Honey has been around for centuries as food and medicine. It has antimicrobial properties, so it’s really the first antibiotic ointment. But, does it cure coughing?
This article has many vocabularies that are related to sickness, especially coughing. There is dry cough, wet (productive cough), sputum, etc. The most technical term in the article is 胃食道逆流, which means Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD/ acid reflux).
[otw_shortcode_tabslayout tabs=”2″ tab_1_title=”Simplified Chinese” tab_1_content=”许多人都听过吃蜂蜜可以止咳的说法，中医师指出，若是没有痰的干咳，蜂蜜的确有润肺止咳的效果；但咳嗽多痰时，就不适宜食用蜂蜜。
奇美医学中心中医部总医师邹晓玲表示，古代的调味品没有糖，古人多以蜂蜜代替。蜂蜜性味甘平、质地温润，具有补中益气、养液安神、润肺的功效。蜂蜜也可以治疗并改善大便干硬、干咳久嗽、皮肤干燥无光泽等症状。
邹晓玲指出，「蜂蜜可以止咳」和「甜食容易生痰」的说法看起来互相矛盾；但其实都没有错，只是适用的条件不同。现今有许多含化学添加物与香料的糖果、饼干。这类零食容易生痰。平时消化功能不佳、或因胃食道逆流引发咳嗽的人，常在吃甜食后咳嗽频率明显增高。
她说，「蜂蜜止咳」的功效是针对没有痰的「燥咳」，也就是喉头干燥导致咽喉刺激感、咽痒，干咳。此时质地温润的蜂蜜，就可以发挥润肺止咳的效果。但咳嗽多痰的情况，就不适宜食用蜂蜜。
邹晓玲指出，日常生活饮食应该营养均衡、以天然食材为主；甜食饼干不宜多吃，更不能当作正餐。若有久咳不愈的困扰时，建议就医找到病因，为了对症治疗。
” tab_2_title=”Traditional Chinese” tab_2_content=”
許多人都聽過吃蜂蜜可以止咳的說法，中醫師指出，若是沒有痰的乾咳，蜂蜜的確有潤肺止咳的效果；但咳嗽多痰時，就不適宜食用蜂蜜。
奇美醫學中心中醫部總醫師鄒曉玲表示，古代的調味品沒有糖，古人多以蜂蜜代替。蜂蜜性味甘平、質地溫潤，具有補中益氣、養液安神、潤肺的功效。蜂蜜也可以治療並改善大便乾硬、乾咳久嗽、皮膚乾燥無光澤等症狀。
鄒曉玲指出，「蜂蜜可以止咳」和「甜食容易生痰」的說法看起來互相矛盾；但其實都沒有錯，只是適用的條件不同。現今有許多含化學添加物與香料的糖果、餅乾。這類零食容易生痰。平時消化功能不佳、或因胃食道逆流引發咳嗽的人，常在吃甜食後咳嗽頻率明顯增高。
她說，「蜂蜜止咳」的功效是針對沒有痰的「燥咳」，也就是喉頭乾燥導致咽喉刺激感、咽癢，乾咳。此時質地溫潤的蜂蜜，就可以發揮潤肺止咳的效果。但咳嗽多痰的情況，就不適宜食用蜂蜜。
鄒曉玲指出，日常生活飲食應該營養均衡、以天然食材為主；甜食餅乾不宜多吃，更不能當作正餐。若有久咳不癒的困擾時，建議就醫找到病因，爲了對症治療。
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English translation:
Many people have heard that eating honey can stop cough, Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners pointed out that if it is a dry cough (no sputum), honey does have the effect of moistening the lungs and relieving cough; but when the cough has many sputa, it is not suitable to eat honey.
Zou Xiaoling, the chief physician of the Chinese Medicine Department of Chi Mei Medical Center, said that ancient seasoning had no sugar, and the ancient people mostly replaced them with honey. Honey is sweet and smooth, with a warm texture. It has the effect of replenishing vital energy, nourishing the skin, calming the nerves and moistening the lungs. Honey can also treat and improve symptoms such as dry stool, dry cough, and dry and dull skin.
Zou Xiaoling pointed out that the statement that “honey can stop cough” and “sweet food is easy to produce sputa” seems contradictory; but in fact, there are nothing wrong with it, just different applicable conditions. In these days, there are many sweets and biscuits containing chemical additives and spices. These kind of snacks are easy to produce sputa. People who have poor digestive function or cough due to acid reflux often have a significantly increased cough frequency after eating sweets.
She said that the effect of “honey can stop cough” is aimed at the “dry cough” that has no sputum, that is, the throat is dry and causes throat irritation, itching throat, and dry cough. At this time, the warm and moist honey can exert the effect of moistening the lungs and relieving cough. However, if it is a wet cough, it is not suitable to eat honey.
Zou Xiaoling pointed out that daily life diet should be balanced and based on natural ingredients; you should not eat too many sweets and biscuits should not be eaten more, and treating them as a meal is not allowed. If you have trouble with long-term cough, it is recommended to seek medical advice for checking the cause of disease, so that it can be treated.
The article is rewritten from here to suit the level of readers. The photo is taken from here.