Sweet News! Honey Can Help With Period Cramps

A spoonful of sugar doesn’t just help the medicine go down– it might be the medicine.

According to Archives Gynecology Obstetrics medical journal, honey is just as effective as mefenamic acid (a nonsteroidal, anti-inflammatory drug) in relieving cramps. Mefenamic acid can have a number of side effects, from digestive concerns (upset stomach, heartburn, diarrhea), to dizziness and drowsiness, to raising blood pressure; as an all natural remedy for cramps, honey is affordable and safe.

The study gathered 56 subjects and divided them into two groups: the first group took honey for one treatment period, while the other group took mefenamic acid. Then, the groups switched for the second treatment period. The results found that there was “no significant differences” between the two treatment methods, leading researchers to conclude that the two methods “led to the same amount of pain relief.”

As the research is still new, more information is needed on how much of a dosage is effective, what kind of honey works best, in what form, and for whom it works best. All that said, you can find us Winnie-the-Pooh-ing it up next time we have cramps.

Curious about honey’s many incredible healing properties? Check our guide to manuka honey— the ultimate wellness syrup.