Health Properties of Natural Honey

Reader Contribution by Mary Lou Shaw
article image
by Adobe Stock/Nitr
jar of honey with honeycomb on wooden table

Backyard bees provide us health properties of natural honey, including cognitive support, wound healing, gut health, and more.

Bees are an intricate part of our homestead. Their 10 hives pollinate our garden, meadow and orchard while they serve as a reminder to avoid all pesticides. We plant a succession of garden plants to add to the bees’ diet and are grateful to take a portion of their honey in return. At first, we were just glad to have them as pollinators and rejoiced when we also got honey. We next became aware of how efficient raw honey is for healing wounds.

Health Properties of Natural Honey

A couple years ago, I received a compilation of studies demonstrating the health benefits of ingested honey, and I’ve come to realize what a central part the bees are to the health of us and our farm. These studies were compiled by Joyce Hammett who teaches holistic nutrition classes and has an apiary in Fleming, Ohio. Almost all of the studies come from other countries because there is little funding in the states for the benefits of small scale, local food.

The honey that these studies refer to is not what is found on the grocery shelf. Instead it is honey that is local to the region where people consume it. Besides being local, the honey has not been heated to keep it from crystallizing. It is therefore “raw honey.” Ideally, it has not been strained so that the tiny pieces of wax and propolis (secretions from trees used by bees in their hives) further enhance the immune system. And although there are no standards for “organic” honey, this raw and unstrained honey ideally would be free of chemicals and genetically engineered crops. Many of these studies refer to this honey as “natural honey.”

Comments (0) Join others in the discussion!
    Online Store Logo
    Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368