Sidr Honey: Evidence and Safety
Sidr honey comes from the flowers of the sidr tree (Ziziphus spina-christi). What lab studies and a few small dental trials show, what they do not, and safety notes.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
Quick safety points
- Never give honey, including sidr honey, to a baby under 12 months. Honey can carry spores that grow in a baby's gut and cause infant botulism. [1][2][3]
- People who are allergic to pollen or bee stings may also react to honey. [3]
- Sidr honey is a food. It is not medical-grade honey and it is not a tested wound dressing. Cochrane found the evidence for honey dressings in general too uncertain for most wound types, and the sidr wound work we read is lab work. [4][5][6]
- Honey is a sugar, which matters for teeth. [2] Diabetes, pregnancy and breastfeeding: not described for sidr honey in the sources we read. See pregnancy and breastfeeding.
- Added syrups can be detected in sidr honey in the lab, and a Saudi label check found many honey labels fell short. See "Quality and buying". [7][8]
What sidr honey is
Sidr honey is honey that bees make mostly from the nectar of the sidr tree, Ziziphus spina-christi, also called Christ's thorn jujube. Bees collect the nectar and turn it into honey in the hive, like any other honey. Research papers describe sidr honey from Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, Egypt and Algeria. [9][10][11][23] Because it is sold by a tree name, its exact pollen and make-up can differ from one batch to the next. It is usually sold as jar honey or in the comb.Food use and how it differs from medical use
Sidr honey is first of all a food and a sweetener. Medical-grade honey is a different product: it is sterilized and made into dressings under medical rules. A result for one does not carry over to the other. See medical-grade honey and wound care and honey.Traditional use (not proof)
A research review describes the sidr tree as culturally important in the United Arab Emirates and with a history of medicinal use. [9] The sources we read do not describe Yemeni or Islamic traditional practice in detail, so we do not describe it here. Many people prize sidr honey for tradition and taste, and we treat that with respect. Long use does not show that a food causes a health effect.What research shows
Human research on sidr honey is very small. We found two small dental trials. We found no trial for cough, wounds, diabetes or any other condition using sidr honey.| Use | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Population and form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gum disease after a dental cleaning | In adults with gingivitis, gums massaged with sidr honey after scaling and root cleaning had better plaque and gum scores at 30 days than cleaning alone or aloe vera gel. Sample size and funding were not stated in the abstract. [12] | Preliminary (one study) | Adults with gingivitis; honey massaged on gums |
| Healing after tooth removal | 30 adults had 1 mL of Ziziphus honey placed in the socket or nothing. A saliva marker (osteopontin) was higher at days 3 and 7 with honey. The marker is a stand-in, not proof of better healing. [13] | Very preliminary (30 people, 7 days) | Adults after molar extraction; honey in the socket |
| Cough | Proper evidence not found for sidr honey. A Cochrane review of honey in general found it probably eases cough in children over 12 months better than no treatment or placebo, but sidr was not singled out. [14] | Not studied for sidr | Honey in general |
These trials used a honey massage or about 1 mL placed in a socket. That is what was tested, not advice for readers. [12][13]
In the laboratory, sidr honey slowed several bacteria and reduced biofilm in dishes. In head-to-head tests against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli, manuka honey was stronger. [15][16][17] A Saudi comparison found talh honey stronger than sidr honey against the bacteria tested. [18] After repeated exposure in dishes, some bacteria became more sensitive to antibiotics, but this is lab work only. [19] Sidr honey also showed antioxidant activity in chemical tests and reduced the growth of cancer cell lines in dishes, though one study found honey made some cell lines grow. [20][21][22] In diabetic rats, Egyptian sidr honey lowered blood glucose over 4 weeks. [23] Lab and animal results do not show what happens in people.
Forms and why they matter
- Liquid or set honey: the usual jar product.
- Honeycomb: honey sold in its wax comb.
- Raw or lightly filtered: "raw" has no standard meaning on labels. Neither raw nor processed honey is safe for babies. See raw honey vs regular honey.
- Medical honey dressings: a different, sterilized product. Sidr honey was not shown to work as one in the sources we read. [4][6]
Safety and cautions
- Babies: no honey under 12 months. [1][2][3]
- Allergy: pollen or bee-sting allergy may also mean a honey allergy. [3] See bee products and allergy warning signs.
