Honey is so much more than a sweet treat. It possesses many health benefits, can control slugs in the garden and it keeps for thousands of years! Honey is totally different from processed cane sugar; there is no comparison.
Honey is one of nature's greatest gifts, thank goodness for bees! Where we live on the beautiful Barrington Coast of NSW, we are lucky to have good local honey. It's a staple in our house. This beautiful, simple food is actually quite complex! Read on for more honey info...
Source local, raw honey. This is from a local producer, "Amber Drop Honey" on the Barrington Coast.
The power of honey:
1. Honey has anti-microbial properties. It is good for keeping infection at bay and promoting wound healing. I know farmers who have applied it to animal wounds to aid their healing.
2. Honey contains antioxidants which help to neutralise free radicals, helping to prevent cell damage and keep the body's cells healthy.
3. Honey helps prevent inflammation, by boosting cell and protecting tissues in the body from damage from free radicals.
4. Raw honey possesses digestive enzymes, which help us break down nutrients ready for absorption. These include:
Amylases: Break down starch into sugars like glucose and maltose
Invertases: Break down sucrose, a type of sugar, into glucose and fructose
Proteases: Break down proteins into amino acids
5. Manuka honey possesses more anti-bacterial benefits than regular honey. It is unnecessary to consume it all the time. Local, raw honey is packed with benefits to help keep you healthy.
6. Honey has prebiotics, so it helps fuel the good gut bacteria. It is healing and nourishing for the gut, because it contains oligosaccharides, which promote growth of beneficial gut bacteria, such as lactobacilli
7. Honey can keep for thousands of years! Archeologists found honey in ancient Egyptian tombs.
8.Raw honey can be clear or creamed. Both are beneficial. It's a taste preference.
Versatile honey:
Add half a tsp to herbal teas - Rosemary, lemon and honey is soothing.
Add honey to your meat marinades, along with lemon, pomegranate juice, garlic, ginger or red wine to help to start breaking down the proteins and reduce AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) which are harmful compounds occurring when cooking meat at high temperatures.
Source raw honey. Processed/heat treating honey ruins the properties, such the enzymes and antibacterial properties. If you're adding honey to warm dishes, add at the end. Cooking will destroy the enzymes. It is still a good option in baking instead of sugar.
Add to salad dressings - my fave is olive oil, lemon & honey, sometimes with mustard, ginger or Tamari.
Honey flavours can vary greatly, depending on which flowers are available. I spotted this bee enjoying clover in our paddock.
Honey will crystalise over time, especially at lower temperatures, but it is perfectly fine to eat. If you don't like crystallised honey, avoid putting it in the fridge.
Bees are essential to life. We can all make a difference by planting flowering plants in the garden.
Edible flowers, such as borage in the veggie patch promote biodiversity. They're so pretty and are bee-attracting. Straggly borage plants are fed to the cows or chooks. Flowers add a pop of colour and delicious flavour to salads and desserts.
Ginger & honey are a perfect pairing.
What goes on your skin is absorbed into the body, so keep it natural...
Honey is great for the skin! Try just applying honey to your face and leave for at least half an hour then rinse.
Try these recipes:
1 teaspoon honey, 1 teaspoon natural yoghurt and 1/4 tsp turmeric.
Honey, green tea & almond oil
Honey, aloe gel and lemon juice.
The healing benefits, and exfoliating properties of honey, will leave your skin soft and fresh.
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