But that doesn’t mean I have to miss out on reaping the many benefits of raw honey. In fact, humans have been enamored with honey for thousands of years.
The Old Testament refers to the land of Israel as the “land flowing with milk and honey.”
John the Baptist survived on locusts and honey. I’ll pass on the locusts.
And the Qur’an mentions that honey is “healing for humankind.”
I used to get sick all the time. Frustrating. There’s too much to do to be sick and ailing.
This newfound health is being attributed to my homemade DIY elderberry syrup and daily intake of organic, raw honey. Liquid gold to be taken internally and used externally, too.
Today’s post is sweet because we are talking about why honey is the bee’s knees for health and wellness.
So I never say no when my kids want a little extra honey drizzled on their Cheerios.
Here’s why you might want to add a teaspoon or two of honey to your coffee or tea each morning!
Fast fact:
The medicinal properties of honey
Antibacterial property – Did you know that pure honey contains the enzyme glucose oxidase, which causes a chemical reaction that releases hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic?
Research indicates this is one of the main reasons honey seems to have such powerful antibacterial and wound healing capabilities. Honey for wounds. Hear. Hear.
Antioxidant property – Darker honey contains more antioxidant power than light colored honey, but in a pinch, both work.
Antioxidants fight free radicals and encourage new tissue growth. Not only healing damaged tissue quicker but also helping skin to appear younger and more vibrant.
Hygroscopic property – Honey has very low water content in its natural state, but does absorb moisture when exposed to the air.
This hygroscopic property makes it excellent for dry skin by allowing it to better retain moisture.
It also helps to speed up wound healing time!
Fascinating fact…
Why raw honey is the key to it all
Raw honey is the creme de la creme of honey because it’s in its purest state. Unfortunately, according to the National Honey Board, there is no exact definition of raw honey.
A label that indicates “untreated” or “unpasteurized” may be a good start, but no guarantee that it’s raw.
Never be fooled with words like “natural” or “pure” as they mean nothing in the world of honey processing.
Many beekeepers insist that honey is only raw if it has not been heated above 105 degrees Fahrenheit. Once processing heat exceeds that 105 Fahrenheit mark, the consistency of raw honey changes along with the taste.
Raw honey is smooth and creamy, can be found in liquid form, and has no aftertastes. Highly processed honey has a somewhat smoky aftertaste. Agree?
Raw honey is obtained by extraction, settling or straining, and contains both pollen and small wax particles.
This purest form of honey is alkalinizing and does not ferment in the stomach. It also contains amylase, an enzyme that helps real down foods containing starch.
Fast fact!
Worried about crystallization?
To re-liquify, gently heat the honey jar in warm water until it becomes liquid again. It’s like magic!
Honey ~ it’s ancient history!
In fact, honey was the most popular ancient Egyptian healing remedy, and was mentioned over 500 times in 900 remedies. Whoa!
Honey for your skin
Here’s a few areas where honey can help as a safe, effective and valuable asset in keeping skin happy.
Seborrheic dermatitis – Common inflammatory condition that causes yellow and flaking skin, mostly in oily areas like the face, ear, nose and scalp. It’s known as “cradle cap” in babies.
In one case study, after a week, researchers found those using honey reduced itching and scaling. After two weeks, skin lesions healed completely and participants noted less hair loss.
No one had a relapse of flaking skin after using honey to treat this condition!
I’ve read to make a paste with 90% raw honey and 10% lukewarm water and apply to affected areas. Leave on for three hours and rinse off. Do this treatment every other day for one month.
Eczema – Eczema causes skin to be itchy and red. Eighty percent of the participants in a case study who mixed honey, olive oil and beeswax in a 1:1:1 ratio applied three times a day for two weeks showed significant improvement.
Eczema sufferers should also try adding local raw honey to their daily diets~ up to two tablespoons a day since eczema is thought to be an allergic condition.
Bedsores/pressure ulcers – To relieve a bedsore, consider applying a honey soaked gauze pad to the pressure ulcer wound and covering with a second semipermeable bandage to prevent leakage.
In a case study, two groups, each with pressure ulcers were studied, one received honey dressings, the other medicated dressings.
After five weeks, the group who received the honey dressings experienced four times the rate of healing as the other group which received the medicated dressings.
Surgical wounds – I’ve had two c-sections. Both got infected. Horrible. My incisions wouldn’t heal.
I wish I knew about honey then because studies have shown that honey can be effective in treating surgical wounds.
It’s attributed to its hydrogen peroxide-producing effect, and its antimicrobial and hygroscopic properties. Fresh honey should be used with each dressing change, at least once per day.
Raw honey can be applied to a Band-Aid, or onto a gauze pad, and applied directly to the site.
