GUIDE
Honey During Pregnancy
YES — honey is safe to eat during pregnancy.
Your adult digestive system can handle botulism spores that are dangerous to infants. Enjoy honey freely during pregnancy.
Be prepared from day one
The Short Answer
Honey is completely safe during pregnancy. The confusion comes from the well-known rule that babies under 12 months should not eat honey due to infant botulism risk — but this restriction does not apply to pregnant women.
Your mature digestive system is fully equipped to handle Clostridium botulinum spores that may be present in honey. These spores are destroyed by your stomach acid and the competitive bacteria in your adult gut long before they could cause any harm. They also cannot cross the placenta to reach your baby.
For a complete overview, see our complete food safety guide.
Safe During Pregnancy
- Regular commercial honey — pasteurized and safe
- Raw or unfiltered honey — adult digestive systems handle botulism spores safely
- Manuka honey — safe during pregnancy, same as regular honey
- Honey in tea or warm water — a safe sore throat remedy during pregnancy
- Honey in baked goods and cooking — heating doesn't change its safety status
- Honey-flavored products — cereals, yogurt, sauces, and dressings are all fine
Honey is safe for pregnant women in all forms — raw, processed, and cooked.
Important Reminders
- Giving honey to your baby after birth until 12 months — infant botulism risk
- Excessive honey if you have gestational diabetes — treat it like any added sugar
The botulism risk applies only to infants, not to pregnant women.
Why This Matters During Pregnancy
Infant botulism occurs when Clostridium botulinum spores — which can be present in honey and soil — are ingested by a baby whose gut flora isn't yet mature enough to prevent the spores from germinating. The spores colonize the infant's intestine and produce botulinum toxin, which can cause muscle weakness, breathing difficulties, and other serious symptoms.
Adults and older children have a diverse, established gut microbiome that prevents these spores from colonizing. This is why honey is safe for everyone except infants under 12 months.
During pregnancy, the spores are destroyed in your digestive tract. They do not enter your bloodstream and cannot cross the placenta. The CDC, ACOG, and FDA all confirm that honey consumption during pregnancy is safe.
Nutritionally, honey provides quick energy from natural sugars and small amounts of antioxidants. It also has mild antibacterial properties, making it a useful natural remedy for sore throats and coughs during pregnancy, when many medications are off-limits.
Tips for Safe Eating
Enjoy honey however you like during pregnancy — in tea, on toast, in baking, as a sweetener, or straight from the spoon. Both raw and pasteurized honey are safe.
If you have gestational diabetes or are monitoring blood sugar levels, treat honey as you would any added sugar. One tablespoon contains about 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar. It's slightly sweeter than table sugar, so you may need less of it.
Honey is a popular natural remedy during pregnancy for sore throats and coughs. Mix 1-2 teaspoons into warm water or herbal tea (like ginger or peppermint) for relief.
Remember: once your baby arrives, no honey until after their first birthday. This is an important food safety rule for infants. For more on pregnancy nutrition, see our best foods for pregnancy guide and pregnancy superfoods guide. For a complete list of foods to watch out for, see our complete food safety guide.
This guide is for informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult your healthcare provider with any questions about your pregnancy.
