Honey is such an underrated food that needs some recognition. Yes it's an amazing natural sweetener but it can offer so much more than that. For the best benefits buy raw and local! Farmers markets and local health food stores usually carry raw local honey, so that's a good starting place.
When you buy raw, you can still get the many benefits listed below. The process in which honey goes through to be pasteurized, all the amazing nutrients & enzymes are killed.
Buying local insures:
-You get a fresh quality product that didn't need to travel across the country
-It's the best to strengthen immunity and reduce local pollen allergies
-You're helping support someone in your community
The benefits of honey:
1. Support For Pollen Allergies
Consuming honey can help desensitize against pollen allergy
2. Gut Friendly Prebiotic
Honey contains oligosaccharides that can help promote the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli which feed the good bacteria in the gut.
3. Anti bacterial and Anti-fungal
Consuming honey can help with the guts microbiome by killing off bad bacteria that could be present.
4. Helps colds and sore throats
Because honey is antibacterial, it goes to work to heal wounds, give pain relief and help in reducing inflammation.
5. High in flavonoids & antioxidants
Flavonoids & antioxidants help the body to help regulate activity all the way down to a cellular level. It helps our bodies to function optimally and protect us against toxins that we run into during every day life.
6. Aids in digestion
Honey contains enzymes that can help our body to digest food better.
Honey can be enjoyed in many ways, but my top three favorite ways to enjoy honey include: using as a sweetener in tea, using as an additive when cooking protein (shrimp, salmon, chicken), or as a sweetener in yogurt. Remember, raw honey should not be consumed by children younger than 1 years old.
