The Wonders of Honey

For most of my life I have suffered intense seasonal allergies. It's tough because I very much enjoy spending time outside. Previous to now I have just dealt with it and rolled right through it. I nor my family believe in using any allergy medicine or anything like that. However, 2 years ago I heard from a relative how beneficial to people suffering from allergies it was to take raw honey. At first I dismissed it as nothing. I always knew honey just purely as a sweetener and in it's clear golden liquid state. I was fond of honey, but just because I felt it brought out the flavors more than sugar or other sweeteners.Never really knew anything about raw honey, didn't even know it was sold to people. True raw honey is honey as it exists in the hive. With all of propolis, wax,pollen, minerals, and live enzymes still present in it and untampered with. 100 percent unheated, and minimally processed. Pasteurization is not used for the same reasons as it used for milk for example. Heating in honey manufacturing is used just to prevent crystallization not to kill harmful bacteria. All honey is naturally antiseptic and will literally last forever if stored properly. Honey is even used as a topical antiseptic on cuts and burns. The liquid honey you find commonly on your store shelves or in your pantry has been strained and heated to prevent crystallization and to market a clearer product which is more appealing to customers. It has no inherent health benefits. While raw honey is found in its naturally crystalized state. Which means it is a solid. It is still pliable, but textures range from grainy to smooth as butter.

Many very positive things are found in raw honey. One of these is something called propolis. Trees secrete a resin, to bolster their disease fighting. The honeybees collect this resin, chew on it, mixing it with their saliva and other substances. What is formed is called Propolis. It is an extremely powerful anti biotic that honeybees use to keep their hive clean and sanitary. It has been shown to be more powerful in extracts than many conventional modern antibiotics. Fittingly enough the word "propolis" means "In defense of the city" in greek. It is also sometimes used by the bees as a sealant in their hive. Propolis is rich in amino acids which are essential to immune system health.It is high in vitamins A, B1,B2,B3 and is rich in biotin and bioflavonoids. Bioflavonoids are found in concentrations in many fruit and vegetables, particularly oranges. Propolis on average contains 500 times the amount found in a single orange. It also contains the minerals albumin, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorous. In true raw honey propolis is still present in it, usually in the shape of little dark black flecks.
Bee pollen is the thing that really helps allergy sufferers. It hasn't been proven nor understood scientifically. But speaking from first hand experience it definitely helps.Especially a very local honey. Bee pollen is essentially the male part of a flower blossom which is collected by the honeybees and mixed with digestive enzymes. Bee pollen is a true superfood, if there is one. Rich in all of the vitamins and minerals needed by the human body, with a good protein to scale ratio. It has a wide variety to of positive health benefits attached to it. From lowering cholesterol to skin and hair health. The enzymes have even been shown to have disease fighting effects. Some actively buy the pure granules of this, but it is found in smaller quantities naturally in raw honey.


Small amounts of wax are also found in raw honey. It has great digestive health benefits, that I can attest to personally. I used to have indigestion problems, but it has become a ton more manageable with raw honey. Not really sure how it does it, but I always take a spoonful before meals and am fine. Along with smart eating choices it can help relieve indigestion occurrences.


I wanted to write this to get some information out there about the not very well known properties and benefits of raw honey. I encourage any that are interested to go and do their research and find if this will help you. If you have health conditions please consult your doctor before beginning any health supplements. It helped my health immensely and I'd be very pleased if it did the same for others. Originally I was skeptical and took it just to see if it would do anything. It takes a while but eventually after continued daily use I really notice it now. I have more energy without consuming any stimulants, my indigestion is under control, and my allergies become more manageable. I've even noticed it to prevent colds and flus. Just take some with peppermint tea when you begin to notice symptoms. I also find those who suffer low blood sugar problems it helps even it all out. And if you are a tobacco or hashish smoker all the more reason to take it. Really helps with your respiratory health and will keep you well. If you feel weird take a spoonful and it'll sort you out. Even headaches, take some with a strong cup of peppermint tea and your good. It doesn't really matter how you take it. You can on toast, in tea, or however you would normally use a sweetener. I prefer to just take it by the spoonful, then you can really enjoy its uniquely floral taste. And it's just personal opinion that I think taking it straight from the jar will help best and preserve the integrity of it.

