Honey is full of antioxidants, is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and antifungal
Raw honey’s powerful antioxidants are the basis of most, if not all, of its health benefits. Honey helps
- against cell damage
- lower blood pressure
- boost immunity
- heal wounds and cuts
- relieve sore throat and cough: you can take either enjoy a spoonful or add to hot tea with lemon
- digestion and gastrointestinal disorders
- cholesterol and heart health
- athletic performance
- oral health (1)
Go Local
Choose local honey because there is a bit of bee pollen in true honey and also other active ingredients of the local flora and fauna.
What counts as local? Product from the same climate and vegetation area where we live.
Go Pure
Some companies are putting false sugars and other ingredients in their honey to make them cheaper. These can trump the favorable qualities and spike your glucose. Certain additions such as corn syrup result in honey that is less than the nutritious product you thought you purchased and may include toxins due to glyphosates.
How do we know it is pure? Some honey, especially larger producers that can afford it, boast the USDA Organic label. This is a good label to look for, but we understand it does not guarantee the honey is pure.
Tests to determine purity: There are quite a number of tests to determine purity. We like those below for their simplicity. For certainty, it is recommended to use several tests, not just one.
1. Put a bit of honey in a clear glass dish. Add enough water to just cover the honey then swish back and forth. If the honey is pure, the genetic code, the honey comb, reveals itself.
We like this test because of the beauty of the reveal.
See this Youtube link to see what happens.
These next two test for added moisture, which means impure honey:
2. Add a drop of syrup to the pad of your thumb and watch to see if the honey spreads over your finger or stays in a single droplet form. If the honey spreads, it indicates lower honey quality. Pure honey is more likely to stay in place.
3. Add a tablespoon of honey to a cup of water. As the honey settles, record whether the syrups dissolve or sit at the bottom. If it dissolves, and probably within minutes, it is impure syrup.
And then there is taste testing!
4. A sweet lasting aftertaste is a sign of impure honey. It is a side effect of flavoring and sugars added to the honey. When pure honey is swallowed, its wonderful taste is more likely to fade a minute or so later. (2)
Caution
“…Honey must not be given to children under the age of one due to the risk of botulism (a rare but serious illness that is caused by toxins that attack the nerves causing difficulty breathing, muscle).” (1)
(2) Youtube: Lil & Jeff, How to Test if Honey is Pure.
Photo credit: Image by Michael Siebert from Pixabay