixeira Ferraz Grunewald S. Honey vs. pharmacological treatment for acute cough in children: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Eur J Pediatr. 2026;185:706. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Ahmed A, Tul-Noor Z, Lee D, et al. Effect of honey on cardiometabolic risk factors: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Nutr Rev. 2023. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Al-Tamimi AM, Petrisko M, Hong MY, Rezende L, Clayton ZS, Kern M. Honey does not adversely impact blood lipids of adult men and women: a randomized cross-over trial. Nutr Res. 2020. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Jull AB, Cullum N, Dumville JC, Westby MJ, Deshpande S, Walker N. Honey as a topical treatment for wounds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2015;(3):CD005083. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Di Costanzo M, De Paulis N, Peveri S, Montagni M, Berni Canani R, Biasucci G. Anaphylaxis caused by artisanal honey in a child: a case report. J Med Case Rep. 2021;15:235. Abstract read 2026-10-24.
- Lu J, Carter DA, Turnbull L, et al. The effect of New Zealand kanuka, manuka and clover honeys on bacterial growth dynamics and cellular morphology varies according to the species. PLoS One. 2013;8:e55898. Laboratory study; abstract read 2026-10-24.
- El-Raie AE, Hassan HE, Abdel-Raouf AR, Rabea S. A laser optical method for predicting adulteration of clover honey. J Sci Food Agric. 2018. Laboratory study; abstract read 2026-10-24.