The Truth About Honey

It seems like we are on a constant voyage, searching for optimal health and the Fountain of Youth. Call off the dogs and open your cupboard!

It is reported that bees have produced honey for 10 to 20 million years. Honey is not only one of nature’s most delicious gifts — it is also one of her most generous.

It is among the safest of foods (unless you are a baby less than a year old, in which case honey should not be ingested), and most dangerous bacteria cannot even survive in it. In fact, explorers discovered 2,000-year-old jars of honey inside Egyptian tombs — and yes, they were still delicious.

The benefits of raw honey — raw meaning it hasn’t been heated above 116°F — have long been celebrated. The Romans used honey rather than gold to pay their taxes; Cleopatra used it daily as a moisturizer; it was prominent throughout the Balkan War of 1913, applied to soldiers’ wounds and burns as an antibacterial, healing cover. Honey from a stingless strain of bees has even been used to treat the flu, glaucoma, eye disease, and respiratory illness.

In 2007, in Australia, it proved effective in controlling MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). With antibacterial agents for more than 60 different types of bacteria, honey reaches far. Antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, an overall immunity booster, and even an improver of HDL cholesterol — it seems to glow with golden possibilities.

Spread the (raw) honey around

The merits seem ever-growing when it comes to honey. Here are just a few places for it in our everyday lives:

• Sore throats — with its soothing consistency and medicinal properties, honey can relieve symptoms and calm certain infections. It’s helpful for coughs and respiratory ailments too, and has rescued many a singer in a pinch.
• Insomnia — honey’s natural sugar causes a slight insulin rise, which lets tryptophan ease into the brain. The result? Relaxation and Zzzzzs. Try a spoonful before bed.
• Energy — fascinating that what works as a natural relaxation tool can also boost energy. Many athletes love a bit of honey before a race or performance. Our bodies easily digest fructose and glucose, honey’s sugars — so much healthier than the high-fructose corn syrup in sports drinks.
• Allergies — anticipating seasonal allergies? Try some raw local honey for a couple of months beforehand. With small exposures to the irritating pollen (bees carry some of it into their honey), your immunity may improve.
• Hangovers — about last night… gentle on the tummy and full of natural sugars, honey can speed the liver’s oxidation of alcohol and help settle a sour stomach. Cheers!
• Scrapes and abrasions — for a major wound, see your doctor, but for minor cuts, try a drop of honey and a bandage. It seals against dirt and germs while its antibacterial agents accelerate healing, and it’s a natural anti-inflammatory that aids the growth of healthy tissue.
• Moisturizer and conditioner — add a little honey to your bath for softer skin, mix it with olive oil for a deeply penetrating hair conditioner, or combine honey and milk for a facial. Honey naturally draws in water to keep you moisturized, glowing, and smooth.
• Deliciousness — oh, yeah. It tastes good. Really good — by the spoonful or as a natural sweetener in beverages, cooking, and baking.

Reading the jar: raw, unfiltered, pasteurized

Not all honey on the shelf is the same — and the label tells you a lot. Raw honey is never heated past hive temperature, so it keeps its natural enzymes, pollen, and antioxidants intact; this is the one I reach for. Pasteurized honey has been heated to look clearer and sit longer on a shelf, but that heat strips away a good deal of the goodness. Unfiltered honey still carries the fine pollen and flecks from the comb — it’s often a little cloudy, and that’s a good sign; filtered honey has been strained clear, losing much of that pollen along the way. When you can, choose raw and unfiltered, and local if you can find it. The closer it is to the hive, the more it gives back.

Have a favorite honey recipe or home remedy you’d like to share? Do tell!