- Wounds: do not put jar honey on a wound or burn instead of medical care. Medical dressings are made differently. [4][6]
- Diabetes and blood sugar: honey is a sugar. The only blood sugar data for sidr honey are in rats. [23] Ask a clinician. See honey, blood sugar and diabetes.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, children, medicines, heavy metals and pesticides: not described for sidr honey in the sources we read.
Quality and buying
A fluorescence study showed that added cane sugar syrup can be told apart from pure sidr honey in the lab. [8] A Kuwaiti study added corn, date or agave syrup to sidr honey at 5 to 35% and found that sugar measurements change in different ways for each syrup. [7] A Saudi Food and Drug Authority check of 306 honey labels, where natural and sidr honey were the most common types, found only 4 of 10 labelling items at least 90% compliant, and half of the written health claims were prohibited. [24] We did not find a source that says how much sidr honey is fake or what it costs, so we cannot say. The high price often mentioned for sidr honey is not documented in the sources we read. Read the ingredient list and be careful with health claims. See honey adulteration, labels and how to choose.Related pages
Uses studied and safety checks for Sidr 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)
- Sidr honey, honey authenticity and mislabelling. Lab papers show that sugar syrups added to sidr honey can be detected, and a Saudi label check found most packaging fell short on several labelling points. Both are quality concerns. We did not find a source measuring how common fake sidr honey is.
- Honey and babies under 12 months. Honey, including sidr honey, should not be given to babies under 12 months because spores can grow in a baby's gut and cause infant botulism.
- Honey and allergy. People allergic to pollen or bee stings may also react to honey, according to NCCIH. We did not find sidr-specific allergy data.
- Safety gaps for sidr honey. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, medicine interactions and heavy metals or pesticides in sidr honey were not described in the sources read in full.
Sidr honey and gum health after scaling
Preliminary or mixedOne randomized study in adults with gingivitis found that massaging sidr honey into the gums after a dental cleaning gave better plaque and gum scores at 30 days than cleaning alone or aloe vera gel.
Supplements: Promising but unconfirmed; one trial.
Sidr honey and tooth-socket healing
Preliminary or mixedA small randomized trial (30 adults) placed 1 mL of Ziziphus honey in the tooth socket after extraction and found higher salivary osteopontin at days 3 and 7 than no treatment. Osteopontin is a stand-in marker, not proof of better healing.
Supplements: Very preliminary; surrogate marker only.
Sidr honey and germs in the laboratory
Lab or animal research onlyIn test tubes, sidr honey slowed or killed several bacteria and reduced biofilm formation, though less strongly than manuka honey in the two head-to-head studies read. Lab results do not show treatment in people.
Supplements: No human benefit shown from lab results.
Sidr honey and wound care
Not enough evidenceA short narrative review of Saudi honeys in wound infections relies mostly on lab and animal work. No sidr honey wound trial was found in the sources read. Cochrane found the evidence for honey dressings in general too uncertain for most wound types.
Supplements: Proper evidence not found for sidr honey on wounds in people.
Sidr honey and antioxidant activity
Lab or animal research onlyIn laboratory tests sidr honey showed antioxidant activity in chemical assays. This describes what the honey does in a test tube, not what it does in the body.
Supplements: None shown for people.
Sidr honey and blood sugar
Lab or animal research onlyIn diabetic rats given Egyptian sidr honey for 4 weeks, blood glucose and related markers fell. No human trial of sidr honey and blood sugar was found.
Supplements: Not shown to help people with diabetes.
Sidr honey and cancer cells in the laboratory
Lab or animal research onlySidr honey reduced the growth of cancer cell lines in dishes. Authors of one study noted that honey made some cell lines grow faster. No human cancer data on sidr honey were found.
Supplements: None shown for people.
Traditional use of the sidr tree and its honey
Not enough evidenceA research review describes the sidr tree (Ziziphus spina-christi) as culturally important and medicinally used in the Emirates. We did not read a source describing religious or traditional-medicine practice in detail. Long use is not evidence of benefit.
Supplements: Traditional use is not evidence of an effect.
Connected topics
Open a group to see how each topic connects and how strong the evidence is.
Body systems (2)
- Digestive SystemDocumented risk
Honey spores can grow in a baby's gut and cause infant botulism, so honey is not for babies under 12 months.
- Immune SystemDocumented risk
People allergic to pollen or bee stings may also be allergic to honey.
