Full Thread

S (Atlanta) on 02/19/2007

In the article about honey it has been mentioned multiple times that honey should not be given to infants since it can have a toxic reaction in them. I think that's untrue since in India, honey is the very first thing that we give kids after they are born. That is to enable them to excrete the first time without any problem. Also we feed the babies with honey quite often in their first year to soothe their upset tummies or to cure cough/cold. For very little infants (less than 4 months old), like everything else, honey is also given in very small portions...2 drops at a time and not more than 2 doses a day, and it really helps them. I think it's only a myth that honey affects infants. But I do agree that honey should not be heated or added to very hot liquids since it'll become toxic.

Replied By Virginia (Albuquerque, NM) on 05/09/2007

Regarding giving honey to infants: RAW honey should not be given to infants as it may transmit INFANT BOTULISM. It is my understnding that after they are a year old, a child is no longer susceptible to problem. I doubt what is commonly given to infants in India is raw honey, but rather honey that has been properly heated or processed so that botulism is not a problem.

EC: We sent S's email to a dear friend of ours from India (who now lives in the USA) for another opinion. This was our friend's response:

"I remember that my mother was very surprised when I told her that infants should not be fed honey for the first year. In India, honey is given very routinely for the reasons that this person's email mentioned. On the other hand, in India, scientific research can be a little shady. Also, the value of life is less. One infant less due to an allergic reaction to honey counts for little, sadly. Also, infants here are different and are born with different immune systems. I don't think you should recommend honey for US infants.

I heard something really interesting from an Indian parent in the US the other day. She was saying that her child, with two biological Indian parents, had a host of allergies. This is apparently very common for children of Indian parents who are born in the US. It is surmised that these children inherit, through their birth, highly evolved immune systems that are used to battling a lot of germs. But in the US there are comparitively few diseases to combat with the result that these highly evolved immune systems have nothing to do. They then turn on themselves and create all sorts of allergies. Isn't that interesting?

But I don't think it would be wise for you to recommend honey. The consequences could be disastrous for that one infant who can't take it. "

Replied By Raquel (West Palm Beach, Florida) on 07/19/2009

I'm sorry but I don't agree that the reason why Indians (or people from other ethnicities) may get allergies here in the U.S. is the one given, it may be the opposite. I believe there are many (and probably different...) types of environmental molds/fungi here in the U.S. and those are the real reasons for most allergies. A lot of fungi produce mycotoxins that have immuno-suppresive properties, that goes also for anti-biotics which ARE mycotoxins and they are prescribed much too liberally.

I am originally from the Dominican Republic and have had more problems in FL due to fungi, especially in recent years because of 3 hurricanes we had in this area, than I actually did where I grew up. My best friend, a Dominican also who moved to Delaware in 1991, recently told me that she began suffering from allergies, sinus (and other fungi-related) problems AFTER she moved there.

Replied By Ladut (Northern, Indiana) on 01/10/2010

Botulism is a concern when feeding infants honey because of the spores that may be present in the honey. These spores are harmless to adults, as they are in a dormant state, but infect infants by another method of action.

Being spores, however, means that they can survive cooking temperatures, and so boiling honey will do nothing to reduce this risk.

I also somewhat disagree with the statement that second generation Indians develop allergies due to a bored immune system. Your immunity is developed by oneself, through exposure to disease, not inherited from the parent (although genetics may play a role in the functional ability, the actual functioning is environmental). Industrialized nations have much higher levels of allergies anyway, regardless of where your parents came from, so it's more likely that the environmental toxins are just something that NO immune system is built to easily handle.

Replied By Android (Davis, California Usa) on 06/08/2011

Hello to everyone... I am a Microbiologist. Honey is not given to infants or recommended for the aged (70 ) as they do not have sufficient stomach acid to prevent the botulism spores from breaking out of spore and developing into the bacteria that produce botulin toxin.

Replied By Mawgee (Shelton, Wa) on 05/30/2012

Darn, you mean I need to stop using honey (I'm 65 going on 70)? I've never heard that being older makes it dangerous to use honey. How long has this info been available? wow, I never realized aging could be so perilous!!!! Lol

Replied By Suelr (Syracuse, Ny) on 11/27/2012

If low stomach acid is cause to not eat honey, then people who take antacids like Prevacid should not eat honey either.

Entire Thread

You must be logged in to love this post! Please sign in:

You must be logged in to follow this post! Please sign in: