The idea that honey might combat allergy symptoms starts with the notion that gradual exposure to small amounts of an allergen will gradually lead someone to build a tolerance.
The concept is basically that of immunotherapy, which is how allergy shots work, according to Gerald Lee, MD, an associate professor in the section of allergy and immunology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta. “With allergy shots, we are modifying the immune system, exposing the body to allergens so the body no longer reacts to them,” Dr. Lee explains.
“Honey, unfortunately, is not going to do that, even if it’s local or raw,” he says.
First off, honey does not contain much, if any, of the pollen linked to seasonal allergies. Honey bees carry pollen produced by flowers; the pollens responsible for most allergies come from trees, grasses, and weeds.
“Very little of the common pollen allergens would make it into honey,” says Melanie Carver, the chief mission officer with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America. “And if they did, they might trigger an allergic reaction in someone who is allergic to that pollen.”
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