Is Unfiltered Honey Safe During Pregnancy?

Unpasteurized honey can harm the mother due to the high allergenic potential or because of the risk of containing important amounts of spores from clostridium botulinum. Also, mothers who suffer from diabetes or who simply experience fluctuations in their blood sugar should consult a doctor before choosing to consume honey.

Despite its health benefits, honey can pose a risk to infants under 1-year-old. Approximately 10 percent of honey samples contain botulism spores, reports Dr. Alan Greene.

Caffeine is present in: Honey may contain the bacteria that cause botulism or other toxins that can be harmful for pregnant and breast-feeding women. These toxins can also potentially harm your developing baby or infant younger than 1 year old.

Fertility: There is some thought that preconceptional use of honey may help improve your ability to become pregnant, says Andrea Chisholm, MD, an OB-GYN and member of Verywell Family’s Review Board.

Why shouldn’t babies eat honey?

Many parents are aware of the fact that babies and infants younger than 1-year-old should not eat raw honey because it carries the risk of botulism bacteria for them. Honey contains a certain type of bacteria that can lead to botulism in infants.

Benefits of Honey During Pregnancy 1 Fertility: There is some thought that preconceptional use of honey may help improve your ability to become pregnant, says Andrea Chisholm, MD, an OB/GYN in Wyoming. 2 Respiratory health: Some studies have found that eating honey may help with asthma, treat coughs, and soothe sore throats. 5 3 Antioxidant protection: Honey, especially dark-colored varieties, contains antioxidants, which may boost health by combating molecules in our bodies that damage healthy cells. 6

Under the age of 1, infants’ digestive systems aren’t developed enough to safely handle all of the bacteria in raw honey, so the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that no baby under the age of 1 should have raw honey. 1 .

Honey is safe for the baby in your belly, too. Even in isolated cases when pregnant people contracted botulism, researchers have found no evidence that their babies were born with the condition. Expectant parents’ botulism infection wasn’t linked to pregnancy problems or birth defects, either. 2

That means that even if a woman eats honey and has the botulism spores in her own body, they will not reach the baby. As you can probably imagine, botulism is also very rare during pregnancy, so it has been difficult for doctors to accurately study the effects of the bacteria on pregnant women and their babies.

It is also helpful to keep in mind that honey is still primarily comprised of sugar, so if you are watching your weight during pregnancy, have been advised by a doctor to avoid excess sugar, or have a condition such as gestational diabetes, you will want to limit your sugar sources as well.

In general, honey is a safe sweet treat for you during pregnancy. So if you want to swirl some honey in your tea, use it to sweeten your baked goods, or take a spoonful to soothe a sore throat, feel free.

Why is honey pasteurized?

Most honey sold in stores is pasteurized – not for safety reasons but for storage purposes and to improve appearance. The honey is pasteurized using a method similar to the one used for pasteurizing milk. It’s heated to 161 degrees F for 15 to 30 seconds and then rapidly cooled. This kills yeast cells (though not the botulism spores) so the honey won’t ferment. Pasteurization also slows the crystallization process so honey will stay liquid longer.

In rare cases where pregnant women have become ill with botulism, the illness wasn’t detected in their babies.

Sometimes manufacturers add unhealthy sweetners, such as corn syrup, to pasteurized honey. To avoid these fillers, check that the ingredients label says honey only.

Honey contains small amounts of antioxidants, minerals, and enzymes that may be beneficial to your health. It can also be used as a cough remedy or to soothe a sore throat, and some types of honey have been shown to help wounds heal. But don’t overdo it.

Adults and older children with these conditions may be more susceptible to infection from the bacteria in honey that causes botulism. Nutritionally, honey can serve as a tasty, slightly healthier alternative to sugar. Honey contains small amounts of antioxidants, minerals, and enzymes that may be beneficial to your health.

That said, if you have gastrointestinal problems or abnormalities, such as Crohn’s disease, inflammatory bowel disease, or previous gastric surgery, it may be best to avoid honey for the sake of your own health. Adults and older children with these conditions may be more susceptible to infection from the bacteria in honey that causes botulism.

Yes, it’s safe to eat honey during pregnancy. While it’s not safe to give honey to babies under a year old, eating honey when you’re pregnant won’t harm you or your unborn child. That’s because your grown-up stomach can handle the bacteria in honey that sometimes makes babies sick with a rare illness called botulism.

Is it safe to drink honey while pregnant?

Thankfully, it turns out that if you’re pregnant and honey is your cup of tea (or a necessary part of it), it’s perfectly safe to indulge, as long as the honey is pasteurized.

You’re probably paranoid about honey because you know that the sweet, sticky stuff is a no-no for babies until after their first birthday. That’s because honey can contain bacterial spores, which can be toxic to a baby’s tiny, underdeveloped digestive system. Contamination is rare, but it happens. Thankfully, it turns out that if you’re pregnant and honey is your cup of tea (or a necessary part of it), it’s perfectly safe to indulge, as long as the honey is pasteurized.

Can pregnant women eat honey?

Women who are pregnant can eat raw honey without worry for the safety of their unborn children. According to an article published in the journal Canadian Family Physician, the adult gastrointestinal system has bacteria that protect against botulism; and because of the molecular weight of the botulism toxin, it is unlikely to cross the placenta. Hence, a pregnant woman cannot pass along botulism to her fetus.

Even though honey has a number of incredible medicinal qualities, the Centers for Disease Control, the American Association of Pediatrics, and the National Honey Board recommend against feeding any kind of honey to infants below the age of one . This is because raw honey may contain botulinum toxin spores. Botulism can lead to paralysis and even death.

According to BreastCancer.org, dietitians advise people who are immuno-deficient or immuno-compromised — for example, because of chemotherapy treatments or advanced AIDS — to avoid eating unpasteurized dairy and raw honey. This recommendation is given because such treatments and conditions weaken the body’s ability to fight off disease.