Wellness enthusiasts claim that garlic soaking in honey can prevent—or even treat—cold and flu. While there’s research that each of these individual ingredients boasts health benefits, research on what happens when you mix the two for the sake of cold and flu prevention doesn’t exist.

“In vitro studies have significant limitations in terms of what can or can’t be applied to how the compounds in question behave in vivo, or in a living body,” she said.

Here are the health benefits of garlic and honey, as well as what you need to know about mixing them during cold and flu season.

Both Honey and Garlic May Have Cold and Flu Benefits

Both garlic and honey have their own, individual health benefits.

According to Palmer, honey has been used as medicine for centuries.

“Honey contains phytochemicals with anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antioxidant properties,” she said.

A 2021 review of multiple studies found honey was effective at easing cold symptoms, cough frequency, and cough severity. Another 2021 study found that honey can stimulate the immune system and have anti-inflammatory effects.

“There does seem to be some potential benefit,” said Davis. 

An older study suggests aged garlic extract pills can increase T cells in your blood—the type that ward off viruses. In a 2016 study, the extract reduced the severity of cold and flu.

It can be hard to harness the compounds in garlic because they change during processing, but that doesn’t mean the potential for wellness is absent.

A 2020 study confirmed garlic’s “potential” antiviral properties, while a 2021 report touted its antibacterial superpowers.

A 2014 analysis of multiple trials said there wasn’t enough evidence to show garlic could prevent or treat the common cold, though one study in that report said it could be preventative.

Research Doesn't Support Fermenting Garlic in Honey

As for the trending honey-garlic blend, there’s far less peer-reviewed published research on it, and none on the ferment as a whole. 

“Specific studies on their combined fermented form are scarce,” she said.

A 2013 report on using garlic and Ethiopian tazma honey found they were better together than alone to tame Salmonella, E. coli, and other bacteria in vitro. A lab study from the same year tested garlic juice and Langese brand honey and showed that the combo killed strains of Streptococcus and Staphylococcus bacteria.

Palmer said there’s no scientific research she’s aware of that documents the health benefits of fermented garlic and honey.

And ultimately, there may be some risks with trying the concoction, said Davis.

“Botulism risk in raw honey and in garlic are both documented,” she explained. “Honey might contain various contaminants, including pesticides, antibiotics, heavy metals, and other toxic materials.”

Some demographics should be particularly cautious around this combination: babies under one year of age should not consume honey. And, it may not be safe for those who are immunocompromised or allergic to bee pollen, Dyckman explained.

Trying Honey Garlic for Cold and Flu Season

Despite the potential dangers noted above, Dyckman said fermented garlic in honey is a relatively “benign intervention with few downsides.”

“[It] may be worth a try,” she said.

Given the lack of concrete evidence, Ring advises people to use the remedy as a complementary approach, rather than a primary treatment for cold or flu.

If you’re interested in trying it, she recommends doing it as part of a broader health effort and first talk to your doctor, especially if you have any underlying health conditions or are taking other medications including anticoagulants and anti-diabetes drugs.

Davis explained that the best bet for preventing or treating colds and flu is to eat adequate protein, vitamins, and minerals from whole foods. It's also helpful to steer clear of ultra-processed foods like added sugar.

Davis said that staying well-hydrated, getting enough sleep, and avoiding stress all “far more strong science behind them in terms of their ability to support immune health over time."