Burns – I burn myself frequently. Clumsy cook! Honey has proven to be a highly effective treatment for burns.
Long story short, in one case study patients with burns who were treated with honey healed much faster than those treated with medicated bandages.
And at the end of the day….it’s honey. It’s not going to cause any damage. So now I topically apply honey to my poor burned hands!
True fact!
~Thomas Leo Ogren, “Allergy-Free Gardening”
Honey and your immune system
It could be foodborne like mine (shellfish) or peanuts. Or perhaps your allergies flare up via skin exposure (latex or poison ivy.)
Allergies symptoms can vary from minor irritations to life threatening illness.
In spring, my eyes get super itchy with whatever is blowing in the air. Never had allergies as a kid and suddenly developed them as an adult.
It’s tempting to take a pharmaceutical for relief. But the side effects are the worst. I just feel weird. Groggy and foggy and a tad bit anxious.
So a non-drug solution? I’m all in.
Locally produced honey is one of my favorite treatments for my seasonal allergies as it helps to create immunity to those specific allergens where I live.
Your local beekeeper is the best place to acquire good quality honey. My mom has a beekeeper living next door and that’s where we get ours!
Only by ingesting local honey will you help to create immunity to those specific allergens in your area.
Bees produce the honey by traveling around local plants and gathering local pollen.
Exactly what your eyes are reacting to when you have allergies. Allergic rhinitis (runny nose) is a super annoying condition, blowing your nose all day.
I put roughly 1-2 tablespoons of honey in my tea when I’m suffering a bout of allergic symptoms.
Antibiotic resistance is a serious threat. One family that I personally know is on their fourth round of antibiotics and the antibiotics are having zero positive effect. I also know this family doles out antibiotics like candy.
So when there’s infection in our family~ I try manuka honey both internally and externally and proceed from there.
The phenols in manuka honey inhibit bacterial growth and promote healing.
These antibiotics are not like the synthetic antibiotics that promote the spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs.
Manuka honey
Famous for its antibacterial properties and, although generally used therapeutically, is completely safe and delicious to eat every day!
Honey and your respiratory system
Colds are often caused by a viral infection and can lead to a runny nose, cough, sore throat and laryngitis.
Lower respiratory infections involve the bronchial airway and the lungs.
For common cough and colds, honey can act as both an antimicrobial agent and a cough suppressant.
Before jumping to take a medicated syrup, try this first. Swallow 1 teaspoon of raw honey every 3-4 hours and see if it doesn’t give you some relief.
When my kids are suffering from a cough, I give them a spoonful of raw honey before bed to help suppress the cough and allow them to sleep.
A post-infectious cough is one that lasts for three to five weeks after a common cold or respiratory infection.
Yup. This is “that” cough. The one that keeps you up at night. That dry, itchy cough that tickles your throat and deprives you of sleep.
Neither antibiotics or steroids are all that effective in treating this annoying condition.
Try the honey! Even a tablespoon before bed or in a lemon infused tea. It really helps sooth that throat!
Honey and diabetes
I was doomed to fail with that sugary orange drink. Technically, I’m not a diabetic, but I’ve learned that my best strategy is to avoid most sugars and sweets when I can. My body doesn’t handle refined sugar well.
When I ingest too much refined sugar, I shake like a leaf, get sick to my stomach and have the most awful dreams at night.
So although honey is sweet, it does have a fairly low glycemic index.
The natural sugars in honey have a “slow-release” effect, which means it does not cause the sharp peak in blood sugar that other sweet substances (refined sugar) do.
The sugars in honey are therefore more slowly absorbed and metabolized. Despite its sweetness, honey will not cause blood sugar levels to spike as high or as fast as other high-sugar foods.
Honey helps me satisfy a bit of my sweet tooth without causing that awful spike in blood sugar. Moderation is key.
Honey versus table sugar
Table sugar is extracted from sugar cane (or sugar beets) and then processed. Bad. Bad. Bad. The proteins, nitrogen elements, and enzymes found in the natural sugar cane are destroyed.
Honey is a natural sweetener that when minimally processed is chock-full of antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
Table sugar (sucrose) is made up of two sugar molecules (fructose and glucose) bound together.
Before table sugar can be used for energy, it must be broken down using an enzyme that will separate their molecules.
But when bees produce honey, they supply the enzyme, so we don’t have to use our own energy to break the bonds.
Unbelievable!
And table sugar is devoid of any vitamins or minerals, hence the term “empty calories.” Hello increased risks of diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Gram for gram, honey is sweeter than sugar. So we can use less honey than table sugar to achieve the same level of sweetness.
