Golden Nectar of the Gods

April Showers bring May flowers and with the flowers come, THE BEES! I just love bees and being an avid gardener, they are just a part of my life. Since I spend so much time with the plants, the bees are always present and their appearance in the spring in my gardens brings me great joy! One of the best things about bees is the golden nectar they provide – honey!

On average, a worker honeybee will produce about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in her entire lifetime. So, a single 16oz. bottle of Local Hive Honey takes more than 1,100 bees just to gather the pollen and nectar inside. That’s not even counting all the work of the other bees who clean up the hive, build honeycomb and protect the entrance. Bees typically forage within a 1 to 2-mile radius of their hive, but they can fly up to 5 miles in extreme circumstances. This is why using LOCAL honey for allergies is so important.

But this story started in biblical times! The ancient Egyptians valued honey not only as a natural sweetener, but also for its potential therapeutic properties, including wound healing. Honey was also a staple in traditional medicine due to its natural antibacterial properties, which ancient Egyptians relied on to treat wounds, burns, and digestive ailments. It was commonly applied to wounds to protect against infection and promote healing. 

Greek mythology revered honey as the "nectar of the gods," believed to impart wisdom and vitality, and it played a role in religious rituals as well as in sweetening foods. 

Honey’s importance also extended to the East, where it became a staple in Indian Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In Ayurveda, honey was considered a natural remedy for respiratory and digestive issues, believed to balance the body’s energies and promote health. Practitioners in Traditional Chinese Medicine similarly viewed honey as a warming food, using it to support the immune system and overall vitality. 

If you’re looking for the most nutrient-rich honey, opt for “raw” or “unfiltered” honey. Because raw honey retains bee pollen, it retains a variety of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants, making it the more nutritious choice. Raw honey is in its purest form—taken straight from the hive, strained, and bottled without pasteurization. Standard honey undergoes processing and filtration to extend its shelf life, which removes bee pollen and many of its natural nutrients.

Honey is naturally composed of glucose and fructose, providing a quick source of energy for the body. According to the USDA, 1 tablespoon (or 21 grams) of honey contains 64 calories and 17.3 grams of carbohydrates. It also contains the following nutrients: 

·        calcium

·        magnesium

·        manganese

·        niacin

·        pantothenic acid

·        phosphorous

·        potassium

·        riboflavin

·        zinc

·        B6

These nutrients support brain function, energy production, and heart health. Additionally, honey is rich in antioxidants like flavonoids and phenolic acids, which help protect the body from oxidative stress, and I’ve spoken in past broadcasts about how oxidative stress is responsible for 98% of the inflammation we see in the body. As if that weren’t enough, raw honey has the following benefits:

·        Supports a healthier blood sugar balance due to its lower glycemic index

·        May improve Heart health

·        Reduces total cholesterol, increases HDL and lowers LDL cholesterol and triglycerides

·        Supports digestive health

·        Soothes sore throats and coughs without side effects

·        Wound healing

In terms of phytochemical composition, honeys like Tualang, Manuka, and Gelam have been shown to contain a high number of flavonoids and polyphenols such as quercetin, kaempferol, chrysin, and apigenin. 

These phytochemical compounds have been reported to be responsible for the medicinal properties of honey such as anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-microbial, anti-allergic, anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, anti-parasitic activity, anti-ulcer, wound healing, and cardiovascular disease prevention.

Among these reported beneficial effects, anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-cancer, and anti-microbial activities from various honey are well documented. For example, apigenin, chrysin, and quercetin isolated from honey have been proven in one reported study to inhibit the growth of various bacterial species (Das et al., 2015), whereas isolated kaempferol from honey contains anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activity. That’s a lot of natural healing from a delicious, golden treat!

Many people ask me about using local, raw honey for seasonal allergies, and my answer is absolutely yes! Now, doctors will tell you that this is a theory, and more research needs to be done, but let’s face it, NO pharmaceutical company or college is going to dole out the money to research a natural, inexpensive component that will replace their high-priced, ineffective drugs. Just sayin. For years, people in Appalachia, the Amish, Native Americans and people all over the world have used honey as a respiratory support. And, though honey may not cure your allergies, its soothing properties can help ease the symptoms.

There is a caution about giving honey to infants less than 1 year old. Their digestive systems aren’t fully developed enough to handle the enzymes in the honey. So be cautious!

Honey is my favorite alternative to sugar and with all the health benefits and none of the side effects, you can see why. Find a local beekeeper if you can, and support them. Also, please don’t spray your lawns or flowers. We are seeing a decrease in the bee population over the last few decades and when the bees go, the food goes. So keep that in mind.

Why not make honey part of this year’s healthy choices and Let’s Get Better!

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