Raw Honey Benefits: What Is Honey, and Why Do I Choose to Eat It?
Today, I want to talk about honey.
Thick, sweet, and impossibly golden, honey has inspired countless metaphors, and you probably know more than a few people who call their partner “honey” as a term of endearment. In fact, you might even be one of them.
But just how much do you really know about this delectable concoction whose name we all throw around so much?
Let’s see… it’s made by bees, so it’s definitely natural, but is honey vegan? Is it plant-based? What is honey, exactly? What’s the difference between raw and natural honey? Is honey good for you?
Here’s the buzz on honey – and how it can still “bee” a part of your life when you choose to eat a plant-based diet.
How is honey made, and what is it?
If we’re going to answer the vegan question, first we need to talk about what honey is and how it’s made.
It’s kind of a long process – and a super interesting one, so check it out when you have time to burn – but essentially it involves:
bees taking nectar from flowers,
converting it into a long-lasting source of food with help from enzymes in their handy “second stomach”,
passing it to other bees, who deposit it into honeycombs,
fanning the honeycombs with their wings to help the water evaporate, and
sealing it off with beeswax so it can stay fresh for the long haul.
Long story short, honey is a sweet liquid made from flower nectar mixed with an enzyme that is secreted from honeybees, who make it as a way to store food for the winter.
Yes, I glossed over some steps, but that should be enough to answer our next question…
Is honey vegan?
Technically, it’s not vegan since it comes from insects, and insects are animals.
And when you think about it, although flowers are involved, it’s not wholly plant-based either, yet many people who follow a plant-based diet (and some vegans, too) still eat it – and I’ll explain why shortly.
Of course, many vegans don’t eat it because of concerns about commercial bee farming practices. You can learn more about that here.
But many vegans do choose to consume honey or use it for health purposes because they believe its benefits are just too great to ignore.
To show respect for bees, it’s important to seek out local raw honey that has been gathered humanely – preferably from small-scale beekeepers – to minimize the impact on these important insects.
I follow a whole food, plant-based lifestyle, but I don’t consider myself a strict vegan. (For more on that, see my post Vegan vs. Plant-Based Diet: What’s the difference?) And yes, I do keep honey on hand.
Now, that doesn’t mean I’m downing it by the gallon.
Far from it.
In fact, I use maple syrup when I make desserts.
However, when I feel a sore throat or a cold coming on, you’d better clear a path between me and the pantry because honey, I’m coming for you!
I tend to use raw honey mainly for health purposes, and there are lots of compelling reasons to do so.
The health benefits of raw honey
Is honey all it’s cracked up to “bee”? (Sorry, I can’t help myself with these bee puns!) Let’s take a look at the science.
1. It is antibacterial, antiseptic and antifungal
I always prefer natural medicine wherever possible, and honey is a great multitasker. It contains antiseptic, antibacterial, and antifungal properties. This means it can kill harmful fungi and bacteria. In fact, ancient Egyptians used it as a natural antibiotic.
Some of the pathogens it can kill include E. coli, Heliobacter pylori, and Staphylococcus aureus. Some studies also suggest it has antiviral properties.
2. It’s great for sore throats and coughs
As I mentioned, honey is the first thing I reach for when I feel a cold setting in. Add some honey to hot tea or water with lemon, and you’ll soothe your throat in no time – and I also like to add in some ginger and turmeric for even greater benefits.
And that cough that keeps you up all night? Honey is good for that, too, with research showing it’s just as effective as one popular over-the-counter cough medication ingredient.
Less coughing means more sleeping, of course, and one study found that in addition to doing a better job at reducing coughing, it also improved sleep more than cough medication. A couple of teaspoonfuls straight will get the job done.
3. It’s a great source of phytonutrients
Phytonutrients are compounds that protect plants from harm, and they’re also found in honey. They give it its antibacterial and antifungal properties, but this isn’t just a rehash of my first point – they’re also believed to be the reason raw honey has demonstrated anti-cancer and immune-boosting properties.
4. It can heal wounds
If you cook as much as I do, chances are the inside of the oven or a hot baking tray has met your wrist or arm once or twice – and you’ve probably already heard the advice of using honey to treat these burns. There’s something poetic about the kitchen hurting you and then healing you, isn’t there?
Sterile manuka honey is used in some medical settings for treating wounds and burns because not only does it kill germs effectively, but it also helps tissue to regenerate. It’s been shown in studies to reduce infections and increase your healing time.
It shows remarkable healing effects in patients with diabetic foot ulcers, and it can also help with skin problems like psoriasis and even canker sores.
5. It can improve your cholesterol levels
Honey has been shown in studies to have a positive effect on cholesterol levels, causing modest decreases in total and “bad” LDL cholesterol while also increasing your “good” HDL cholesterol. This, in turn, could help reduce your risk of heart disease.
6. It contains antioxidants
Another way honey can help your heart is through its antioxidants, many of which have been linked to a lower heart disease risk. They can boost blood flow to the heart and might help stop the formation of blood clots that can lead to strokes and heart attacks.
Darker honey tends to have more antioxidants than lighter honey.
Raw honey vs. regular honey
That list of benefits above? There’s one small yet super important word to take note of in the subtitle.
It’s the health benefits of raw honey.
Not just regular honey. Not creamed honey. Not even pasteurized honey. And definitively not the honey in Honey Nut Cheerios or Honey Smacks.
Raw honey.
Most of the honey you’ll find in stores has been pasteurized. There are lots of reasons for doing this, but mostly it’s done to extend its shelf life. It kills unwanted yeast, removes crystallization, and can improve its color and texture.
As great as that may be from a business standpoint, you’re not the person selling the honey – you’re the one putting it into your body. And the high temperature used in pasteurization destroys many of those beneficial nutrients you’re seeking when you buy honey in the first place.
That’s why quality is important. In fact, some of the cheaper brands mix honey with syrup to cut costs! It’s totally worth tracking down raw honey from a trusted local producer, but if that’s not possible, just make sure the one you’re buying is clearly labeled as being raw. Those labeled “organic honey” or “pure honey” aren’t necessarily raw – it also has to specifically say “raw”.
Raw honey comes directly from the honeycomb. The beekeeper filters it to remove any small pieces of debris, but they don’t pasteurize it. It will often be opaque or cloudy.
Just one word of warning here: don’t give raw honey to children under the age of 1 because there’s a risk of infant botulism. By the time they turn 1, their little digestive systems are usually developed enough that this isn’t a problem, but before then, better safe than sorry!
The bottom line
So, honey? It’s the bee’s knees.
A smarter choice than sugar when you need something sweet, this antibacterial and antifungal liquid gold is also great for coughs, sore throats, and skin problems.
Whether you eat it or apply it to your skin, it has some pretty sweet benefits!