honey jar
The holidays may be over, but long weeks of winter still lie ahead. Chilly weather and decreased daylight can be harsh on the body and spirit. Thankfully, a little pick-me-up is no further away than the honey jar in your cupboard.
We love honey our tea and on our toast. But honey has a long history beyond its popularity as a sweetener. It was valued by the ancients for its healing and rejuvenating properties, and sealed combs of honey have been found in Egyptian tombs, fully preserved and still edible. Recent studies suggest that for certain maladies, honey may be more effective than modern medicine as a treatment option. Rosanna Mattingly, author of Honey Maker: How the Honey Bee Worker Does What She Does, says that honey can be used as a wound treatment, a cough suppressant, and a source of energy — just a few examples of “the benefits of honey for which scientific evidence exists.” Take a look at what this age-old golden elixir can do for your family.
Energy booster.
Honey is full of carbs, and research shows that consuming honeyed water before, during, and after a workout increases energy and promotes muscle recovery. Your kids can add that much-needed oomph to the middle of their school day by eating a peanut butter and honey sandwich, or using the sweet stuff as a dip for apple slices. And be ready with a mug of steamed milk and honey as an after school treat.
Cough Control.
Mixing honey with lemon and warm water has been a longtime home remedy for soothing a sore throat and quieting a cough. But a recent study found that a spoonful of honey was actually more effective than dextromethorphan (the cough suppressant typically added to over-the-counter pediatric cough medicine) in treating night-time coughing in children as young as two. This is good news, since it is considered unsafe to use dextromethorphan to treat children younger than six.
Wound treatment.
Honey has been used to treat wounds for centuries, and now there’s plenty of science to back up this remedy of yore. Honey contains an enzyme that produces small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic. So when skin becomes dry enough to crack at the knuckles or lips, a topical application of honey makes the wound less hospitable to bacteria and fungi.
Skin softener.
Dry winter air can wreak havoc on skin and hair, and there’s a good reason so many beauty products tout honey as an ingredient. Honey is a natural humectant; it attracts and holds water from the atmosphere. When applied to the skin or hair, it acts as a moisturizer. So drizzle a little honey straight from the jar onto your face or hair, smooth it in, and rinse after 10 minutes. Or try mixing honey with coconut oil and heated beeswax for a rejuvenating homemade cream for lips, face, and hands.
Whip up an easy lemon and honey face mask by mixing juice from a half of lemon with 2-3 tablespoons of honey. Stir together and apply to face (avoiding eye area.) Leave on for 15-20 minutes then rinse off.
Antioxidant advantage.
Ounce for ounce, honey packs the same powerful punch as popular antioxidant-containing fruits and veggies. In addition to eating plenty of greens, strengthen your defense against cancer-causing free radicals by replacing other sweeteners with honey. Applied topically, the antioxidant therapy may restore vitality to your skin.
Mellowing agent.
Winter is the time for chill-chasing soups and stews, but many a batch is made bitter by cold weather veggies like cauliflower and broccoli. Try tempering the flavor with a bit of honey. Ditto for the five-alarm chili that has you sweating bullets. Whether banishing the bitter or softening the spice, what could be sweeter than some honey in the pot?
HOW TO BUY HONEY
Read labels.
Look for descriptions such as: raw; unprocessed; 100 % pure; minimally processed. When honey is overheated during pasteurization or filtration, the nutritive value is reduced and antibacterial effectiveness decreases. And don’t pay more for honey labeled “organic.” Bees may forage up to five miles from their hive, an area over which the beekeeper almost certainly has no control.
Shop local and natural.
Mattingly says that in order to avoid buying honey that has been overheated, ultrafiltrated, or diluted with other sweeteners, “it’s important to get honey from a known source whenever possible.” She warns that ultrafiltration “removes pollen and makes tracing the source of the honey impossible… [and] often enough, such honey is contaminated with some pretty yucky stuff.” Indeed, a study sponsored by Food Safety News found that most honey sold by large grocery chains was completely pollen-free due to filtration. In contrast, according to the report, “every one of the samples Food Safety News bought at farmers markets, co-ops and ‘natural’ stores like PCC and Trader Joe’s had the full, anticipated, amount of pollen."
Color counts.
Mattingly says, “Some honeys, such as manuka honey, may have additional medicinal properties.” Studies suggest that darker honeys (e.g. manuka and buckwheat) generally offer better protection against infection and disease than lighter honeys (e.g. acacia and clover).
A Word of Caution
- Honey should not be given to children under the age of one. The American Academy of Pediatrics warns that very young children, with their under-developed immune systems, are at risk for contracting botulism from spores sometimes present in honey.
- Honey is no safer than table sugar for the diabetic. The American Diabetes Association warns that, as with any sugar, honey should be used in moderation in the diabetic diet, and its effects monitored closely.
Ashley Talmadge is a freelance writer and frequent contributor to Rochester Area & Genesee Valley Parent Magazine.
