Raw Honey, that golden, sticky substance that bees work so tirelessly to produce, is not just a sweet treat for your taste buds; it's a nutritional powerhouse brimming with a myriad of health benefits. As we buzz into 2024, more people are waking up to the wonders of this natural sweetener. I remember my grandmother swearing by a spoonful of raw honey each morning, claiming it gave her the energy to tackle her day. Back then, I thought it was just an old wives' tale, but recent research has made me a believer.
What's so magical about raw honey? For starters, it’s not your average store-bought honey that’s heated and pasteurized. The beauty of raw honey lies in its unprocessed nature, retaining all the beneficial enzymes and nutrients that get lost during commercial processing. This brings us to our first point- the natural antioxidants found in raw honey. These antioxidants help to combat free radicals in the body, reducing oxidative stress and potentially lowering the risk of chronic diseases.
But wait, there’s more! Have you ever had a scratchy throat that just wouldn't quit? Well, raw honey is a legendary natural remedy for soothing those irritating symptoms. It's like Mother Nature's cough syrup, but without the weird aftertaste. I can't count the number of times I've dissolved a spoonful of raw honey in warm tea to feel almost instant relief.
Next on the list is something that will make your skin glow like you're starring in your own skincare commercial. Yes, raw honey's antibacterial properties make it an excellent addition to your beauty routine. I've personally used honey masks to get rid of those pesky pimples before a big date—it works wonders! Plus, it’s less messy than the infamous avocado masks that somehow end up in your hair.
Got digestive issues? Raw honey might be the gut-friendly solution you’re looking for. Thanks to its prebiotic properties, it supports the growth of good bacteria in your digestive system. Let me tell you, my stomach hasn't been this happy in years. This brings us to the point about how a spoonful of raw honey can keep your gut health in check.
In addition to these benefits, consuming raw honey can also give you that much-needed energy boost to power through your day. This is especially true for those dreaded mid-afternoon slumps that have you reaching for another cup of coffee. Instead, try a spoonful of raw honey to see if it works as a natural energy booster.
The list of benefits just doesn't seem to end. From being a natural sweetener you can feel good about to its surprising ability to aid in weight management, raw honey is indeed a versatile wonder.
So, as you can see, raw honey is not just another fad; it's a fantastic addition to any diet or beauty regimen. Ready to dive in? Let's explore the 7 undeniable reasons why raw honey should be your new best friend!
When mixed with lemon, raw honey converts stored fat into energy the body can use. I like to take a teaspoon or two of raw honey and lemon each morning. Honey is also easier for the body to absorb and it does so at a much steadier pace too. The human body can only store about 500 calories worth of sugar at a time. This sugar is gained from the food you eat. All foods are converted to sugars, since this is what the body uses for energy. Honey is already an inverted sugar, so it doesn’t sit in the stomach and ferment the way other sugars do. The body is able to use honey more readily, so it’s less likely to produce fat from it.
Don’t expect to use honey in place of sugar for preserving everything though. Honey doesn’t last as long as sugar, when used for preservation of food. It will ferment a lot quicker and cause the preservation to fail. However, if you are making something with yeast or bacteria cells in it, the honey will force water out of the cells and preserve the item it surrounds. As a preservation when canning, be sure to use seven-eights of a cup of honey for every cup of sugar. If you try to replace cup for cup, the excess liquid in honey will make jams and jellies runny.
The body is able to get quick energy from honey, since it doesn’t have to convert it to sugar to receive the energy. There are carbohydrates in honey that get rid of muscle fatigue. This is why I add it to my toast and tea in the morning. Maybe it’s all psychological, but I’d swear I can feel the added boost honey gives me in the morning. Honey is not only sweeter than sugar, but the effects are felt almost instantaneously.
Honey has been used to treat wounds and other skin ailments for centuries. Since honey drives the water out of cells, it starves the bacteria from oxygen and causes them to die. This is perfect for superficial skin wounds. Rubbing honey directly on the wound will help to seal it from outside dirt and bacteria. It will also create an environment that isn’t suitable for bacteria to grow in. Raw honey contains a resinous compound called propolis, which actually kills some types of bacteria. It is the same stuff that honey bees build their hives out of.
I personally never had morning sickness with my pregnancy, so I have to go by what my friend told me. She swore by a tablespoon of honey in the morning to ward off morning sickness. You can even add in some powdered ginger to the raw honey for additional benefits. Ginger is another great upset-stomach reliever, so combining it with honey gives you double the benefits.
Eating honey from local sources is supposed to reduce the effects the local weeds have on allergy sufferers. This is partly due to the honey being made with pollen taken from these local weeds and flowers. By ingesting small amounts of the raw local honey, the body slowly builds up immunity to the weeds. Many homeopathic remedies recommend starting this procedure with kids when they are little, so they will build up immunity by the time they reach adulthood. I have friends who swear by a tablespoon of honey during allergy season, in order to keep their allergies from getting out of control.
When I was a little kid, my grandmother would heat up a mixture of lemon juice and honey for me when I had a cough. I would keep a little glass bottle under my pillow and take a swig of the mixture during the night when I woke up coughing. I still use this remedy today, both myself and with my own kids. If I have a sore throat, I will also add in some powdered cayenne and ginger to the mix, as well as a tablespoon of vinegar and three tablespoons of water. I gargle with this mix before I swallow it. One small batch tends to last me all day.
I like honey on toast for breakfast, in my tea, and in anything I can think of. I enjoy knowing that it not only tastes good, but is also good for me. Do you prefer to use honey instead of sugar? When did you first discover the benefits of using raw honey as a sweetener? If you don’t already use honey to sweeten foods, then I hope these 7 reasons raw honey is good for you will get you started in doing so!