It is well known that honey has strong antimicrobial effects. However, that sounds more like a cliché than a "WOW".

One of the reasons is the world market saturation with adulterated or lower quality honey (see Where to Go Shopping for Real Honey), which successfully undermines people’s century-long trust in this magical product.

Another reason is that we (even a number of beekeepers) do not know how to take advantage of the antibacterial effects of honey.

For example, one gram of linden honey kills 117 000 amoebas and 65000 stylonychia mytilus. When consumed, however, it does not exhibit such remarkable antibacterial effects. The reasons are quite simple. First of all, bees produce honey to feed on it, not to do a special favor to man, although we greatly benefit from it. Secondly, once in our digestive system, gastric and duodenal (secreted by the duodenum) juices significantly neutralize its antimicrobial activity. This does not apply to the nutritional, dietary and all the other properties of honey.

If we open the old dusty books on folk medicine, we will notice that honey is applied mainly externally when it comes to its bactericidal and bacteriostatic properties. However, is it possible to take advantage of those upon its consumption as well?

Yes, of course. The solution is very simple. Keep the honey as long as possible in the oral cavity, preferably under the tongue (but not necessarily if that would compromise the pleasure of consumption). Crystallized honey is quite suitable for that purpose. Thus, part of the antimicrobial honey components are absorbed while still in the mouth which makes the consumption much more complete. Another advantage is that so consumed, honey destroys a considerable percentage of pathogenic flora in the mouth, the throat, nasal passages and the larynx.

When the antibacterial properties of honey are used as a cure for any disease of the gastrointestinal tract, it is advisable to take half a teaspoon of baking soda to neutralize the gastro-duodenal juice.