Updated 1/2020
When our children were small, we developed allergies to many thing because of exposure to mold. I began reading that local honey would help with allergies. That was the beginning of our interest in honey and bees.
As an RN and researcher, I learned that true raw honey was worth its weight in gold for many medicinal purposes. There’s a simple principle that’s explained in countless books on folk medicine.
Honeybees will deposit small amounts of the offending pollen in all that honey they produce. If that honey is made using flower nectar from the allergy sufferer’s locale, chances are pretty good that the pollen in the honey is the same type that’s causing your problem.
Eating honey over time (usually a short time) just might help desensitize the body’s immune system to the offending pollen. It has proven to be VERY effective for us through the years. This holds true only if the honey is produced locally and never heated (raw).
Why Raw?
One teaspoon of raw unfiltered honey only has 4-5 grams of sugars in it. With the suspended pollen (the reason for not filtering), you are acquiring proteins, enzymes that inhibit bacteria, genetic markers for local allergens which reduce environmental allergies, improving endurance and vitality, extending longevity, aiding recovery from chronic illness, regulating the intestines, production of new blood cells and preventing infectious diseases such as the cold and flu (it has antibiotic type properties). (source)
Some “Honey” is Not Honey!
We know now that store-bought pasteurized “honey” is not much better than white sugar. The heat from pasteurization kills the beneficial enzymes and complex nutrients rendering them useless to the body.
(Source)
Much of the “honey” found on grocer’s shelves are devoid of pollen, has added High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) made from GMO corn, and the beekeepers we know will tell you that much of it is imported from China and possibly tainted!
Raw Honey Is Spooned, Not Poured
(You will need to know that raw honey is more dense and will likely need to be spooned, especially in the cool months. The heating process which makes off-the-shelf honey squeeze out of a little hole also kills the enzymes and other properties, so you will have to think about using your honey slightly differently. I wrote a post about our hives and how to gently soften your raw honey for use.)
Seven Sweet Raw Honey Uses:
As I researched honey I was surprised to find so many benefits beyond sweetening. Here are 7 things I found beneficial to my family, but there are many more.
1. Soothing a Sore Throat or Cough
Honey and lemon in warm water or tea is an excellent natural alternative to cough medicine as it can reduce cough and sooth that sore throat.
2. Preventing Allergies
Taking 1 teaspoon of local, raw honey per day before and during allergy season can prevent your allergy symptoms. This works on the basis of “like cures like” and is the reason that your honey should be local. Local honey has a higher likelihood to contain triggers for your allergy symptoms. My son still takes a teaspoon of raw honey on the spoon before going out to rake or bale hay.
3. Raw Honey Excels at Acne, Sunburn, and Wound Healing
If you get a serious sunburn, you can apply a thin layer of honey to help the skin heal. Cover and leave on as long as you can, then wash or shower and pat dry. A spot treatment overnight for acne works quickly. Place a little piece of tissue over it to keep it from getting on your pillowcase.
Raw honey is antiseptic which means it prevents the growth of disease-causing microorganisms. Used topically on wounds and burns, it reduces pain and lessens scarring.
“The data show that the wound healing properties of honey include stimulation of tissue growth, enhanced epithelialization, and minimized scar formation. These effects are ascribed to honey’s acidity, hydrogen peroxide content, osmotic effect, nutritional and antioxidant contents, stimulation of immunity, and to unidentified compounds.” ~ScientificWorldJournal. 2011 Apr 5;11:766-87.
4. Raw Honey Fights Indigestion
Take a teaspoon to help fight indigestion. An upset tummy will often settle right down.
5. Vitamin and Mineral Benefits
Honey not only naturally contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and vitamin C, but also important minerals such as copper, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, calcium and phosphorous. Honey contains minerals and amino acids that are good for the reproductive system and stimulate the ovary’s function.
6. Constipation
When mixed with apple cider vinegar raw honey can help relieve constipation naturally.
7. Honey will keep forever without spoiling if stored properly.
We think a certain quantity of raw honey is a great thing to have on your list of preparedness items for food and medicine.
Conclusion
This little honey bee was slumped over on the concrete and just about out of energy on a chilly day this spring. I quickly brought out a spoon with a dab of raw honey and placed it gently under its antennae.
Within seconds, it snapped to an alert position and began feeding. It was there for over 30 minutes before it flew away, so I suppose this is another benefit of having raw honey on hand 🙂
I hope now maybe you will consider keeping bees, too!
My image.
