The ‘superhero’ sweetener in your pantry

What do bees know that Big Pharma doesn’t?

Forget about a spoonful of sugar to make the medicine go down. Grab that honey.

It now seems the honey might be even better medicine than the stuff it’s hiding the taste of.

A new study has found honey to be a powerful disease fighter that’s especially effective against today’s “superbugs.” That’s because it makes them less resistant to antibiotics, said the lead researcher.

The research team found honey’s antioxidants to be effective against several types of bacteria, including E. coli. Other studies, she said, have also shown honey fights bacteria, viral and fungal infections.

Besides drying out bacteria, she noted that honey keeps drug-resistant forms of them from developing in the first place. Plus, it helps antibiotics work better.

So when you’re a bit under the weather, maybe you should first try heading for the pantry instead of the pharmacy.