A fact that will create buzz…
The breakdown of honey…
According to BeeSource, this is what the sugars in honey look like:
- Fructose: 38.2%
- Glucose: 31.3%
- Maltose: 7.1%
- Sucrose: 1.3%
- Water: 17.2%
- Higher sugars: 1.5%
- Ash: 0.2%
- Other/undetermined: 3.2%
I get honey from the grocery store. I use it for all kinds of things — like in place of sugar, for one.
We get our honey at our local Farmers Market & we love using it in place of sugar. So healthy & delicious.
Love solar garden “stuff”!!
Our last honey was from a local Amish store. I am a firm believer in buying local. Local honey I think is much more effective for you than from far away if you can find it.
Actually, I’m sipping on coffee sweetened with honey right now! I prefer it to sugar.
The owner of your local hardware store makes his own blue ribbon winning honey and sells at the store. It’s a local wildflower honey and it’s the best I’ve ever tasted!
Fantastic giveaway and fantastic blog love all of it ty for the chance
I love honey. I never realized it is also so healthy. Thanks so much.
Honey is certainly one of the wonder foods.
I get honey from the grocery store. I wish I could find it closer to my house to help with my allergies.
Great tips—I love honey!
I avoid honey mostly because I’m on a ketogenic diet, but I do know that it is uber healthy & healing. I even have some manuka honey for a salve in case of minor burns or cuts. My husband on the other hand loves his honey so I usually buy a big jar of local honey either at a local store or farmer’s market & wrap it up for Christmas.
I love honey this is lots of great information about it
I didn’t realize that you could re-liquify crystalized honey! Also, I tried to find both secret codes tonight, I clicked on the links…… I don’t see any….?
I love honey! I just buy mine at the grocery store and use it for quite a few things!
I love to add honey in my tea it tastes so great!
I believe in the healing properties of honey! 🍯 We must protect our bees! 🐝
We moved from Oregon to Arizona a couple of years ago. I have always had allergies but after moving to Arizona they became much worse. I was told about the honey miracle for allergies and that is exactly what it has been for me, and I am hooked, I love honey, just wish it wasn’t so expensive but I do understand why. I love bees!
I have bad veinous stasis ulcers on my legs. Wound care treats my wounds with manuka honey.
I use Manuka honey for wound healing.
HUGE honey lover myself! Our new neighbors have lots of boxes, so hopefully they share. 🙂
Love local honey
We always buy local honey
I guess it has to be the unfiltered to get the benefits though
i will use honey more
I get my honey from a local small business that sells them at a Farmer’s market. I try to buy locally to support small businesses.
I always buy local produced honey. I think it helps with my allergies and of course it is so yummy!
I learned a lot about honey from this! I do use it, but now know there is much more I can do with it. Thanks for the info.
Awesome article. Some uses for honey I didn’t know, and you didn’t cover many.
We are very lucky as we can buy local honey which is amazing!
Wow! So many more uses than I realized! TY!
I get local honey from the Saturday Farmer’s Market in our small town.
We get our honey locally.. it can help with allergies and all kinds of stuff. I’m diabetic & is so much better for me than traditional sweetners or candy even.
We had 15 hives, so we still have plenty of our own honey.
I learn so much here!
Thanks l learned a lot
wow i didnt know all this thank you
My husband has used honey for burns. It healed faster and made the pain go away.
I found the information so interesting and pinned it, so I could easily find it again. Thank you.
Interesting info
I’m a firm believer in the use of honey for sore throats and colds. A really good article.
I get my honey from a beekeeper in town. I swear by it for sore throats especially.
I love honey, and buy locally. It is great to have around in an emergency kit too.
My husband is an over-the-top honey lover, while I have a fondness for it. I enjoyed this overview with history, facts, medicinal/healing qualities and so much more in both generalities and specifics. When we lived in Missouri a beekeeping neighbor placed beehives on our property. Here in Texas a neighbor owns a company that provides hives (by truckload) to various states in season. After moving to Jasper, he and his wife have relatives managing their business. We’ve always gotten honey from neighbors and/or purchased it locally.
I had no idea! I definitely want to get some raw honey! I’ve been working on getting healthier.
We get honey from the local farmers market.
It has so many uses.
all ways love honey!!!
I love honey on my peanut butter and toast. Yum! Will have to start adding to my coffee
I love all the healthy benefits of honey.
I use honey for treating minor cuts, in my face wash, in my hair, and my recipes. Honey has so many benefits.
Honey has so many great benefits.
I only use honey when a recipe call so for it. However, I know plenty of people that eat honey all the time.
I love honey! Especially in hot tea.
Honey is a natural sweetner vs refined overly processed granulated sugar.
