The beehive state might not be named so because of an overpopulation of honey bees, but the state insect does make a contribution worthy of its fame. Honey is a great substitute for refined sugars in baking and cooking. I love it in my peppermint tea, quick breads, dressings, on toast, and as a snack with peanut butter and a banana. I recommend using local honey to not only support local farmers but did you know that regularly eating local honey also helps relieve seasonal allergy symptoms? Something to think about with spring is on its way. Honey is a natural sweetener, has great health benefits, and it lasts forever; literally.
keep reading to learn a few more things about nature’s candy.
- Eva Crane’s The Archaeology of Beekeeping states that humans began hunting for honey at least 10,000 years ago. She evidences this with a cave painting in Valencia, Spain. The rock painting shows two female honey-hunters collecting honey and honeycomb from a wild bee hive.
- liquid honey does not expire if kept sealed. Viable honey was found in egyptian pyramids over 5,000 years old. Ancient Egyptians and middle easterners also used it to embalm the dead.
- there are over 300 unique types of honey in united states alone.
- the color of honey is determined by the blossoms the bees visit. Generally, the darker the color, the stronger the flavor. When they find a nectar source they like, they will visit that spot exclusively.
- honey is made of about 15 to 18 percent water, fructose and dextrose, and a trace amount of hydrogen peroxide, which prevents spoilage.
- raw honey is an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, anti-viral substance.
- eating local honey helps reduce seasonal allergy symptoms. look for local farms near you to see if they sell organic honey.
- eating honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to other sweeteners. The body’s tolerance to honey is significantly better than to sucrose or glucose alone.
- buckwheat honey has been shown in this research study to be a more effective cough suppressant for children ages 2-18 than dextromethorphan, an active ingredient in many over the counter cold and cough medicines.
- honey is a natural immunity booster and in many studies increased the health of people young and old. In one study it decreased sickness in various individuals in an Israeli hospital.
- honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.
- honey contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals. Generally, darker honeys have higher antioxidant content than lighter honeys.
- honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. Because of this it is commonly used in many skin moisturizers. You can even add a little to your shampoo or lotions to add a little more moisture.
- check out this list of honey varieties.
*** and I hope you already know that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that raw honey should not be given to infants under one year of age because of the rare possibility of it being infected with the bacteria that causes botulism (clostridium botulinum). Once a toddler reaches one year old, their digestive system is mature enough to kill any botulism germs. ***
here’s a super easy recipe for honey butter.
honey butter
1 cup butter
2-4 Tablespoons honey
Beat the butter until loosened a little, add in the honey and whisk until completely incorporated and smooth. Store in airtight container inside refrigerator.
Feel free to add a dash of vanilla or almond extract for richness.
Interesting info! Thanks for posting!
So much information about one of my favorite foods. I even put it in my coffee!
One issues with this statement–>buckwheat honey has been shown to be a more effective cough suppressant for children ages 2-18 than dextromethorphan, an active ingredient in many over the counter cold and cough medicines.
I looked up the article and unfortunately the statistical evidence for this was not present. Also the authors’ conclusion was that, “We found insufficient evidence to advise for or against the use of honey for acute cough in children.”
thanks for the info! my dad has really bad allergies, i’ll let him know to get some local honey!
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