Honey is a liquid sweetener that bees make after they take nectar from a flower. There is more than 300 types of honey found on the market. Many are processed and void of helpful nutrients. Raw honey comes right from the hive and unprocessed leaving its enzymes and nutrients intact. The darker the honey the higher levels of antioxidants.
Honey does impact your body similar to sugar so moderate consumption is encouraged. One tablespoon of raw honey is 60 calories and 17 grams of sugar carbs. Raw honey is not recommended for very young children. Adults who add raw honey to their diet in moderation can yield some great health benefits.
• Seasonal Allergies – Seasonal allergies are very common, and most people look to over-the-counter medications to relieve their seasonal allergy symptoms. But raw, local, unpasteurized honey can help seasonal allergy symptoms with regular use. Honey from your local beekeepers use bees that are pollinating your local plants, so they take some of those local allergens with them into the honey. Over time, ingesting locally-made raw honey will reduce your seasonal allergies.
• Antioxidants – Unlike commercial honey, unpasteurized honey contains antioxidants which are beneficial to the body by helping you fight free radicals, which are linked to many types of cancer. You can reduce your risk of disease when you consume raw honey.
• Fights Infection – Raw honey has unique properties that kill harmful fungi and bacteria in your body. It also helps inhibit yeast. Research shows that raw honey benefits include enzymes that can kill many types of pathogens, including those that cause food poisoning, microbes that cause skin infections, and bacteria that cause stomach ulcers.
• Improves Digestion – Raw honey promotes probiotics and prebiotics, which helps improve the microbiome/gut health. It also contains polyphenols, which promote good bacterial growth and discourage bad bacteria from growing. This is especially helpful if you’re taking antibiotics, as it will protect your digestive system by buffering the good bacteria for a balanced gut. Raw honey has enzymes that fight inflammation in the gut to reduce acid reflux and heartburn.
