1. Facts, Raw v. Refined, and Health Benefits
How is Knowing about Honey Helpful?
Honey is a sweet-something that can be beneficial to your health when added to your daily diet. It is
a natural sweetener, fat free, and cholesterol free. Honey can serve as an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal,
anti-inflammatory, and probiotic (actually prebiotic) agent. A prebiotic helps to increase healthy
bacteria in the digestive system.
Honey serves to help prevent many diseases and disorders, as well as soothe one's body when a
condition already exists. It is important to start by understanding the basics of where honey comes
from and which type of honey is best for the body, so you can make an educated decision about what
is best for you. Throughout the following article, I will provide a brief description of how honey is
made, as well as the difference between raw honey and store bought honey, as well as other
interesting facts. Later, I will give you a description of honey's various uses and why many of these
uses are stated to be of benefit.
How is Honey Made?
A hive of honeybees collect nectar from flowers to make honey. They extract the nectar from flowers
with their tongue and store it inside their bodies. When they return to the hive, the worker bees take
over the work. The worker bees break down the nectar's complex sugars into simple sugars and
spread the nectar into the honeycomb. Over time, the nectar dries and becomes honey. The honey is
then harvested by a beekeeper. The type (color/flavor) of honey produced depends on the flowers the
honeybees are visiting. Dark honey is a heavier, fuller taste, while lighter honey is milder.
How is Raw Honey Different than Refined Honey?
Raw honey is slightly filtered, but remains at room temperature, which is important to retain it's
nutritional and health value. It looks unclear and contains pollens, vitamins, minerals, and enzymes.
Refined honey is excessively filtered. This requires the honey to be heated in the pasteurization
process, which enables the filtration process to occur easily. This process creates the golden, clear
look that we are familiar with seeing at stores. However, through this extreme filtration process,
honey loses many of it's valuable nutrients that are sensitive to the high temperatures used.
Nutrition Content of Honey
80% natural sugars from glucose and fructose
18% water
2% pollen, vitamins, minerals, and protein
Breakdown of vitamins and minerals found in honey:
Vitamins - B6, niacin, riboflavin, thiamin, pantothenic acid, and amino acids
2. Minerals - Calcium, magnesium, manganese, copper, phosphorus, iron, zinc, sodium, and potassium
Note: Raw honey has better nutrition content than store bought honey. Additionally, testing
performed by Food Safety News indicated that most honey found in stores does not contain any
pollen; therefore, is not considered real honey. Stores focused on natural foods were found to have
honey that contained the appropriate amount of pollen to be considered true honey.
Health Benefits of Honey (with a few recipes!)
Cancer Prevention - Honey is thought to be anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, immune-boosting, and
a healer of chronic ulcers and wounds, which are all areas involved in carcinogenesis (the
beginning/creation of cancer).
Heart Disease Prevention - lowers total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglycerides
Athletic Performance - natural sugars give endurance and support speed
Gastrointestinal Disorders and Ulcers - Honey is easily digested and counteracts stomach acidity.
Cough Suppressant and Throat Pain - According to the Mayo Clinic, honey soothes the throat when
mixed with tea or warm lemon-water. They also discovered that when two teaspoons of honey were
given to children (older than one-year-old) before bedtime, nighttime cough was reduced.
Eyesight - mixing 2 teaspoons of honey with carrot juice is suggested to improve eyesight that has
been affected by long hours at a computer.
Weight Loss - 1 teaspoon honey to about 2 teaspoons of lemon or lime juice every morning is said to
speed up the metabolism or helps after large, greasy meals. It is also believed to help with cellulite.
Impotence, Premature Ejaculation, and Involuntary Loss of Semen - Although it is not proven on
humans and was used in an experiment on rats, honey was found to potentially increase testosterone
and antioxidants. Recipe suggested: crushed onion fried in butter, mixed with 1 teaspoon of honey
when stomach is empty over a couple of hours, or 1/2 teaspoon of ginger juice with a half-boiled egg
and honey in the evening.
Bladder Infection - 1 teaspoon honey with 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar once a day. The honey is
for it antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal abilities and apple cider vinegar for the hostile
environment (increased acidity) it creates, that bacteria does not thrive in. Also try 1 teaspoon of
honey with 2 pinches of salt daily or 1 teaspoon honey and 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon in 1 cup
of warm water (cinnamon destroys bacteria in the bladder).
Bronchial Asthma - An inhalation treatment made from honey and distilled water/saline solution. You
must see a doctor for the inhalation method. With the inhaler, you can take 120 grams of honey
three times a day before meals.
Diarrhea - To prevent diarrhea when going on a trip,1 teaspoon honey with 1 teaspoon apple cider
vinegar in a glass of water, one half hour before meals on days before the trip.
Nausea - 1 teaspoon honey with 1 teaspoon lemon juice, drink slow or 1 Tablespoon crushed fennel
seeds steeped in 1 cup boiling water for 10 minutes, adding honey for taste.
3. Blood Sugar Regulation - Honey contains both fructose and glucose. Fructose helps glucose to be
delivered to the liver. Glycogen is formed and used by organs such as the heart, red blood cells,
brain, and kidneys. It allows organs to function better and for glucose to be removed, causing blood
sugar to be lowered.
Skin Wounds - When honey is mixed with water, it makes hydrogen peroxide, which is a mild
antiseptic. It can be applied to cuts and wounds.
Skin Growth - Raw honey applied to the skin can be used to promote new skin growth.
Skin Health and Beauty - Honey contains mild Alpha Hydroxy Acids that encourage exfoliation of old
skin cells, minimize lines and wrinkles, balance oily skin, increase elasticity, and stimulate the
production of collagen. Apply honey to your face, as you would a facial mask. Leave on for
approximately 15-20 minutes. Rinse off. Your face will feel soft and smooth! You can also add your
own ingredients to the honey to enhance the exfoliation effect!
Honey also improves blood circulation, reduces free radicals, and can reverse previous damage from
free radicals.
Finally, it holds moisture in the skin, so a honey mask will benefit the appearance of your facial skin.
***WARNING! I would like to mention, NEVER feed honey to an infant or child under the age of one-
year-old. This is due to the risk of Botulism. These infants and children do not have an immune
system that is developed enough to fight against the infection.
Additionally, the above recipes are suggestions. These recipes and directions should not replace
seeing a doctor if you believe you have an illness. If you are diabetic, consult your doctor before
using honey in your diet.
