I wrote this post about honey a year ago but have been asked for it again, and so I apologise to those of you who have been following me for a while. I have improved it a bit, though 
. Writing this helps to remind me to eat more honey as it is one of those things that I go through phases of remembering to put into my diet, but often forget. I get a lot of hay fever when growing my own food and working in the garden (there is a lot of tree pollen from pine trees around), but in my cupboard I have local honey bought from a local bee keeper. Eating local honey relieves the symptoms. Honey is a healthier alternative to white sugar and can be substituted in recipes. I always use a quarter less than what it says for sugar. It is still a kind of glucose and shouldn’t be eaten in large quantities, but it also contains iron, magnesium, folate, anti oxidants and potassium, a trace of protein, and vitamins A and C.
As well as being a sweetener, honey is useful to have in as it can save me buying other remedies. Here are just a few of it’s uses.
1. A tbsp a day reduces acid reflux.
2. You can gargle it with a mixture of lemon juice and it will soothe a sore throat.
3. If you have acne, putting honey on the blemishes helps them fade faster. It apparently also reduces blistering and redness when mixed with olive oil and beeswax for those who suffer from psoriasis.
4. If you dab some on an insect bite it will relieve the itching.
5. You can use it as a syrup to reduce coughing instead of buying a cough medicine.
6. It can give you a boost of energy if you eat a teaspoon full (or put it in a cup of tea) if you are working, and saves you buying an energy drink.
7 If you dab honey on a cut before bandaging it, it will act as an anti biotic, but will also prevent the scab sticking to the bandage. I have heard that it is especially good for diabetic ulcers on the feet.
8 It can help heal burns and has been used for this since Egyptian times.
9. It helps heal mouth ulcers.
10 It is known to help with digestive issues.
11. Apparently it helps with diarrhoea and reduces the severty and duration of it.
12. Manuka honey has been shown to treat MRSA and it is being tested to see if it reduces resistance to anti biotics.
13. Studies have shown that honey can improve long and short term memory, especially in menopausal women.
14. Honey doesn’t spike your blood sugar as much as sugar, as it has a lower glycemic level. It is also sweeter and so if you are diabetic and are opting for something sweet, it is better than sugar if used sparingly.
15. It is thought that honey can boost fertility in males and females, though studies have had mixed results.
16. It is still being studied, but some studies have shown that the antioxidant properties in honey can reduce cancer cell multiplication, and so might help prevent and treat cancer.
17. Studies have shown that it can help with heart health as it regulates heart beat, improves blood fat levels, can help with lowering blood pressure, and can reduce the death of healthy cells.
Honey is also handy to have in for cooking. I like to paint chicken wings with honey and dip in sesame seeds before cooking, or drizzle a bit on plain Greek yogurt with a few flaked almonds. It is also good to have in to make a dressing for salad and there are lots of honey recipes on line. I buy raw local honey, or ask for Manuka honey as presents when people don’t know what to get me. You can buy pasteurised honey which is cheaper from the supermarket but it doesn’t have the same healing properties. Honey is the only food that can’t spoil unless it has been harvested too early. This is because of it’s low water content. Just a word of caution though, honey shouldn’t be used for infants younger than a year as it is thought that it is not safe. It also might be worth checking with your doctor before using it for medical conditions. It is also worth remembering that honey is a sugar, and so if eaten in large quantities it is not good for your health, or your figure.
Honey can seem expensive to buy, initially, but it has so many uses in cooking, and medicinally, and if used sparingly, it lasts ages. Does any body else have any honey facts or uses that they wish to share, and do many of you use honey much?
