Beekeeper’s Notes: Honey Better Than Antibiotics And David Beckham Takes Up Beekeeping

Published on: 1 Oct, 2020
Updated on: 30 Sep, 2020

Hugh Coakley keeps bees in Worplesdon

I still find it a wonder to see the golden liquid coursing from the extractor when we harvest the honey from our hives.

The volume produced by the bees is incredible, the variety and taste of raw honey is so intense; shop bought just cannot compare.

Three very different honeys from our bees at different times of the year. Raw honey has a wonderfully intense flavour. Click on the image to enlarge it.

But it isn’t just the taste. Over the years, we hear stories of it being effective against hayfever (see Beekeepers Notes: Hayfever and Honey), in wound care. and, medicinal or not, I like a hot toddy with whisky and honey as a bedtime drink.

Now we are told that when you seek medical help for that sore throat or cough, you might think of taking honey as a first remedy instead.

Researchers had trawled through previous studies that had compared honey against antihistamines, expectorants, cough suppressants and painkillers. They concluded honey is as good if not better than most available treatments.

It is also cheap, readily available and has no side effects.

The report in the British Medical Journal said: “Honey might therefore provide an alternative when doctors want to prescribe something to safely treat upper respiratory tract symptoms.”

It went on to say that “doctors can recommend it as a suitable alternative to antibiotics, which are often prescribed for these types of infection, even though they aren’t suitable”.

Good news.

And David Beckham is getting in on the act and taking up beekeeping as a hobby. His post on Instagram to his 64.5m followers shows him building his hives and putting together frames for his new hobby. He says: “We will be very happy when we have our own honey.”

He’s right, it’s a great feeling.

New hobby for the Beckhams (picture @DavidBeckham)

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