7 Bee-u-tiful Benefits from Raw Honey

When our children were small, we all developed allergies to many things because of exposure to mold. I read that local honey would help with allergies. That was the beginning of our interest in honey and bees.

It’s a simple theory that’s explained in countless books on folk medicine. Honeybees will deposit small amounts of the offending pollen in all that honey they produce. If that honey is made using flower nectar from the allergy sufferer’s locale, chances are pretty good that the pollen in the honey is the same type that’s causing your problem.

Eating honey over time just might help desensitize the body’s immune system. But believers of this theory said the immune system help will result only if the honey is raw and produced locally.

Why Raw?
Raw honey is honey fresh from the comb. It’s not pasteurized and therefore is still full of healthy enzymes. We know now that store-bought pasteurized honey is not much better than white sugar. The heat from pasteurization kills the beneficial enzymes and complex nutrients rendering them useless to the body.

Raw honey is more dense and will likely need to be spooned to serve, especially in the cool months. The heating process which makes off-the-shelf honey squeeze out of a little bear also kills the enzymes and other properties, so you will have to think about using your honey slightly differently.

My Sweet Seven Bee-utiful Uses:

As I researched honey I was surprised to find so many benefits beyond sweetening.  Here are 7 things I found beneficial to my family, but there are many more.

1. Soothing a Sore Throat
Honey is an excellent natural alternative to cough medicine as it can reduce cough and soothe that sore throat. See my recipe.

2. Preventing Allergies
Taking 1 teaspoon of local, raw honey per day before and during allergy season may help with allergy symptoms. This works on the basis of “like cures like” and is the reason that your honey should be local. Local honey has a higher likelihood to contain triggers for your allergy symptoms. My son still takes a teaspoon of raw honey before going out to rake or bale hay.

3. Acne, Sunburn, and Wound Healing
If you get sunburn, you can apply a thin layer of honey to help the skin heal. Cover and leave on as long as you can, then wash or shower and pat dry. A spot treatment overnight for acne works quickly. Place a little piece of tissue over it to keep it from getting on your pillowcase.

Raw honey is mild antiseptic which means it prevents the growth of disease-causing microorganisms. Used topically on wounds and burns, it reduces pain and lessens scarring. The April 5 edition of ScientificWorldJournal (2011) describes these effects in detail.

4.  Fight Indigestion
Take a teaspoon to help fight indigestion. An upset tummy will often settle right down.

5.  Vitamin and Mineral Benefits
Honey not only naturally contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and vitamin C, but also important minerals such as copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium and phosphorous. Honey also contains amino acids that are beneficial to overall health.

6. Constipation
When mixed with apple cider vinegar raw honey can help relieve constipation naturally.

7. Honey will keep forever without spoiling if stored properly. We think that certain quantity of raw honey is a great thing to have on your list of preparedness items for food and medicine.

“And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an   outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And he brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing  with milk and honey.” ~Deuteronomy 26: 8-9

When we honor God, He honors us… His blessings overflow! From the milk to the honey; our food is a gift from Him.