“And the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great deeds of terror, with signs and wonders. And He brought us into this place and gave us this land, a land flowing with milk and honey.” ~Deuteronomy 26: 8-9
Irene Silva
David was a beekeeper a long time ago. I ended up helping him with his hives and learned a lot. We, at first, did not believe about the allergy relief. But it does really work. Our allergies are really bad so Jorge has honey with his coffee everyday throughout the year. I start my honey eating in January. We buy ours from our local beekeeper. It just tastes sooooooo good.
Jacqueline
Hi, Irene,
I love to hear the stories of success that people are having. When it makes such a difference in our children’s lives , especially, then we just want to tell everyone!
Thanks for sharing!
Clint Baker
We have used it for all of the above! Great read for us all!
Debbie
I use honey with garlic or onion as medicine, too.
What Joy Is Mine
Raw honey is all I keep in my house. So many benefits! :o) Good information here Jacqueline. Thank you much friend.
Christa
Thank you for this information Jacqueline. I thought I knew a lot about honey and I still learned a lot from this post. We are hoping to keep bees some day, but until then we are learning from others.
JES
Oh!!! How much we would like to have our own hives! That is one of the top ten on our list right now and your list just inspired me more 🙂 The allergy part is intriguing to us. We suffered bad last autumn and I wonder if some LOCAL raw honey would help. My husband ran into a man in town this morning selling honey who happens to have hives close to us… I think he will be our new resource until we procure some ourselves.
Also, my daughter had a bad oil burn and we used propolis strips to help and heal the wound with excellent results. Wonderful and informative post, Jacqueline 🙂 Thank you.
Jill's Home Remedies
I love raw honey and hope to raise my own someday! 🙂
Amanda
I went from humid weather to dry weather. I eat the local honey to get my body used to the change,since I have allergies and it helps.Also a daily dose of a mixture of honey, garlic, vinegar and lemon helps with your health!
Judy
I like your remedy with the honey,garlic.and organic apple cider vinegar it works for me ,but I usally make a quart at a time and I refrigerate it. Do you know what the shelf life is on it?
Jacqueline
Judy,
I am not sure of the shelf life as we make the batch and use it up. If the honey is raw, it is a great antibacterial agent. Is the garlic in whole clove form? If you store it with garlic in cloves, beware of botulism since it is a no oxygen environment: https://deeprootsathome.com/garlic-tincture-diy-home-remedy/ If it is garlic powder you are using, it is fine!
JES
Dear Jacqueline, I just sent you a email about this post and a few others when you have a moment… Love, JES
Jacqueline
I found it…let’s Skype!
Em
It is funny how different it can be. It would be impossible to market HFCS as honey in EU. Here honey is honey – although not always umprosessed as it is sometimes strained and/or heated – and often different brands of honey are mixed together.
Lewis Groome
I mowed around a snowball bush a couple months ago and got stabbed by one of the limbs. I did not notice the blood gushing out my arm until my cat showed up and I looked down at her. Wow and it was really coming out of me. I went into the house and got the liquid propolis and poured it over my wound after I washed it and a film formed over the would which stopped the bleeding. I was totally amazed. A missionary friend of mine gave me a sample earlier and I snatched it up real quick. My blood stained shirt looked like I was shot in my stomach from all the blood that was on it. Four days later and I could not even see the would at all. Bee Propolis, Pollen, Royal Jelly and Honey was given to us by God who created the Honey Bees to take care of us and I believe it. I’ll be stopping by today ( 9/22/2016 ) to get some raw honey after work. See you soon! Lewis
Spencer Montgomery
Excellent post! It’s nice to know that there are a lot of benefits for raw honey. I especially like that it can prevent allergies. I’ll make sure to check this out as it may help my daughter because she has allergies. Thanks for posting!
Beth
Are there any good brands of raw honey?
Jacqueline
Hi, Beth! Yes, there are!
Best option is to really look in your local area and find a beekeeper who sells local (to you) honey 😀 Lots of reasons to do that medicinally!
If you cannot find real raw local honey, YS Bee Farms is really certified: https://amzn.to/2LwxPaS or https://amzn.to/2M1rT98
I hoe that helps! ~J
Mandi Cook
My honey is crystalized, and some so thick I can’t pour it….how do I make it usable again? I read you wrote a post, but I can’t find it! Thanks!
Jacqueline
Hi, Mandy! I must have lost that content, but simply, I gently heat it in warm water in a sink with the drain stopped (tightly sealed so water cannot get in). never over 102-3 degrees, or you will kill the good enzymes and living properties. I hour or less will soften it enough that you can scoop it. Raw honey was never meant to freely pour. I hope that helps! ~J