Honey is a complex food in the context of eczema — it can be both a rare trigger and a potential treatment depending on the individual. As a trigger, honey contains pollen (particularly from the Compositae/daisy family) and bee-derived proteins that can cause reactions in people with pollen allergies or bee venom allergy.

However, true honey allergy is extremely rare — less than 0.001% of people. As a treatment, manuka honey has been shown in laboratory studies to inhibit the allergic response in mast cells by 85–100% and has documented anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties that can benefit eczema. Clinical evidence supports its use as a topical wound dressing. For most people with eczema, honey is not a meaningful food trigger.