Why Honey is Such a Special Food
Honey – The Functional Food. Honey is truly a special food. Whether you want to use it as a sweetener or are looking to it for it potential health benefits, honey can find a place in any pantry. Have you ever had honey and lemon tea when you’re sick? Or tried honey mustard dressing? From sweetening beverages and foods to helping wounds heal, it has so many uses.
Why honey is good for us
Honeybees are magical creatures, drinking nectar from a flower then transforming it into a sweet viscous nourishing substance. Here are some of the reasons to include honey in your life:
- It’s a natural sweetener
- It’s a high enzyme food, which can aid digestion
- It contains powerful antioxidant compounds
- It can keep wounds clean and accelerate healing
What kind of honey is best for us?
There are literally thousands of honey varieties from all corners of the globe and hundreds available in the United States. And, all honey varieties are unique because of the flowers and energy of the region where the bees gather the nectar. This expansive variety makes exploring the world of honey a fun, endless and rewarding treat.
The color and flavour of honey differs depending on the source of nectar (blossoms) visited by the honeybees. The more blossoms, the better the honey. You may have noticed mono-blossom honey (like citrus honey, almond honey, etc.) in stores. These kinds of honey are not really natural - bees would not normally harvest just one blossom. This is a by-product of modern farming, monocropping, and the need to pollinate those crops.
In the old days, bees would harvest a diverse range of blossoms, providing a better honey, which is also healthier for the bees. A bee researcher shared a study with us that revealed bees that harvested a higher number of blossoms were healthier and grew larger and faster.
When choosing your honey, keep in mind the lighter colored the honey, the milder the taste and the darker colored the honey, the stronger the taste (generally speaking).
Is honey better than other sweeteners like maple syrup, agave and raw sugar?
Honey is composed of fructose and glucose two simple sugars, which are easily digested and have a lower glycemic index than regular sugar.
In short, honey, maple syrup and agave are healthier alternatives to refined sugars.
Medical News Today delves deeper into the difference between honey and sugar and this Mind, Body, Green article compares honey and agave.
Does honey expire?
Honey and bees have been revered throughout time. Can you believe archaeologists found honey in a pyramid in Egypt that was still good? Honey never spoils.
In its natural form, it’s very low in moisture, which is an unfavorable environment for bacteria – it simply can’t survive in those conditions. We recommend storing it in a sealed container free from humidity. It may change color and crystalize but that’s an easy fix. Place the jar in warm water and stir until the crystals dissolve.
Perhaps honey is the real 'fountain of youth?’ It does keep the skin moist, supple and dignifies the aging process in that respect.
What kind of honey do you recommend?
We recommend Zebra Organics Brazilian Rainforest Honey. It is rich in flavor, aroma and nutrients/enzymes.
“We have had naturopathic doctors and food scientists tell us that our honey is very likely on the same nutrient level as the much more expensive Manuka honey, but just for a much lower price,” said Randy Olsen, founder, Zebra Organics.
“Zebra Organics’ nutritious and delicious rainforest honey rainforest honey comes from the largest protected area on the Atlantic coast of Brazil. This large rainforest provides literally thousands and thousands of wild, heirloom blossoms. Even forest honey from North America is not nearly as diverse as our honey that comes from this ancient jungle,” said Olsen.
Every effort is made to ensure we’re offering a truly raw, nutritious and health-promoting honey. The unique flowers of this honey provide a variety of anti bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal and antioxidant compounds. Each purchase supports the traditional honey foragers in maintaining their indigenous way of life, which is in harmony with the environment.
*The information in this blog post is not medical advice and this information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent disease.
