There are two trees that are commonly called Honey Locust but we are talking about Gleditsia Triacanthos. This is a tree that grows predominantly in the eastern and central states in moist river valleys. They have thorns that are about 1-3 inches in length and are red when they are mature. They have pods that are 6-16 inches long and can be up to 1 ½ inches wide. 

You can eat the seeds and seed pods and in fact they taste like raw peas. You can use the sweet pods to make a sweet drink. As the pods mature they will turn bitter.

The bark and the seed pods are mainly used for its medicinal properties. However you can also use the roots. 

Excessive use can cause digestive issues and topical application could cause a reaction. Native Americans used the Honey Locust for many years and reports of side effects are almost nonexistent.

It can be used to treat coughs, colds and sore throats with an infusion of the bark and roots for cough and colds. An inner bark infusion for sore throats. A steam of the Honey Locust tea is a good option for treating coughs and sore throats. It is also used to treat whooping cough.

It has anti-inflammatory properties that would be good for treating arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease.It is a mild laxative and can help relieve indigestion and constipation. 

The seed pulp is a moisturizer and is used in some skincare products. It reduces dry skin, alleviates irritations and promotes a healthy complexion.

The seed pods can also treat smallpox and measles. A tea or syrup made with the seed pods or seed pod fresh pulp has been used to treat these before conventional medicines and vaccines.

There is quite a bit of testing when it comes to Honey Locust and diabetes. Many different types of extractions were done and all of them showed a significant lowering of sugar in the blood.

When treating cancer the NIH found 7 new compounds that they had never seen before out a total of 10 that treat cancer. 

The NIH found that the old wives tales of treating cancer with Honey Locust were deemed to be true. Yes they actually admitted it in the paper.