The honey trick recipe is one of those simple drinks that went viral on social media: a spoonful of honey stirred into warm water, usually with lemon and sometimes cinnamon or ginger. You’ll see it sold as a fat burner, a memory booster and a cure-all. It isn’t any of those things, but it is a pleasant, soothing drink that takes two minutes to make.
Below you’ll find the basic recipe, the most popular versions people search for (Brazilian, Canaan, red honey, honey with salt or baking soda), and a straight answer on what the evidence actually says, so you can enjoy it for what it is.
So What Is It, Really?
Strip away the hype and you’ve got honey, warm water and a squeeze of lemon. That’s it. Three things, which is why half the internet calls it the “three-ingredient honey trick.” Every fancy-sounding version I’ve come across is that same mug with one extra thing thrown in, like cinnamon, a coin of ginger, a pinch of salt, or a “special” honey.
Grandmothers were handing out honey and lemon for scratchy throats long before anyone filmed it for TikTok. Honey has been in kitchens and medicine cabinets for thousands of years (the Egyptians used it, Ayurveda uses it), so the “ancient honey ritual” label isn’t totally made up. Wikipedia’s honey page has the long version if you’re curious.
How I Make It
For one mug
- 1 tablespoon honey (raw if you have it, any decent jar if not)
- 1 cup (240 ml) warm water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, fresh is nicer
- If you like: a shake of cinnamon, or a thin slice of ginger
Steps
- Warm the water. Don’t boil it. You want it at sipping temperature, roughly where you’d drink tea. Scalding water flattens the taste of a nice honey, and it’s a shame to waste it.
- Spoon in the honey and stir. Keep going a few seconds longer than you think; it likes to sit at the bottom.
- Squeeze in the lemon. Ginger? Drop the slice in and give it about 4 minutes.
- Sip, then fix it. Too sweet, more lemon. Too sour, a drizzle more honey.
RECIPE
Honey Trick Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon raw honey
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon optional
- Fresh ginger slice optional
Equipment
- Small cup or mug
- Spoon
- Kettle or saucepan
Method
- Warm one cup of water until hot but not boiling.
- Add raw honey to the warm water and stir well.
- Mix in lemon juice, cinnamon, or ginger if desired.
- Let the Honey Trick cool slightly before drinking.
- Enjoy in the morning or evening as part of your wellness routine.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use raw or organic honey for better flavor and quality.For the best flavor and wellness benefits, use raw honey and fresh lemon juice when preparing your Honey Trick.
- Avoid boiling water to preserve honey’s natural properties.
- Drink the Honey Trick in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
- Do not give honey to infants under one year old.
Storage Tips
- Store the Honey Trick in an airtight glass container.
- Keep refrigerated for up to 24 hours.
- Stir or shake well before serving.
- Avoid direct sunlight and heat exposure.
- Do not use boiling water when reheating.
- Use fresh lemon and natural ingredients for best quality.
- Enjoy the Honey Trick warm or chilled.
- Consume within one day for maximum freshness
Private Notes
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
All Those “Different” Honey Tricks
Brazilian, Canaan, golden, pink salt… it sounds like a lot. It isn’t. Here’s what’s actually in the mug for each one:
| Version | What’s in it | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|
| Classic / three-ingredient | Honey, warm water, lemon | The base for everything else |
| Brazilian honey trick | Honey, lemon, cinnamon | Warming and a little spicy; nice in the morning |
| Canaan honey trick | Honey, warm water, lemon, sometimes ginger or cinnamon | Essentially the classic version under another name |
| Golden honey | Honey mixed with turmeric and black pepper | See our turmeric and honey guide |
| Honey and salt (“pink salt trick”) | Honey, water, a pinch of pink or sea salt | Adds sodium; skip it if you watch your salt intake |
| Honey and baking soda | Honey, water, a small amount of baking soda | Baking soda is very high in sodium; not a daily drink |
| Red honey trick | Made with “red” or Himalayan honey | Be careful: see the safety note below |
Please be careful with “red” honey
This one worries me. A lot of the “red honey” or “Himalayan honey” pushed online is really mad honey, made by bees feeding on rhododendron in Nepal and the Black Sea coast of Turkey. It carries grayanotoxins. People end up in the ER with dizziness, a crashing heart rate and low blood pressure. For a morning mug, plain supermarket or farmers’ market honey is the safe pick.
Does the Honey Trick Actually Do Anything?
Short answer: it’s good for a sore throat and not much else. Longer answer, claim by claim:
- Coughs and sore throats. Yes, this part holds up. Even the NHS recommends honey and lemon in warm water for a cough, for adults and kids older than one.
- Drinking more water. If a warm sweet mug gets you to drink something before coffee, great. Small win, but a real one.
- “Burns fat.” No. Honey is sugar, about 64 calories a tablespoon, and the WHO lumps it in with free sugars you’re meant to keep under 10% of your calories. The only way it “helps” is if it replaces a can of soda.
- Memory. The studies that get shared are mostly on rats, or used concentrated honey extracts. A teaspoon in a mug is a different thing. I haven’t seen anything showing it sharpens memory in people.
- Joint pain. The “honey trick for joints” is usually honey plus turmeric or ginger. Turmeric has a bit of research for stiff joints, but one drink holds very little of it. Sore joints are a doctor visit, not a mug.
- Men’s health and ED. Here I’d be the most skeptical. Some “honey packets” sold for men have turned out to contain hidden prescription drugs, and the FDA keeps warning about them. Honey and lemon from your own kitchen is harmless. It just won’t do what those ads say.
A Few Things I’ve Learned
- The honey matters more than the “trick.” Clover and acacia almost vanish in water. Buckwheat or chestnut honey tastes dark and a little malty, which I love with ginger.
- One spoon is plenty. Doubling it just doubles the sugar.
- Bored of it? Make a honey latte instead, or keep a jar of honey vanilla syrup in the fridge for tea. Dessert mood? Whip a batch of honey sweetened whipped cream.
FAQs
What are the three ingredients in the honey trick?
Honey, warm water, lemon. People often toss in cinnamon or ginger too.
Can I drink it every day?
A mug a day is fine for most healthy adults. If you have diabetes, count it like any other sugar and check with your doctor.
Is it OK for kids?
Not for babies. No honey before 12 months, because of infant botulism. Older kids can have a little.
Morning or night?
Doesn’t matter. Some people want it first thing on a cold morning, others right before bed. Same drink either way.
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