Honey should not be given to infants under 12 months of age. This is because honey can contain Clostridium botulinum (the bacterium that causes botulism), and infants less than 12 months of age have poor immunity against this bacterium.[1][2]
Because honey is primarily composed of sugar, researchers have wondered if it could negatively affect weight or metabolic health. However, meta-analyses of RCTs have found moderate-quality evidence that honey had no effect on blood lipids (LDL-C, HDL-C)[3] or ALT.[4] Furthermore, a 2023 meta-analysis of RCTs found a beneficial effect on blood lipids (reduced total cholesterol and triglycerides; low-quality evidence). Some studies even found reductions to fasting glucose (low-quality evidence)[5] and weight (moderate-quality evidence).[6]