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With cold and flu season on the verge, I thought I would share my favorite cold and flu remedy. A mixture of honey and cinnamon for colds or the flu has been used for generations! The mixture is often called a cure for colds. It has been shown to reduce the length of a cold by at least 2 days and it also reduces the severity of symptoms.
Anytime I start to feel any symptoms of a cold or virus, I always turn to this remedy of taking honey and cinnamon for colds. My other go-to remedies are eating coconut oil for it’s antiviral properties and making a super immune boosting juice.
Why a Mixture of Honey and Cinnamon for Colds or the Flu Works
Honey has anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-microbial properties. Many studies have shown that it is effective at fighting external and internal infections.
Cinnamon is also beneficial as it contains anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antioxidant properties.
Honey and cinnamon are powerful immune boosters! So, taking a mixture of the two makes for a powerful natural remedy. You can use this remedy to not only reduce the severity of your cold, but also prevent future colds or other viruses.
Together these two ingredients make a super healing combination.
What Kind of Honey and Cinnamon is Best?
The majority of honey on store shelves is highly processed and isn’t really pure honey. For this reason, it is best to only use organic raw honey that is unpasteurized. Raw honey contains the most nutrients making it more effective at boosting the immune system and warding off viruses. You may be able to find raw honey locally, such as at a farmer’s market, but you can also get it online.
It is also beneficial to use Ceylon cinnamon compared to cassia cinnamon, as it more nutrient dense.
Honey and Cinnamon for Colds Mixture
Ingredients:
Instructions:
1. Mix honey and cinnamon.
2. Take it 2 times a day, for 3 days as soon as you feel a cold or flu coming on.
If you don’t want to take the mixture straight, you can still get the benefits by adding the ingredients to a cup of tea.
Honey and Cinnamon Tea
Ingredients:
- 1 teaspoon of raw honey
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 freshly squeezed lemon
- 1 cup of water
Instructions:
1. Bring water to a light boil, remove from heat and pour into a glass.
2. Add honey, cinnamon, lemon, and stir.
3. Drink the tea 2 times a day, for 3 days.
Another easy way to take the mixture is to spread it on a slice of bread.
Have you tried a mixture of honey and cinnamon for colds or the flu? Did it work for you?
How much honey with either pepper
Can it be mixed with hot green tea
Yes, that sounds great!
I’ve used organic honey, freshly squeezed lemon juice with warm water then added cinnamon and Ginger every morning for last two years.. It’s kept me I believe cold and flu free when every one else around me has been sniffling and feeling down. It’s a great drink for the start of the day too to enjoy!
That’s great!
when I get a cold there are no medications that I can take and I have a low Imune systum due to my spleen being removed a friend told me about
this recipe last year and it works for me
Best way to relax at the beach! Your health benefits from a good posture and a relaxed body!
Can you eat the honey cinnamon mixture onto bread? Just want to see if that might lessen it or anything
Sure! Any way to get it down.
I had mixed it And I had put it in tea
And it was nasty but working?
Thanks Lori. It’s also nice to use raw honey with black pepper – an Indian medicine. Add your choice of cayenne or ground black pepper to some honey and have it in the morning with or without some warm water. This is to help colds and also stimulate the digestion. It’s tastier than you would expect too.
I’ll have to try that with it mixed with black pepper. Sounds great!
How much honey with either pepper
I’ve done honey with cayenne. Works wonders. I stopped coughing almost immediately.
My mom used to make this for us when we were little and I would make it for my kids when they were little. Now that they are adults they make it when they’re not feeling well. It works! I swear by this cinnamon, lemon & honey tea. This home remedy is the best.
Thanks for sharing! Happy to hear it works for you too!
awww…such amazing tips…thanka a lot
You hit the nail right on the head.
CEYLON cinnamon and RAW honey. 2 of the best. I do much research, and looks like you do also. mike
Thanks Mike!
I have a naturally raw honey but its not the same kind suggested above and plain ground cinnamon. Will this work?
As long as it’s raw and unprocessed, that’s great!
