The Amazing Story of Raw Honey!

Honey naturally contains nutrients and enzymes that have a variety of health benefits and medical uses. Perhaps that’s why it has been used as a folk remedy throughout history. Today, honey is still a popular food and is even used in some hospitals as a medical treatment for wounds. However, these health benefits are specific to unpasteurized honey.

Bees travel from flower to flower collecting nectar and pollen. The nectar and pollen are taken back to the beehive, where they are packed into the honeycomb and eventually become a food source for the bees.

Bee pollen is surprisingly nutritious and contains over 250 substances, including vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids, micronutrients and antioxidants. In fact, the German Federal Ministry of Health recognizes bee pollen as a medicine.

Bee pollen has been linked to many impressive health benefits. Studies have found that it may help fight inflammation and improve liver function. It also has properties that may help fight against heart disease and stroke. Manufacturers process most of the honey you find in grocery stores. Heating the honey helps improve the color and texture, and removes any unwanted crystallization. Many of the beneficial antioxidants and bacteria are also removed or destroyed in the process.


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If you’re interested in trying raw honey, buy it from a trusted local producer. In the meantime, check out some of the health benefits raw honey has to offer:

Antioxidants Aplenty:
Raw honey contains antioxidants called phenolic compounds. Some types of honey have as many antioxidants as fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants help to protect your body from cell damage due to free radicals.

Free radicals contribute to the aging process and may also contribute to the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. Studies show that polyphenols in honey may play a role in preventing heart disease.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties:
Raw honey can kill unwanted bacteria and fungus. It naturally contains hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic. Several hospitals in Europe have used Manuka honey to fight methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacterial infection that’s become resistant to antibiotics. The effectiveness of honey as an antibacterial or antifungal depends on the type of honey.

Healing Wounds:
Manuka honey is also used in medical settings to treat wounds because it’s an effective germ killer. Researchers believe this is because it has additional antibacterial properties besides the natural hydrogen peroxide.

Studies show that Manuka honey can boost healing time and reduce infections in wounds. However, the honey used in hospital settings is medical grade, meaning it’s safe and sterile. You shouldn’t expect to treat injuries with the honey you buy from a grocery store.

Supports Better Sleep:
Raw honey promotes blood sugar stability to keep you sound asleep all night long. It also increases the production of the brain chemicals serotonin and melatonin to assist with well-being and overall healing.

Nature's Face Wash:
There is no need to buy expensive skin-care products, which are full of chemicals and perfumes. Raw honey cleanses the skin while also providing moisture. In addition, it contains antioxidants that fight the signs of aging. What’s not to love! Honey is the best natural face wash. To use, wet your face with warm water, then smooth on about half a teaspoon of honey. If you want an exfoliating scrub, mix a little baking soda, salt or sugar into the honey before applying in circular motions. Leave on for a minute or two, then rinse with warm water.

Helps with Inflammation
Raw honey is known to reduce levels of an inflammatory marker called homocysteine. This is considered to be an important indicator of protection against chronic inflammatory illness such as heart disease.

Phytonutrients:
Phytonutrients are compounds found in plants that help protect the plant from harm. For example, some may keep insects away or shield the plant from harsh UV radiation.

Phytonutrients provide both antioxidant and anti-inflammatory benefits, which help you maintain good health. Because honey is made from plants, it also has phytonutrients. These valuable nutrients are unique to raw honey and disappear when honey is heavily processed.

Aids in Digestive Issues:
Honey is sometimes used to treat digestive issues such as diarrhea, though there isn’t much research to show that it works. However, it’s proven to be effective as a treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori), a common cause of peptic ulcers. (Peptic ulcers occur in the stomach or digestive system.) Taking 1-2 teaspoons on an empty stomach is said to soothe pain and help with the healing process.

Soothes your Sore Throat:
Have a cold? Try a spoonful of honey. Honey is an old sore throat remedy. Try adding it to hot tea with lemon. It also works as a cough suppressant. Research shows that honey is as effective as dextromethorphan, a common over-the-counter cough medicine ingredient, in treating a cough. Just eat one or two teaspoons straight.



Raw honey can contain spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum. This bacteria is especially harmful to babies, children under the age of one and pregnant women. It may cause botulism poisoning, which results in life-threatening paralysis. However, botulism is very rare among healthy adults and older children. As the body ages, the gut develops enough to stop the botulinum spores from growing. That said, if you experience side effects such as nausea, vomiting and diarrhea soon after eating raw honey, you should see your doctor immediately.

Note that regular honey may also contain Clostridium botulinum spores. This means babies, children under one and pregnant women should also avoid it.

When it comes to choosing the healthiest honey, you should look for one that is raw. Raw honeys are not pasteurized and bypass filtration, a process that may reduce its nutrients. A great variety of raw and unfiltered honey is available on Amazon. While minimally processed honeys are not bad, it’s hard to know which ones are minimally processed without actually performing tests beforehand. If you would prefer a minimally processed honey because of its texture, it’s best to buy it from a local beekeeper, as they are far less likely to be ultrafiltered.

When bees make honey, it comes with a lot of great vitamins (mostly B and C), lots of anti-oxidants, a few minerals, pollen, and a bunch of other things, including bacteria that likely help us digest the honey. However, most of the honey you buy in a store is highly processed, beginning by heating the honey to a very high temperature, filtering out many of the healthiest parts of honey, and often adding fillers and even anti-biotics.

In fact, one study found that the great majority of honey sold in stores actually contained pretty much no pollen at all, which makes it impossible to determine if it came from a safe or natural source. In the end, processed honey is nothing more than sugar (and high-fructose sugar at that). Raw honey, on the other hand, has been shown to cause less blood-sugar spikes, less inflammation, and less body fat.

Raw and regular honey are processed differently. Raw honey is only strained before it's bottled, which means it retains most of the beneficial nutrients and antioxidants that it naturally contains. Conversely, regular honey may undergo a variety of processing, which may remove beneficial nutrients like pollen and reduce its level of antioxidants. When it comes to choosing a healthy honey, your best bet is to go raw so you know exactly what you are getting.

If you’re going to eat honey, make sure it’s raw. Processed honey is no different than table sugar, and perhaps worse.