Wellness Dietitian

It used to be that the global measure for sweetness was pegged in the heaving ounces of raw honey, extracted from the waxen combs of beehives. The popular biblical idiom, “land flowing with milk and honey,” which figuratively portrays immense abundance, provides us with subtle hints on the significance of honey as a food source and commodity throughout history. Prior to the emergence of sugar cane in the nineteenth century, which replaced honey as a prime sweetener in many food preparations, raw honey was already extensively employed as flavoring and as a natural preservative for food and beverages while finding practical use as a sealant for leather products among others. Moreover, honey was already esteemed for its medicinal value early on being administered as a topical application for wounds.

Despite losing its status as a primary sweetener, honey retains much of its utility in commercial food preparations as an ingredient in beverages, gums, and spreads. Honey has a versatile nature to blend well with almost any type of food and drink. Unprocessed honey also finds use as a curing solution for meats, vegetables, and fruits due to its supersaturated state that prevents the outgrowth of microorganisms; raw honey will not spoil. Honeys cunning ability to absorb water reinforces its potential to extend the shelf life of pastries, processed food, and confectionery.

Today, the therapeutic merits of raw honey are finding its way back into the mainstream given the health related hazards confronting the excessive intake of sucrose, or table sugar, such as obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. Consequently, the health care industry is experiencing a dramatic surge in organic health care products where the healing benefits provided by raw honey fit the pursuit of healthier lifestyles. And while its innate ability to heal wounds, burns, inflammation, infections, and digestive troubles has been well established in line with its antiseptic, antibacterial, and tonic properties, scientific research likewise points out the potential of raw honey to address matters of nutrition and disease prevention.

On the nutrition side, raw honey is enriched with the micronutrients Riboflavin and Niacin, which are vital to energy metabolism. This complements its inherent function as an energy resource. On the aspect of disease prevention, unprocessed honey is likely an ideal heart supplement due to the rich presence of antioxidants that promotes a drop in the risk factors pertinent to cardiovascular diseases.