There has been a lot of buzz lately about honey and the amazing benefits it provides our bodies with! Of course, these benefits are gained from our consumption of raw, pure honey, in it's most natural form! Processed honey eliminates many of the beneficial phytonutrients, including pollen and propolis, through filtering, and may be excessively heated, destroying natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals!
Some amazing benefits of honey include:
- Natural Energy Source - Raw honey contains natural sugars, water , and minerals, vitamins, pollen and minimal protein. It provides an easily absorbed energy in the form of liver glycogen.
- Rich in Antioxidants - High-quality honey contains many important antioxidants. These includes phenols, enzymes and compounds like flavonoids and organic acids .
- Promotes Wound Healing - When applied to the skin, honey can be an effective treatment for burns, wounds and many other skin conditions.
- Soothes Coughing - Studies have shown honey is an effective cough suppressant, particularly in children. Some studies have shown it is more effective then cough medicine.
- Promotes Gut Health - As an alkaline forming food, it becomes alkaline in the digestive system providing the optimum environment for good health.
We are beyond lucky to call Australia home and have a wealth of amazing honey available to us that is pure and packed full of nutritional value.
It is also important to note that our consumption of honey also directly positively impacts our ecosystem and environment! I'm sure we all remember that Kindergarten class where we all learnt about bees and honey. The honey bees that create this delicious honey are also responsible for carrying out vital roles in nature by providing essential ecosystem functions, including global pollination of crops and native plants. Some of the most nutritious foods that we need to consume as humans are bee-pollinated, over 70% in fact!
All of these factors together indicate how important it is to keep pure honey flowing through our economy and stores for not only our benefit, but also the benefits of the delicate ecosystem around us! When shopping for honey, make sure to choose pure, raw honey where possible, and avoid any brands with added syrups, as these equate to being just another high sugary, honey flavoured syrup, which by now we know is lacking in any nutritional value!
How do you enjoy your honey? Let us know down in the comments section below!