What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Honey Water? Experts Weigh In

Warm water with lemon is a popular morning drink for supporting digestion, hydration, and healthy skin. Some people will even add honey to this morning beverage for an added sweetness. It turns out, though, warm water with honey—hold the lemon—may also have some beneficial properties. 

Along with the soothing properties, honey is also high in antioxidants, which help reduce oxidative stress brought on the body by free radicals, Ayanwola explains. "Through this mechanism, honey can contribute to reinforcing our immune system4 and could potentially shorten the length of a cold," she says. 

Based on the above information, honey may be able to manage cold symptoms and support immune functioning, but more research is needed. Adding water to the honey might not matter, registered dietitian Mascha Davis, MPH, RDN, says.

In fact, for those following an ayurvedic practice, water should not be added. Physician and ayurvedic expert Avanti Kumar-Singh, M.D. explains that honey should always be taken at room temperature, under ayurvedic medicine, to avoid changing its chemical structure.

Some current research supports the strategy of room-temperature honey, too: One study suggests eating honey or storing for long periods of time can increase the amount of HMG5 (hydroxymethylfurfural), which may have deleterious effects in mice, bees, and humans due to the downstream metabolites.

Quality, sourcing, and nutritional content can vary among types of honey. 

"Raw and dark varieties of honey have a greater concentration of antioxidants," Ayanwola says, which can contribute to a healthy immune system. 

Lemons are a good source of vitamin C, which has known immune-supporting benefits. "Most cold sufferers choose to add lemon to their warm honey water for this reason," Ayanwola says. However, 1 ounce of lemon juice contains only 22% of the daily recommended intake for vitamin C.