Honey can cause botulism in children under 1year and can prove to be deadly.
hi, my sugar level is 136/140,can i take honey and cinamon.i didnt had sugar,but sudenly it appairs.my age is 34years.
I would ask your doctor if you’re concerned about it affecting sugar levels.
Can liquid cinnamon be used in place of powder? if so how much should be mixed with the honey? 2 droppers = 500 mg.
I’ve never used liquid cinnamon before, but I just looked it up and 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon is 1 gram of cinnamon.
Yes do NOT add boiling water to raw honey you will destroy the benefits of taking it. I add a little cold water to my boiling water to cool it down making it warm then I add my raw honey. Btw you can purchase Ceylon Cinnamon and raw organic honey at iHerb.com that is where I always buy my healthy yummies.
🙂
Thanks Jenna!
search on youtube “nutrients vs. poison” if you want to buy real honey in Europe!
can’t add boiling water to honey it kills the good stuff
A sure fire recipe that I have been using for years, and always found it to work within 24hrs:
4 lemons, skin and all
2 orange2, skin and all
1/2 grapefruit, skin on too
2 cloves fresh garlic
knob of ginger (size to your own taste)
Chop all loosely and put through a juicer. Keep the juice in the fridge and put 1/2 cup of the mix in your favourite coffee cup, fill with hot water and add organic manuka honey to taste.
Have this up to 3 times per day. I find that this usually makes enough juice to last about 3-4 days.
That sounds great!
Why not add all herbs in one drink? I add Ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon, mint and green tea for maximum health benefits.
That’s a great suggestion!
I’m 7 months pregnant. Think it’s ok to try this honey and cinnamon tea?
According to this site, cinnamon should not be used in large amounts when pregnant: http://wellnessmama.com/5013/cinnamon-herb-profile/
why would you want to experiment anything new on 7th month of pregnancy in anycase?
She’s *not* experimenting lol, if she were, she wouldn’t have bothered to *ask* if it were okay to use…
If you follow that link that Lori posted, what she says is there, is half true, it actually states: “Pregnant women should not use large amounts of cinnamon powder (culinary uses or under 1/2 tsp day is fine) or any cinnamon essential oil as it can cause contractions. As always, check with a doctor or medical professional before using cinnamon or any other herb medicinally.
There is some evidence that the coumarin in cinnamon can be harmful at large doses. Ceylon Cinnamon has a much, much lower amount of coumarin, making it safer to take in large doses or during pregnancy or breastfeeding. It also has a much milder taste, making it suitable for children.”
The instructions on this blog say to use 1/4 tsp, 2x a day, therefore, it falls within the guidelines…
As with everything else, it requires personal research regarding the health benefits vs. risk. Someone who uses ceylon cinnamon regularly, knows they have no allergies, etc. is more likely to be perfectly fine using a cup or two of cinnamon tea a day to help get rid of a cold. Plus, it’s way better than the alternatives! Before I came to the natural side, I would have used Dimetapp or followed some wackjob on babycenter like this guy http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-safe-to-take-cold-medications-during-pregnancy_2299.bc and in fact, I did with my 10 year old!
At least “Anonymous” is wanting to try something natural so instead of a snide remark of “why would you want to experiment anything new on 7th month of pregnancy” why not offer some actual help, point her in the right direction to decide for herself? Personally, I would use it, then again I also ate a LOT of celery during my pregnancy too (mmmmmm, celery and peanut butter!) and drank chamomile tea too, both of which also contain coumarin, the ingredient in question and had no issues from it whatsoever, but again, that’s me personally, others who are sensitive to it, can be harmed by it, so it’s all about knowing yourself and your body… I really hope that “Anonymous” has emails set up or comes back to this page and that she hasn’t been scared off of natural living because I know what it’s like to be new to this community of people and while not always the most tactful, they generally do have wayyyy better information and studies to prove it than most medical doctors I know!
