The health benefits of honey have been discussed for thousands of years (and even makes an appearance in the Bible). In our modern world, many of the health benefits (which have been well documented by numerous scientific research institutions) are related to eating honey.
And when we are talking about healthy honey at Monte-Bellaria, we mean raw honey (that is pure, unfiltered—which means it includes pollen and other bee byproducts, is unheated, unpasteurized, and unprocessed with no preservatives!) A lot of the honey we knew growing up was highly processed (I’m thinking the “honey bear”), which drives out many of the naturally occurring benefits. These are just expensive sweeteners and represent the vast majority of what is sold in the grocery store. [reference: www.swansonvitamins.com/blog/guest-authors…health/raw-honey-the-complete-story ]
The component substances in raw honey include: Probiotics, Enzymes, Phytonutrients, Flavonoids, Vitamins and Antioxidants. Honey is also naturally Anti-bacterial, Anti-microbial, Anti-fungal and Anti-metastatic (anti-cancer.) It has a very long shelf-life and needs no artificial preservatives.
According to the website “Well-being Secrets,” one tablespoon of honey has about 64 calories and has no fat, [gluten] or cholesterol. It includes vitamins, trace enzymes, amino acids, and minerals like calcium, iron, sodium chlorine, magnesium, phosphate, and potassium. Because of its distinct bend toward the acidic pH level, it helps reduce bacterial growth, and the antioxidant properties help it wipe out some free radicals.
Some of the commonly reported benefits of consuming honey include:
Benefits
- Relieves of Stomach and Digestive Disorders
- Desensitizes Allergic Reactions and Symptoms (particularly cough)
- Enhances Memory and Cognitive Skills
- Boosts the Immune System
- May Prevent and Fight Cancer
- Lowers Cholesterol
- Helps Manage High Blood Pressure
But something that many people don’t associate with honey is its topical application properties; or in other words using honey directly on the skin.
Using raw honey on wounds, burns, rashes, dry skin and even dandruff has been cited among its beneficial properties. According to the NCBI–NIH, “the healing property of raw honey is due to the fact that it offers antibacterial activity, maintains a moist wound condition, and its high viscosity helps to provide a protective barrier to prevent infection. Its immunomodulatory property is relevant to wound repair, too.”
An offhand conversation with a local veterinarian revealed that raw honey is frequently used for animal wounds. So while I might question folks who swear by certain homeopathic treatments (because we are all sometimes prone to hope), if my vet is using it on my dog…I have to believe that that is proof of efficacy.
Let us know if you have any other honey treatment thoughts.