INNOVATIVE USES OF NATURAL HONEY

Honey is one of nature’s best creations, providing our bodies with the nutrients. Pure honey is a source of natural healthy sugars with trace amounts of enzymes, minerals and vitamins needed to function properly. Honey is versatile and healing. It provides numerous health and beauty benefits over synthetic or refined sugar when added to food and gives rejuvenating effect when used on the skin surface. It caters to athletic energy needs without the worries of adding extra calories or unhealthy sugars to diet.  Origins of All procure all their natural wonderfully flavoured raw honey from family-operated farms based in Anaheim, California. These farms take special care of surrounding orchids and bees, making sure that the quality of honey remains consistently superior.

SOURCES OF HONEY

Wild or natural honey is obtained through nectar collected and modified by the honeybee. It is a carbohydrate-rich thick syrup resulting from floral and other plants nectars and bee secretions.

Then there is a beekeeper’s or farm honey. This honey also comes from bees and is harvested from the man-made hives. The difference is that some time the farm honey bee is not given a choice of flowers or fruit blossoms but sugar syrup to make honey from. So naturally, it does not have those natural plant-derived components.

Superior quality honey is unadulterated. It is not blended with other substances, like molasses or corn syrup to change viscosity or add flavour. Similarly, the ultrafiltration process removes most of the pollen and also add water into the honey-making it less beneficial.

If you are looking to use honey in treating various health, make sure to research the health benefits first and see how you can use it for those needs. Find out which type of honey will work for your own particular needs.

DIABETIC HEALTH

Honey is vastly better than refined sugar for people with diabetes, especially in its raw or unprocessed form. Although it can dishevel blood sugar levels but not as much as refined sugar. People with various autoimmune metabolic or skin disorders can benefit tremendously from honey when used in moderate amount.

Results from different studies showed that topical honey healed astoundingly almost 97% of patients’ diabetic ulcers which could consequence into amputation of the limb.

CARDIOVASCULAR HEALTH

One study comparing honey and sugar showed that levels in the honey group had lower triglyceride levels by 11–19%. This is good news for people looking to maintain their cholesterol levels by natural means.

Avocado Honey may lower ‘harmful’ LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammation while raising “good” HDL cholesterol. The antioxidant compounds found in honey may help the arteries in your heart dilate naturally, increasing blood flow to your heart. Antioxidant properties may also help prevent blood clot formation, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes.

A VALUABLE COSMETIC ADDITION

Unprocessed honey teems with components brilliantly beneficial for skin, especially if you suffer from acne or autoimmune skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis. Honey aids in balancing the bacteria on your skin, making it a perfect naturally mild healing ingredient for acne-prone skin.

Honey accelerates the skin cells’ healing processes. If you have blemishes or an eczema rash, unpasteurized honey could speed healing and subside inflammation. Pure honey works well as a natural exfoliate. It eliminates dry and dull skin with a mixture of raw honey and cinnamon powder. The combination works as a powerful antioxidant and antimicrobial.

There are numerous recipes for skin treatments. Following are some of the popular ones.

1-          Mix two tablespoon honey with one teaspoon of freshly ground cinnamon. Leave it on for 10-15 minutes then wash off with lukewarm water. Pat dry with a soft towel and use hydrating butter or face oil to seal in the moisture.

This recipe has an exfoliating effect on the skin, using it on your face can eliminate dead skin cells.

2-          Mix two tablespoon of honey with a teaspoon of Jojoba oil to create a luxurious salve for flaking and irritated skin due to dry weather or chemical peeling treatments. Using this recipe with unprocessed honey on your face and hands can work as a treatment for acne, scarring, and dull or dry skin. See an immediate glow with just two uses.

EFFECTIVE FOR TREATING BURN WOUNDS

Historically honey has been found to be a great wound dressing due to its anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory nature. Having high acidity, osmotic effect, anti-oxidant and hydrogen peroxide content honey can be the first line of treatment for minor burns and wounds.

CULINARY USES OF HONEY

Honey that has been processed through a mechanical process will have less sugar and other ingredients in it. On the other hand, natural honey will have a lot of antioxidants and other beneficial ingredients in it. If you want the best results when using honey, make sure to buy the natural variety since it is more beneficial to your body than the processed variety.

You might want to consider using Orange blossom honey as an ingredient in your next creation. It makes an excellent addition to jams, and spreads, as well as being used in some of the recipes found for making gourmet desserts and confectionery. Use it in place of cane sugar when making glazes and spreads.

Crystallized raw honey can be a delicious filling for muffins and pastry puffs.

Nutrients are sealed in the wax texture of the honeycomb so add a piece of Honeycomb honey in your evening tea to top up the healing benefits. The research found that consuming honeycomb improves the function of the liver.

Chew on slowly to a piece of honeycomb after a day out in traffic to remove pollutants and relieve throat.

The recent anti-ageing dermaplaning trend will leave the newly surfaced skin raw and given to infection. Razor scratches or cut (if ever) are painful side effects of this beauty ritual. There is a natural solution to razor burns. Wash face thoroughly after dermaplaning, take a tablespoon of Sage Blossom honey and massage onto skin while it’s still wet. The water will help the honey glide on skin easily. The honey will not only lock in the moisture but prevent any infection from occurring due to its anti-bacterial nature.

Honey has a wide range of uses especially culinary and gourmet uses are only limited to taste palette and culinary creativity.