Natural Ingredients for Cough and Sore Throat: What the Research Shows
What honey, salt water gargles and other home ingredients have been tested for in coughs and sore throats, what the evidence is, and who should never use them.
Content last updated . This page has not been medically reviewed.
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Never give honey to a baby under 12 months. Honey can carry spores that cause infant botulism, and swallowing honey as a baby is a listed risk factor. [1] The NHS also marks hot lemon and honey as not suitable for babies under 1 year old. [2] For trouble breathing, being unable to swallow or drooling, the NHS lists these as emergencies; in the US call 911. [3]
What research found
| Ingredient and use | What the source found | Strength of evidence | Who and what was studied |
|---|---|---|---|
| Honey for acute cough in children | A Cochrane review said honey probably relieves cough symptoms more than no treatment, diphenhydramine and placebo, but may make little or no difference compared with dextromethorphan. [4] | Promising but limited | 6 trials, 899 children aged 12 months to 18 years; most were treated for one night [4] |
| Honey versus medicines for children's cough | A 2026 meta-analysis found no clear difference on most outcomes. A stronger result appeared only after extra analysis and the authors call it hypothesis-generating, not definitive. [5] | Promising but limited | 6 trials in the analysis, follow-up limited to 3 days [5] |
| Honey for upper respiratory infections (colds) | A 2021 meta-analysis found honey beat usual care for symptoms, and said better placebo-controlled trials are needed. [6] | Mixed | 14 studies, mostly compared with usual care, not placebo [6] |
| Salt water gargle for sore throat | The NHS lists gargling with warm, salty water among self-care steps. [3] | Traditional and self-care advice; trial evidence not described in the sources we read | Adults; the NHS says children should not try it [3] |
| Honey for sore throat on its own | Proper evidence not found in what we read. We searched PubMed for honey and sore throat trials and found only studies of honey after tonsil surgery, which is a different situation, and we did not read them. | Insufficient evidence | Not applicable |
Honey in more detail
The Cochrane authors reported that adverse events with honey were mostly nervousness, insomnia and hyperactivity, seen in seven children (9.3%) given honey, compared with two (2.7%) given dextromethorphan, a difference the authors rated as low-certainty evidence. [4] Most of the children were treated for one night, which the authors call a limit of the review. [4] One author of the 2021 review discloses being a hobby beekeeper. [6] Results are for honey itself. They do not carry over to cough syrups, lozenges or teas that contain honey. For the full profile see honey, and for the baby warning see honey and infant botulism.Salt water gargles
The NHS describes gargling with warm salty water as a way to soothe a sore throat and says the solution must be spat out, not swallowed, and that children should not try it. [3] Safety questions about swallowing salt solutions and nasal rinses are covered on salt water gargles and nasal rinses. We did not find a trial of salt water gargling for sore throat that we could read, so the NHS advice is best treated as comfort care rather than a proven treatment.Herbs and teas
The NHS mentions an herbal medicine called pelargonium as suitable for people aged 12 or over, while repeating that evidence for herbal medicines is limited. [2] Individual plants have their own pages: elderberry, echinacea and, for soothing teas, demulcent teas. Wider guidance is on cough and sore throat remedies.Frequently asked questions
Does honey help a cough?
In children over 12 months, trials suggest honey may ease cough symptoms a little over a day or a few days, but the evidence is short-term and a 2026 analysis calls its stronger finding hypothesis-generating. [4][5]
Can I give honey to my baby for a cough?
No, not under 12 months, because of infant botulism. [1]
Does a salt water gargle work for a sore throat?
The NHS lists it as self-care for soothing a sore throat, but we did not find a trial we could read, so we cannot call it proven. [3]
Do I need antibiotics for a sore throat?
The NHS says you do not normally need them, because they will not usually relieve symptoms or speed recovery. [3]
When should a cough be checked by a clinician?
The NHS lists a cough lasting more than 3 weeks, coughing up blood, or trouble breathing among the reasons. [2]
More details: evidence, limits and cautions
The details behind this page: cautions, limits of the evidence and where sources disagree. Open any note to read it.
When to get checked
- The NHS says to see a GP for a cough lasting more than 3 weeks, or if you are coughing up blood or find it hard to breathe. [2]
- For sore throat, the NHS advises seeing a GP if it does not improve after a week, and for a child under 5 who needs help. [3]
- The NHS says antibiotics are not normally needed for a sore throat. [3]
- Medicines, pregnancy and breastfeeding, kidney or liver conditions, and surgery were not described for honey or salt gargles in the sources we read, so we make no claim either way. Ask a pharmacist or clinician, and see medication interactions and babies and children.
- Honey is a sugar, so people who manage blood sugar should ask a clinician or pharmacist.
References
- MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia. Infant botulism. National Library of Medicine. Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS. Cough. Read 2026-10-23.
- NHS. Sore throat. Read 2026-10-23.
- Oduwole O, Udoh EE, Oyo-Ita A, Meremikwu MM. Honey for acute cough in children. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018;(4):CD007094. PubMed 29633783. Read 2026-10-23.
- 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(9):706. PubMed 42671586. Read 2026-10-23.
- Abuelgasim H, Albury C, Lee J. Effectiveness of honey for symptomatic relief in upper respiratory tract infections: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMJ Evid Based Med. 2021;26(2):57-64. PubMed 32817011. One author discloses being a hobby beekeeper. Read 2026-10-23.