It’s hard to believe, but a new year is here yet again! If you have not yet come up with your resolutions, one worthwhile goal is to add local honey to your diet this year. Doing so will not only help support local farmers and their families, but it can also boost your own health and well-being. Local honey is delicious and easy to incorporate into your diet. There are numerous benefits that come with consuming it, and some may surprise you. Read on for a better understanding of local honey, its health properties, and what it can do for you and your loved ones!
Indefinite Shelf Life
Did you know that under proper storage conditions, honey has an indefinite shelf life? It may crystalize and harden over time but can be re-liquified if placed in a glass container and put in warm water. While it may be tempting to boil or microwave honey to shorten the re-liquefying process, this is not the best practice. Doing so can destroy beneficial enzymes, vitamins, and minerals found within the honey. Remember to keep the water under 98 degrees Fahrenheit, which is as hot as it ever gets in the hive.
Healing Properties
Honey has many surprising healing properties. Applying honey topically to sooth wounds and burns is a common practice dating clear back to ancient Egypt. There is also evidence that honey can work as a natural remedy for the common cold. It coats the throat, relieving pain and works as a cough suppressant. In some studies, it has been shown even more effective than diphenhydramine. It can help improve sleep during a cold with no side effects and has even been shown to reduce the length of symptoms in some studies. Researchers believe that honey’s healing abilities come from its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Healthy Alternative to Sugar
Honey is better for your blood sugar levels than normal sugar. Of course, honey tastes great eaten the traditional way; on bread or as pancake syrup. But we also love to mix honey into our oatmeal, cold cereal, homemade bread, the list goes on. It is so easy to replace sugar with honey, and your blood sugar levels will thank you for it. Keep in mind that while honey is a healthy alternative to regular sugar, it is still best consumed in small amounts.
Allergy Control
Many folks are surprised to hear of evidence that honey works as a natural way to ease allergy symptoms. How does this work? Well, the same pollens that cause your allergic reactions are found in local honey. Eating one teaspoon of honey per day helps your body to build immunity to these pollens. You have likely heard of getting allergy shots to build immunity to allergens. Eating one teaspoon of local honey per day does essentially the same thing, just in a much more pleasant way. It’s essential to buy local honey, especially if using it for allergy relief. The bees found in the area of Southern Utah carry pollens specific to this area. Of course, these very pollens are in the local honey and are likely not found in the honey from other areas. We have used this as a natural remedy to help control our allergies and can tell you it has worked wonders in getting our seasonal allergies under better control!
So, there you have it! The top reasons we love local honey! Of course, there are even more perks to adding local honey to your diet. We could go on and on. The honey we carry in-store comes from St. George area, so it carries all the benefits listed above, and more. If you have any questions or want to try it out, come on into our store!
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