Honey is a beneficial to humans product that contains extremely valuable compounds. Thanks to its richness in glucose and fructose (about 70–80 % of its contents), it is a great source of quick carbohydrates. Honey also contains water (about 20 %), vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, organic acids, etc.

It is not recommended to offer honey to children under 1 year of age due to the risk of Botulism (honey may contain spores of Clostridium botulinum, a bacterium that causes Botulism). In adults and older children, the little Clostridium spores dissolve in the gastrointestinal tract, but in babies under 1 year the tract is underdeveloped (low acidity, poor bacterial flora) and cannot deal with the spores, the spores may develop, produce toxin and cause flaccid paralytic disease. The symptoms appear 8 to 36 hours after the spores are consumed. In babies they are lethargic behaviour, feeding without appetite or eagerness, weak crying, low muscle tone, constipation.

Honey may also cause allergic reactions due to its polifloral nature. The risk is higher in children who had atopic dermatitis or allergic reactions to other foods under the age of 1 year. If this is the case with your child, be extra careful when offering honey.

The daily intake depends on the age and weight of the child, but is approximately 1–2 g/kg. To preserve the healthy qualities of honey, do not process it thermally – i.e. do not heat it up, do not melt it and do not add it in hot tea (wait for the tea to reach a temperature of 40 °C or less).