Honey has a long history of being used in different ways such as for food or medicinally, it has been known for helping in digestion, cough, sore throat, and wound healing. Honey is even used in some hospitals, however they are limited to raw and unpasteurized honey. The honey that you can find in grocery stores is mostly processed and pasteurized.
When buying honey, you must also be reading the labels which have either of the four written, raw, organic, pure, and unfiltered. You might be thinking what exactly are the differences between all of those? To clear all of the differences and to educate you regarding the benefits of raw honey, this article will explain all of it.
Pure honey:
Pure honey refers to honey that contains absolutely no additives such as corn syrup. Although there may be no additives present, just the label does not provide enough information or the variety of the honey and to select the best honey according to your desire, it is better to look into the ingredient section of the honey label.
Unfiltered honey:
After attaining the raw honey, the honey is filtered in order to remove beeswax and any other bee remains that it might have. The filtration process also removes any large remaining debris or pollen but retains all the beneficial qualities. The filtration process includes heating the honey after which it becomes liquid making the filtration easier.
Raw and organic honey:
Organic honey is not necessarily raw honey, organic honey is actually honey derives from bee hives which are not exposed to any chemicals, pesticides, or preservatives and can be found in filtered or un-filtered forms. Raw honey on the other hand refers to no filtration and the raw state of the honey containing all sorts of raw materials such as debris, bee remains, and beeswax.
Raw honey can also be attained from bee hives that have been exposed to preservatives or chemicals. The combination of the two means that the honey that you’ve harvested is raw as well as organic so look out for the package labels to make sure what you’re getting your hands on.
Benefits of raw organic honey:
Most of the honey that you’d find in a grocery store is processed and pasteurized, if you’re finding a specific type of honey, for the labels. The honey is basically pasteurized by heating the raw honey to kill unwanted yeast and improve texture and color.
The heating also extends the shelf life and the conversion to liquid also makes it easier to be filtered. Although the process is carried out to get rid of the waste and extra materials, the process also ends up getting rid of many beneficial materials present. The following are the benefits of raw organic honey:
Source of antioxidants:
Raw honey has a variety of plant chemicals that act as antioxidants and different varieties of honey may contain different levels of antioxidants. Antioxidants are compounds that protect the body from cancer or cell damage that may be caused due to the presence of free radicals. Since free radicals act as a contributor to cancer development and the aging process, antioxidants prove to be beneficial for us as they contain anti-inflammatory effects.
Raw honey also contains bee propolis and pollen which contribute to the benefits. According to a research, raw honey has been proven to protect the GI, respiratory, nervous, and cardiovascular system.
Antifungal and antibacterial properties:
The propolis that is present in raw honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It can be used for both topical and internal treatments but the effectiveness depends on the variety of the honey. Some varieties can be restricted to specific infections for therapeutic uses such as Candida related infections.
Nutrition content:
The nutrition content of the raw honey depends on the variety and its origin. Generally talking, 21 grams of raw honey contains 17 grams of sugar or about 64 calories and also constitutes of other micronutrients that are as follows;
- Phosphorous
- Potassium
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Calcium
- Niacin
- Riboflavin
- Pantothenic acid
Additionally, raw organic honey consists of many compounds that are beneficial for us such as enzymes and amino acids.
Wound healing:
The antimicrobial properties have been shown by a study review which means that it can potentially help in wound healing. Raw organic honey contains royal jelly and propolis which helps in the inhibition of microbial growth and hence plays a role in wound healing. Keep in mind that these findings are according to the medical grade settings and hence are inspected and sterile, if you have a cut or a wound it is definitely not ideal to start off the treatment with honey. Before you go for any treatment with honey, make sure that you consult your doctor.
Aids in digestive problems:
Digestive problems like diarrhea can also be treated by honey although the effectiveness is limited. H. pylori being a common cause of stomach ulcers, raw organic honey can be used as a potential treatment. Also, the good bacteria in our gut are also nourished by the consumption of raw honey which is not only good for the gut but also our overall health.
Phytonutrients:
There are some compounds found in plants that provide it protection and here we’re talking about phytonutrients. These compounds act as a protective barrier against UV rays and keep the insects away. These compounds are known for their antioxidant properties in honey and have antibacterial as well as antifungal properties. They are the suspected reasons for the anti-cancer and immune-boosting properties of raw honey. When heavily processed, honey loses many of its nutrient value and many other valuable ingredients are lost.
Soothing cough and sore throat:
For a very long time, raw honey has been used to soothe sore throats and provide relief during coughs. For the treatment of a cold virus, honey is often mixed in hot lemon tea. According to researches, raw honey has been known to be superior to other forms of treatment when it comes to upper respiratory tract infections. The anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties act as the contributing factor to the effectiveness in relieving sore throat.
Benefit to the brain:
Raw honey consists of polyphenols which can have some cognitive benefits, this compound might be able to counter inflammation in the part of brain which is associated with memory, called as the hippocampus. Again, the anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties are beneficial for the body, including the brain.
Risks:
Along with all the good things and benefits, raw honey might also contain some harmful bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum which is dangerous, particularly for babies. It is advised that even if you are using raw honey, you should not give it to any child under one year of age. It can possibly cause botulinum poisoning among infants and the symptoms observed can be as follows:
- Sagging eyelids
- Constipation
- Head control loss
- Absence of gagging
- Slow breathing
- Lethargy
- Weak cry
- Poor feeding
- Downwards spreading of paralysis
Talking about adults, the symptoms can only occur as vomiting or diarrhea and may become severe as one can experience weakness and blurred vision. If you experience such symptoms after the consumption of raw organic honey, make sure to talk to your doctor and book an appointment. Apart from that, in case you tend to have any pollen allergies, make sure you don’t consume any raw honey.
Choosing and storing raw honey:
As we have discussed the labeling before, make sure that you don’t go for any other labels as each has a different meaning, and only go for the honey labeled as “raw”. About the storage of honey, if given the ideal environment, honey lasts forever but if contaminated, it may be spoiled and can taste sour.
Hence, honey should be kept in a sealed container and away from extreme temperatures. If you see that your honey has started turning grainy and sugary, don’t worry, that is just honey crystallizing and you can simply warm up the honey to melt the crystals, however, the heat can remove the raw qualities of the honey.
The Takeaway:
Honey is beneficial for us in many ways, it is not only used for eating purposes but it also has medicinal benefits which help the body fight against infections. There is a difference between the different packaging labels that you find on the honey jars and if you’re looking for raw and organic honey, go for the labels that state it and not the alternative names.
There are many benefits of raw honey which we have discussed above, however it may have its own disadvantages as well and to prevent those, honey is pasteurized. If you’re using raw honey, make sure that you don’t feed any of it to your little one as it may have great negative impacts if there is any presence of harmful bacteria.