Functional actions (1)
- AntioxidantLab or animal research only
Chemical lab tests show antioxidant activity; this has not been shown to matter in people.
Conditions & symptoms (1)
- GingivitisPreliminary or mixed
One randomized study reported better plaque and gum scores with sidr honey gum massage after dental cleaning.
Frequently asked questions
Is sidr honey safe for babies?
No. No honey is safe for babies under 12 months because of infant botulism. [1][2]
Does sidr honey heal wounds?
Proper evidence not found for sidr honey on wounds in people. The sidr work we read is in the lab, and jar honey is not a medical dressing. [4][6]
Is sidr honey better than manuka honey?
In two lab tests against bacteria, manuka honey was stronger than sidr honey. Lab tests do not show results in people. [15][16]
Is there proof sidr honey treats any disease?
No. Two small dental studies exist, and the rest is lab or animal work. [12][13]
How do I know my sidr honey is real?
You cannot tell by looking. Labs can detect added syrups, and many honey labels fall short on rules, so read the label carefully. [7][8][24]
References
- MedlinePlus, Infant botulism. Read 2026-10-24.
- NHS, Foods to avoid giving babies and young children. Read 2026-10-24.
- NCCIH, 6 things to know about complementary health approaches for seasonal allergy relief. Read 2026-10-24.
- Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013, Honey as a topical treatment for wounds. Read 2026-10-24.
- Bazaid AS et al., Cureus 2021, Saudi honey: a promising therapeutic agent for treating wound infections. Read 2026-10-24.
- Food Science & Nutrition 2020, In vitro antimicrobial activities of Saudi honeys from Ziziphus spina-christi and Acacia gerrardii. Read 2026-10-24.
- Al-Hetlani E et al., Foods 2026, Evaluating honey adulteration through physicochemical characterization and LC-MS sugar profiling. Read 2026-10-24.
- Ali H et al., Eur Food Res Technol 2022, Classification of Sidr honey and detection of sugar adulteration using fluorescence spectroscopy. Read 2026-10-24.
- Mokhtar FA et al., Foods 2025, Vachellia tortilis and Ziziphus spina-christi honeys in the United Arab Emirates. Read 2026-10-24.
- Ghramh HA et al., Food Sci Nutr 2020, Anticancer, antimicrobial, immunomodulatory and silver nanoparticle study of Sidr honey from three sources. Read 2026-10-24.
- Djebli N et al., 2021, Anti-ulcerogenic and cytoprotective effects of Saharian (Sidr) honey from Algeria (title and place read only). Read 2026-10-24.
- Khalid F et al., Int J Dent Hyg 2026, Natural nutraceuticals in gingival massage therapy: a randomized clinical study. Read 2026-10-24.
- J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2024, Effects of Ziziphus honey on bone healing of the extracted tooth socket. Read 2026-10-24.
- Oduwole O et al., Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2018, Honey for acute cough in children. Read 2026-10-24.
- Al-Kafaween MA et al., Iran J Microbiol 2023, Sidr and Tualang honeys compared with manuka honey against Staphylococcus aureus. Read 2026-10-24.
- Al-Sayaghi AM et al., Antibiotics 2022, Antibacterial mechanism of two honeys against Escherichia coli. Read 2026-10-24.
- Bazaid AS et al., Pharmaceutics 2023, Antibiofilm, antimicrobial, anti-quorum sensing and antioxidant activities of Saudi Sidr honey. Read 2026-10-24.
- Same study as [6] (talh versus sidr). Read 2026-10-24.
- Infect Drug Resist 2023, Effects of repeated in vitro exposure to Saudi honey on bacterial resistance and biofilm formation. Read 2026-10-24.
- Bouali N et al., Life 2022, Phytochemical composition, antioxidant and anticancer activities of Sidr honey. Read 2026-10-24.
- Qanash H et al., Nutrients 2023, Antiproliferative effect of Saudi Sidr honey on colorectal cancer cells in vitro. Read 2026-10-24.
- Same study as [10] (growth of some cell lines). Read 2026-10-24.
- El-Aarag B et al., Chem Biodivers 2024, Egyptian Sidr honey in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Read 2026-10-24.
- Almutairi LA, Alqahtani AS, Int J Food Sci 2025, Compliance investigation of honey-packaged food labels and claims in Saudi Arabia. Read 2026-10-24.