Anyway, that’s my take on it…
Thank you! I thought of leaving a similar comment myself, but you said it much better than I could have. As a pregnant momma myself, I get so sick of the ‘just don’t risk it’ attitude that people tend to get with health questions. So, what, I’m suppposed to sit home sick as a dog until my fever reaches a dangerous level and I need prescriptions to treat it? (I’m not the one who asked the question, but I still appreciate your answer)
I did leave a comment up here a few months ago. Possibly I’m sensitive to coumarin? But I lost my baby at 11 weeks after using the cinnamon and honey remedy for approx a fortnight, I was eating a heaped teaspoon 3 times a day and I went into labour. The reason I believe the cinnamon /coumarin was to blame, is because I had a massive haemorrhage, I did not stop bleeding and I needed 4 blood transfusions, this is what coumarin does, stops blood clotting. So although I’ll never know for sure if the cinnamon was to blame, I think it’s definitely something I’d like to spread the word on avoiding. I’m all for natural, I use this remedy when I’m not pregnant.. In this case, in my opinion, just don’t risk it is certainly applicable
I left a comment below regarding my experience eating cinnamon during pregnancy. I consider myself to know my body pretty well. But I didn’t know I had a sensitivity to coumarin. I lost my baby at 11 weeks and I needed 4 blood transfusions and a d and c to stop the bleeding. I am spreading the word on avoiding cinnamon and honey during pregnancy as I would like to prevent what happened to me happening to anyone else. I use this remedy when I’m not pregnant by the way and I prefer natural remedies than reaching for medications every time. I just thought you’d like to hear from someone who did have a bad experience. Like I said, I’m not sure how I could have known that I had a coumarin sensitivity? I was 35 when this happened there was no way of knowing.
You’re not supposed to have honey during pregnancy because the fetus can get botulism.
Uhh ..nope. Where did you come by this information? How on earth would a fetus get botulism anyway? The honey isn’t going directly to the baby’s digestion, it’s filtered first through the mother’s stronger immune system. Honey is only a problem post-birth, for infants before the immune system fully develops.
Can this be used on Toddlers? I know infants shouldn’t have Honey (or so the doc says) but didn’t know about my toddler. I have seen some of the all natural sources not good for babies.
I believe that honey is only a problem for children under one year. I’m not super sure, so I would suggest doing some research first.
I believe it’s only not recommended for the first year; but, check with your doctor first.
Hi i just did my tea thanks for the info god bless you.
Hope it helps!
I have just recently discovered the health benefits of raw honey. I knew it was good for you and much better than sugar but of late I’ve been doing a little more research in to the subject. To be honest honey is much better for you when you combine it with another ingredient or two. These then work together with greater effect.
I have been warming milk on the stove with fresh root ginger in it. I thinly slice the ginger and place it in the cold milk. Slowly heating the milk until it begins to steam and then remove from the heat and place a plate over the pan and leave for at least an hour.
I then warm the milk back up in a microwave and then add in a teaspoon or two of raw honey. It tastes great and the combination of these ingredients has a powerful effect on your immune system and body as a whole.
I also do the same as the above but use cinnamon instead of the ginger. I’ve found that one stick of cinnamon to 4 mugs of milk is ample although you can experiment for your own tastes.
I’m giving this to my family each day to ward off cold, flu and other virus infections before they even get in to the body.
I love the idea of adding fresh ginger root! 🙂
I have been buying XyliWhite cinnafresh toothpaste gel from now at a vitamin store.
Since I have been reading and re-encountering articles about baking soda and coconut oil toothpaste, I have began each morning and ended each day swishing for 20 – 30 mins. with my mixed baking soda and coconut oil. Then, I drink my vitamins with mixed 1/2 cup of water and 1/2 cup aloe vera. I conclude with brushing with NOW’s XyliWhite cinnafresh ToothpasteGel. What I want to know is recipes or advice I keep encountering with coconut and baking soda peppermint is added: how much cinnamon can be added or substituted instead of peppermint? plus what are the further benefits of cinnamon added?
Not really relevant to this post, but the next time I feel a cold coming on I am going to try cloving it to death 🙂
Seriously, cloves are supposed to be highly anti-inflammatory as well as the food with the highest per capita anti-oxident value. So, I’ll use a coffee grinder to crush them, and then mix it into water – followed by drinking the concoction. Hopefully it will be the anti-cold tonic I’ve always been looking for.