We use it in foods we make as well. I love it in my tea and to use when were sick too and having throat problems.
I’ve just started learning about all the benefits of natural honey and I can say this is hands down the best and easiest to understand article I’ve found. Thank you!
i love honey and how versatile it is! And it stays good for practically forever!
my father in law is a honey lover would love this for sure
I tried to keep my own hive and did well for a couple years, but they ultimately left just before I would have had my first batch of surplus honey 🙁
These are so beautiful n it’s my favorite flower I actually have a purple cone flower tattoo
Great info. Honey has a lot of medicinal qualities
I had the opportunity to get a free hive but passed it up because the dog loves to eat anything that flies past him. But a friend has a hive and I purchase it from him.
Great post! I love honey in so many things. Great in granola mix too.
Honey is good for so many different things!
I’m fortunate because my brother has hives. I buy from him the best local raw honey imaginable!
My Grandfather was a Beekeeper I miss the fresh Honey and the Honeycombs he would give me to chew .
I love honey. I didn’t know all the positives of using honey.
Try putting honey on unripe fruit like peaches and nectarines, it softens it up for a good fruit salad
Also, we like honey on our sliced strawberries (and sometimes kiwi) and grapefruit rather than sugar
Laura, I want to thank you for this post! I learned so very much that I didn’t know. Is there a way I can share your post with my daughter on Facebook or Instagrsm?
Manuka honey is miraculous!
Lots of great info and ideas!
Honey is a staple in our home. Personally, I love it. I will sometimes just scoop up a spoonful – just because. I put it in our tea (hot and iced) and cook with it – or, as I said, just scoop a spoonful. When I have a cold or sore throat, hot tea and honey with a splash of lemon is so soothing. There are so many different honeys out there, its hard to choose. My granddaughter always wants me to buy the honey that comes in a little bear shaped bottle.
Such a terrific article on honey. I didn’t know about the Antibacterial property. I will have to purchase some soon.
I love honey!
I love adding honey to my tea. I’ll have to search harder for the raw honey.
I get my honey from a friend who has a bee hives and has a small business.
I buy honey from stores like Home Goods and Marshals because I buy Australian raw honey
Great information! I was not aware of the numerous benefits of raw honey. I will now be using it for more than just a sweetener.
Honey has tremendous healing properties. I started going to wound care a while ago for ulcers on my legs and the first treatment they used included a honey patch for my wounds. I was so surprised.
Thank you for reminding me about using honey for allergies. My son just moved back to the area and his allergies are bad. I need to get him some and see if it helps. Not to mention all the other things it is good for.
I buy locally to support small businesses when I can.
I try to get honey as close as I can to where I live to help with my allergies.
Thank you for all the wonderful information and tips. I knew some of them but not all. I always try to find the best local honey, I found adding a bit to my tea has helped with my immunity.
Awesome post! I love honey!
I’ve learned so much about honey!
I love using honey in cooking and baking. I didn’t know it had so many healing uses.
This just proves how important bees are to us. My neighbor has honeybees and sales the honey.
I love pure honey I buy it from local farmers its so good! Its a great way to give up sugar
Can’t live without the bees
I just love honey. Thanks for the great info. Very informative
Thanks for all the info. I buy locally and use honey on anything I can! 🙂
I love honey!
Weird that I never think about using honey! I feel like I’ve been in a cave. Thanks for the wealth of information 🙂
Honey really helps my hub’s allergies!! We get ours from a local apiary… been thinking about getting some bee boxes myself.
Very interesting article. I’m going to have to look for some raw honey and try some of these ideas out. Thank you!
Honey is so delicious, on its own and in many recipes. It’s also very healthy, internally and externally. We all need to support the bee population because without bees, we’ll starve.
Honey is so versatile, and so vital This is a much appreciated article
Loved this article It has opened my mind It should be in the house @ all times
We are lucky to have a few local honey producers that conveniently sell at nearby farmers markets and stores! I love eating it, of course, but also use it in homemade hair rinse and face masks now and then as a pampering treat!
Very interesting. Did not know you could use honey for diaper rash.
I have loved honey since I was a kid. It’s so delicious and you can use it in so many different ways!
I have always been fascinated with honey.
I love to try it
Love it
Helps with allergies if local honey
And sore throat …
Thanks for the helpful and useful info
I try to buy local honey
Secret code Twix — But I do love honey. Perfect for hot tea.
I just learned raw honey contains bee pollen. I did not know that before. Sometimes I enjoy chewing the wax combs filled with honey. Bees are hard workers.
Excellent information. Honey has so many practical uses. I am very fortunate to have friends and family that are beekeepers.
We like to pick it up at the Farmers Market. I enjoy buying local.