Honey is one of the oldest and most superior super foods on the planet. The benefits of honey go back thousands of years. Honey has been referred to as “gold” just for its medicinal properties alone. Honey was the sweetener of choices for hundreds of years until the introduction of refined sugar and sugar cane. However, honey is making a big comeback – and it’s a good thing!
Honey boosts the immune system. Raw honey contains an abundance of disease-fighting antioxidants that provide a natural defense against cell damage. It is the perfect source for healing during the cold and flu season.
Honey aids the stomach and digestion, and does not ferment in the stomach. Since it is considered an inverted sugar, it is easily absorbed, preventing any bacterial invasion from occurring. Raw honey helps anemia, and the malnourished. It is easily absorbed, and enhances appetite. Honey-based diets and reduce weight gain, as well as the percentage of body fat. It improves HDL cholesterol, and improves blood sugar levels, making it the perfect, natural, sugar replacement source. Honey can also aid with overall brain health, decreasing anxiety, and improving memory.
Raw honey is a great source for increased energy, and a perfect food for athletes. Honey is the optimal source of carbohydrates for athletes to use, allowing for maximum performance levels.
Honey has a variety of other uses besides physical health and well-being. Honey is also used as an antiseptic, anti-fungal, and is a natural preservative. It can be used in lotions, soaps, mouth and teeth products, hair and scalp products, and a variety of medicines too. As a topical ointment, honey can heal skin wounds; heal skin burns, and other skin irritations.
The process in which honey is made is fascinating. It begins with bees eating from flowers, collecting the nectar in their mouths, and then carrying back to their hive. While in the bee’s mouth, the nectar mixes with certain enzymes found in the bee’s saliva, which is considered an alchemical process. This process is what turns the nectar into honey. When the bees return to the hive, the honey is then deposited into the cells of the hive’s walls. The honey’s moisture content is reduced from natural ventilation created by the fluttering of the bees’ wings.
Honey can be found in a variety of flavors, textures, and colors. The most commonly found varieties are honeys made from clover and lavender. The quality of honey is important. Most honeys are pasteurized, but raw honey is becoming more readily available. Only choose raw honey that has not been pasteurized, clarified, and if possible unfiltered. If the honey is filtered be sure that the process is of the highest quality and organic too.
My raw honey of choice is Honey Gardens Apitherapy Raw Honey – specifically Orange Blossom Apitherapy Raw Honey. It has perfect flavor and texture, and makes me feel great! Check out my product review here.
For all these reasons mentioned in this article, raw honey is definitely a SUPER FOOD, and one of the premium super foods at that! Here’s to honey!
The Vega-Riffic Food Site 