I really can't stress enough though to be smart about buying it. There are a lot of companies and people who try to deceive you with their honey. Some say raw but in fact use heating to facilitate handling and packing of the product. Real 100 percent unheated, unfiltered honey should be completely solid and have bits of propolis, pollen, and wax visible. If there are white crystal like specks on the side or bottom of jar, even better! That means it's 100 percent legit. Always store honey in glass, plastic is a no no. In a tight fitting sealed glass jar stored in a cool dark place it will literally last forever. Honey was found in a sealed clay jar in an excavated egyptian tomb and was shown to be completely edible and safe for consumption.It can range in color from a milky white to a dark molasses brown depending on season and local variety of plants. There are mono-floral types of raw honey out there but I always go for wildflower. In my opinion the best option is to find a local beekeeper near you and buy honey from him. Then you know for sure what your getting and your supporting smaller business. And always take into consideration the beautiful and amazing creatures we are sharing this wonderful substance with. Make sure you buy from a company or farmer that treats the bees responsibly and humanely. If you buy from a local farmer check out the hives, see how he does his keeping. If you cannot buy find a decent local supplier I suggest going to a health food store or regular food store. Of all the commercial brands I find the brand Really Raw to be the best. But nothing beats locally produced to your area honey, and it will have the most health benefits that way.




****Sorry about length of post probably should have split it up, but whatever. And sorry for any linguistic errors, english is not my mother tongue and I'm to lazy to go back and check

 

dont be sorry for the info you provide...thank you...i will be bumping up my honey intake immediately...we have several honey dealers making their own honey and selling raw honey in my county...thanks

 

I use honey for all sorts of things.. cuts, dry eyes, sunburn, food.

Honey and Nuts, go great together.. So do honey and chicken.

 

Good to hear. Some of the other forums I go on people can be really bitchy about the length of single posts.

I just want to add. I used to take vitamins, but now I just consider the honey a vitamin shot. Cheaper to boot. It's well documented that vitamins in a pill form are harder for your body to process and thus leach out very few for your body to use. Though it depends on the quality of your vitamin, as some are processed with fermented soy making them more digestible. Raw honey is really digestible and pretty much all the variety of vitamins and minerals in it you get. It provides a complex range of vitamins and minerals sufficient for human health. Not to mention the live enzymes that are great for digestive health and antioxidants which fight free radicals. Really great thing for anyone to add to their diet as a supplement. And it tastes great too, with spring,summer,and fall honeys all having different complex flavor profiles.

 

sorry, u can now proceed

 

honey bear fart..
http://www.hipforums.com/newforums/showthread.php?t=441438&f=51
proof is in the honey..

 

thanks to this post i had to go out and get some raw honey. I got some locally made stuff that doesn't look too different from regular honey but its a little darker and not totally clear. I also got some that is solid with the consistency of soft butter and light tan color. That's the one I tried first, and it's really good. There also see little golden brown specks in it.

 

winnie the pooh has really let himself go

 

I am happy to see you giving the raw honey a chance. With patience and commitment to take it for a while, it will not disappoint.Usually the rule of thumb is the darker the honey the more minerals and vitamins it contains. The color of the honey depends on the type of plants the bees collected honey from.Some mono-floral honeys like buckwheat look almost exactly like dark molasses taste the same too. While a honey like Clover is lighter with a distinct spicy cinnamon taste.While wildflower is always different. It also follows seasonal patterns fall harvested generally having darker hue. The second one you described sounds excellent. Seems like an aster dominant raw honey. Similar to ones I have enjoyed in the past.Unrivaled for taste in my opinion, tastes like candy. Texture was superb as well soft pliable and very smooth. The specks are a positive sign showing that the good stuff is in there. Here's to good health!

 

I would also like to add to those interested to take a look into Manuka Honey. To me it is totally different than raw honey and requires thorough research. So I would suggest you look into it more on your own time, but I will describe some of it. Manuka honey is a specific mono-floral honey produced from the nectar of the Manuka tree. The Manuka tree is only found in New Zealand and parts of Australia. So the honey is only produced there. It is dark in colour with a distinctively strong taste that is hard to put into words. The thing that makes Manuka honey unique is its heavy duty anti bacterial properties. All honey contains levels of hydrogen peroxide, Manuka has a lot more however. Levels of anti bacterial property are measured by a scale called the "UMF". When you buy a jar it will list the UMF rating on the front such as 10+,20+.. Manuka honey is particularly prized for it's topical anti bacterial properties on skin applications. It is also very good for the stomach shown to have positive effects on ulcers and other stomach problems. As well as helping suffers of IBS and Acid reflux disease. Very strong anti cancer and anti aging effects as well. It also contains the properties any normal raw honey would contain. A true marvel of the natural world. People are still investigating it's plethora of health benefits. I only wish I could see more research going into it. There are some really fascinating stories of healing out there attributed to Manuka.

Be very cautious buying it. Always make sure it's the real deal, read the labels. And if you are in NZ or Australia and can get it locally, you don't need my help identifying it as you probably know all about it. From what I have tired I prefer the New Zealand brands. As always make sure it is bottled in glass, and of a darker colour. A word to the wise, Manuka honey stateside is pricey and difficult to find. My best advice search out a good health food store, and expect it to cost a pretty penny.