EcoVida: Honey Helpful With Allergies?

Bees and allergies might seem like an unlikely combination, but we’ve heard from a number of El Pasoans who swear by using honey from local bee farms to alleviate their allergy symptoms.

The pollen in honey is the important ingredient for fighting allergies. Tony Ceballos, owner of Fabens Honey Farm, explains how bees turn pollen, a common allergen, into honey.

“Bees have to gather it from the flower and bring it into the hive, and they take care of the moisture and the liquid in the nectar, and once they do that then they pack it in the frames here it’s called honey. It’s ready for consumption,” said Tony Ceballos.

People who favor natural remedies tout that eating honey on a regular basis from local bee farms alleviates allergies since bees collect pollen from local plant sources.

But what about the science behind the sweetness?

The theory behind why honey can be helpful for people with allergies is something called immunotherapy. It’s where you expose yourself to the aggravating allergy over a long period of time, basically like an allergy shot, but instead of getting injected with what’s bothering you allergy-wise, you ingest it via the honey.

There is a catch. Not everyone is allergic to pollen from local flowers.

“Pollens that cause allergies are the things that are in ragweed, tumbleweed, and mulberry trees. Bees don’t go around collecting those types of pollens, so the pollens that are in honey are typically flowers, and flowers don’t typically give you much allergy,” said allergist Dr. Joe Venzor.

But for those who do suffer from local flowering plant allergies, honey may be just the relief you’ve been looking for.

Many health food stores carry local honey, just make sure to read the label before you buy. Also, doctors warn that people who are extremely sensitive to pollen can have a serious allergic reaction to honey. And remember, before starting any new allergy regimen you should always talk to your doctor.