How to Avoid Being Fooled by Honey Labels

There are few things as soothing as a cup of tea with honey or a touch of sweet honey's goodness on a blueberry muffin.

It's a great choice for a sweetener, as long as you read the label carefully. More on what look for on the label in a minute.

As good as it tastes, honey also has important health benefits.

  • It contains antioxidants that lower cancer risk and fights heart disease
  • It helps heal stomach ulcers
  • It fights bacteria and fungus
  • It improves recovery time for athletes
  • It soothes sore throats
  • It controls blood sugar
  • It heals wounds
  • It makes a great face mask
  • It can help with weight loss
  • It fights seasonal allergies
  • It helps you fall asleep

It’s amazing that this simple syrup can do so much, especially when you think about how it’s made!

Honey comes from bees. They collect nectar from flowers to help them fly. Some of the nectar gets digested and regurgitated over and over again until it becomes honey. Maybe not pleasant to think about but interesting for sure!

There are many varieties of honey because honey can come from different types of flowers. Each one gives it different tastes and colors. Some have more antioxidants than others. Some have lower glycemic indexes.

What’s most important when buying honey is that you look for raw honey.

Only raw honey has all the enzymes, minerals and vitamins that make it a superfood.

Most honey that’s sold today is processed. It has been heated and filtered, and this takes away all its best health benefits.

When honey is raw it has 5,000 enzymes, 27 minerals and 22 amino acids. Almost all these are destroyed when it's heated for commercial honey.

  • Honey that is not raw is very clear, while raw honey is usually cloudy.
  • Honey that is processed also contains very little bee pollen. Bee pollen is an important part of why raw honey is so good for you. It is what boosts our immune systems and soothes allergy symptoms.

You may be able to buy raw honey at your local market, but you need to know what to look for and what to watch out for.

A lot of companies sell processed honey, or honey blended with other sweeteners or additives, and label it “pure” honey. Others label use the word “natural”. This does not mean that it is raw or unpasteurized.

You only want honey if the label says “raw” or “unpasteurized”.

The best place to buy raw honey is from a local beekeeper or farm market. It doesn’t matter whether the raw honey you buy is a cream or a liquid.

Cream honey is the same as liquid honey, but has been allowed to granulate to make it less messy to spread. Both have the same nutritional benefits.

Here are some great ways to add raw honey to your diet:

  • Add a spoonful to Greek yogurt with a handful of raisins or almonds
  • Combine with your favorite vinegar and a little olive oil to make a great salad dressing

Remember that raw honey has great healing qualities too.

  • Local honey is especially good at helping people with seasonal allergies.
  • You can dab some onto a minor burn or cut to speed healing time.
  • Mix 1 tablespoon of honey with a tablespoon of coconut oil and use it as a face mask to heal acne or soothe dry skin.

Yours in Health,

Danette

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