Is Honey a Cure for Pollen Allergies?

Many purveyors of honey at local farmers markets highlight the allergy fighting benefits of honey.  The promise is that if you eat local honey for a few weeks before going to a new location you will build up a resistance to the allergens in the local air.  Is it true I don't know -- and I don't like honey.  But I thought it would be interesting to do a little research and see what others think. 

I was surprised to see that very little information existed on the allergy prevention benefits of local honey.  I found YouTube videos promoting everything from better digestion to better taste.  But very little on the allergy benefits of local honey.  One article from ABC News on the Go by Diane Sawyer Allergy Remedies -- Fact or Fiction? notes the idea of eating honey to prevent allergies doesn't work.  According to Neil Kao, an allergist and station head for the Allergic Disease and Asthma Center simply eating local honey picked up at a farmer's market is not going to help with your oak, ragweed or juniper tree allergy.  Kao said the pollen bees pick up from flowers is heavier than the grass or tree pollen that are the main causes of springtime allergy misery.

There is a limited study noted in the same article that people who are allergic to birch pollen who ate honey with birch pollen added were able to control their allergy symptoms more than those who used mainstream medicines.

I find this interesting and may have to find a way to give honey a try. Another thing I heard is that people who have oral allergies or are allergic to fruit are allergic to birch pollen.  In another posting I will investigate that and if honey can play a role in helping people with oral allergies.