Raw, unheated honey has an amazingly long list of benefits. This sweet and simple food makes a great staple for anyone wanting to feel more energized and healthy. A cup of organic herbal tea with honey is a great way to begin any day!
I won't leave you hanging any longer. Entire books have been written on honey, as it's such an amazing substance. Here are a few bullet points to give you a good idea of what all the buzz is about:
- Raw honey has been shown to increase mental alertness and even IQ.
- Raw honey is known to enhance reflexes and athletic performance.
- Raw honey eases stress and improves sleep.
- Research has shown that a teaspoon of honey per day aids calcium utilization and prevents osteoporosis.
- In cases of anemia (or to prevent it), honey is an effective blood enricher, helping to raise corpuscle content. (The darker the honey, the more minerals it contains.)
- Raw honey is exceptionally effective for respiratory ailments. One Bulgarian study of almost 18,000 patients found that it improved chronic bronchitis, asthmatic bronchitis, chronic and allergic rhinitis and sinusitis. It's an effective treatment for colds, flu, respiratory infections and a generally depressed immune system.
- Raw honey contains up to 80 beneficial compounds, including antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids, fiber, trace elements, minerals, enzymes, and phytonutrients.
- Raw honey has been shown to provide relief for diarrhea, ulcers, infections, IBS, gastrointestinal problems, and staphylococcus (staph) infections.
- Manuka honeys have been shown to have particularly strong anti-fungal, antibiotic, and antiviral effects.
- Infectious diseases caused by bacteria that honey has antibiotic effects upon include anthrax, diptheria, urinary tract infections, tuberculosis, infected animal bites, typhoid, dysentery, abscesses, boils, carbuncles, impetigo, tooth decay, puerperal fever, scarlet fever, sore throat, and cholera.
Honey Buying Tip: Quality is the Key!
If you buy any honey from the grocery store, it is most likely (a 99% chance) to have been pasteurized and filtered and may even contain some additional ingredients that hinder quality in order to increase shelf life. For this reason, store honey does not have as many live enzymes and other therapeutic and medicinal nutrients in it as raw, unheated honey. Look for honeys that are labeled raw and unheated. Unfiltered honey is even better, as it contains trace amounts of other beneficial bee products (like pollen). Honeys from wilderness areas are particularly beneficial as the bees have collected from a wider variety of well-mineralized plants. Local honeys are wonderful too and tend to be of benefit for people who experience seasonal allergies.
"When honey is eaten it furthers the right connection in man between the airy and the watery elements. Nothing is better for man than to add the right proportion of honey to his food." - Rudolph Steiner
References:
Superfoods: The Food and Medicine of the Future by David Wolfe
http://www.naturalnews.com/021506_honey_grocery_healing.html#ixzz4WvSiDY6n