Suppose it wouldn’t hurt to add the cinnamon & honey combo as well 🙂
thank you and be blessed
Thanx for the recipe actully l will try it l have been hearing of it from friends so l decided to check on internet.it is very interesting.
It has really helped me get through the winter.
What if you are pregnant will it hurt the baby?
No. It’s just cinnamon and honey. You are not taking in an extreme amount of either. Neither of these are restricted to pregnant ladies. I am pregnant and started doing this last night because I really don’t like taking medicine while pregnant.
Yes you shouldn’t take cinnamon during pregnancy. Cinnamon is indeed on the list of things to avoid. Especially in highish doses.. I was taking about a heaped teaspoon of cinnamon and teaspoon of honey for approx 2 weeks in early pregnancy and I had a miscarriage at 11 weeks, I’ll never know if it was the cinnamon but I found our recently you shouldn’t take it in pregnancy
I should add I was taking that dose ( heaped teaspoon) about 3 times a day and I had the miscarriage starting with contractions while I was still taking it every day, like I said I’ll never know for sure but I certainly believe it was the large amount of cinnamon that started pre term labour ? I would hate for anyone to go through the guilt I have been.. Here is a link to a site with more info on cinnamon and it’s harmful effects during pregnancy http://www.curejoy.com/content/cinnamon-safe-pregnancy/
This is quite a large dose of cinnamon, esp if having three times daily.
Cinnamon in high doses is not safe in pregnancy. Honey is safe.
I would suggest, if pregnant- have a plain and simple high grade manuka honey without cinnamon.
Usually 3 teaspoons daily with active cold and no need without cold. Although I hear 1tspn daily is safe I would suggest maybe 5-10umf grade if doing this rather than 15-20umf for an active cold.
Note, heating it will lose some of the high grade umf so better if u can to have cold or just raw. Otherwise your spending lots on the higher grade and not actually getting it when taken.
Can we use it in summer?
Definitely!
I steep a piece of fresh ginger and mix the cinnamon and honey in with that water. It’s actually good and knocked my cold out in a few days. I felt better after just drinking it a few times over a 24 hour period.
Sounds great with added ginger.
I’ve long been using honey-ginger tea as a sore throat cure, but I never thought of adding cinnamon. I’ll have to try that the next time I feel a bit under the weather.
Cinnamon will make a great addition to the tea!
oooh! Thanks for the tips and recipes! My fix when I have a cold is Herbal Lemon tea seeped along with a cinnamon stick and chicken noodle soup.
Herbal lemon tea sounds great, I’ll have to try that!
What is the amount to be taken per day and how often?
I take a tablespoon 2 to 3 times a day for a few days.
But your recipe says to mix 1 teaspoon honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon – no way does that equal a tablespoon.
+ water
The ratio should be 1/4 tsp organic cinnamon to 1 Tbs of raw honey. Been using this for the past 3 years and it works great.
Put it another way; use a ratio of four parts honey to one part cinnamon.
Four tablespoons of honey and one tablespoon of cinnamon for instance.
If you want to make a huge batch; 1 cup of honey and 1/4 cup of cinnamon.
Exactly. Thank you. That’s what the question was. Not what kind, or judging the previous person for their way of doing it. 😜 this was exactly the info I was looking for. Thank u! 😊
Wow
Hi Lori.
Suitable to be given to 4yrs old?
You can give it to kids (just not under the age of 1 because honey is in it).
Can we drink when the drink is cold…. that is preparing the drink at night and have its half portion in morning…or we have to drink when it is abit warm
You can drink it cold. I do that sometimes too because I store the excess in the fridge for the next day.
so can i drink i hot or cold
Yes, you can have it cool or hot.
I keep honey on my night stand for a cough that wakes me up, it cures it. When I have a stomach ache I mix honey, cinnamon, and peanut butter and it cured the upset stomach. There are so many things this helps