From healing wounds to lowering inflammation, raw honey is much more than a natural sweetener.
Raw honey benefits go beyond being a natural sweetener for your morning cup of tea or oatmeal.
We’re not talking about theregular honey you buy in the bear-shaped bottle.
Greg DuPree
We’re talking about the cloudy-looking jars of raw honey on the shelf in health food stores.
Amy Shapiro, MS, RD, CDN, is the founder ofReal Nutrition.
Raw honey is naturally sweet because of its high fructose content.
Caitlin Bensel
Here’s a look at what’s inside one serving (one tablespoon) of raw honey.
Don’t just take our word for it, though.
Here are some of the biggest benefits of raw honey, according to science.
Gorchittza2012/Getty Images
Many people use raw honey to sweeten their teawhether it’s hot tea or iced tea.
Others use it in common breakfast meals, mixed into oatmeal or drizzled on top of yogurt.
You’re probably familiar with using hydrogen peroxide on cuts to prevent infection.
Reduces Inflammation
Pollen is a powerful component that’s hard to find outside of raw honey.
That’s partly because pollen contains enzymes, vitamins, and fatty acids that can modulate the immune response.
Soothes Sore Throats
Raw honey soothes the throat by coating the mucous membranes.
The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of raw honey can help reduce redness and soothe irritated skin.
Boosts Energy
Raw honey can boost energy due to its high sugar content.
The monosaccharides (fructose and glucose) are the most important sugars in honey.
They contribute to bulk of the nutritional benefits of honey, such as fighting fatigue.
Aids Digestion
Raw honey can also help aid digestion thanks to its bioactive antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.
Raw honey adds a delicious touch to sweet and savory foods, as well as a variety of drinks.
“I also like to drizzle honey on myavocado toastwith sea salt and crushed red pepper flakes.
A little salty, spicy, and sweet to start my day off.”
Despite the health benefits that raw honey offers, use moderation when adding it to your diet.
Shapiro recommends limiting honey to 1 to 2 teaspoons daily.
The sweet honey draws the flavor of those spices into an infused simple syrup.
To take advantage of raw honey’s benefits, add it after the water has cooled off a bit.
Mango Smoothie
Sweet, ripe mangos sometimes need little help in thesmoothiedepartment.
Unlike regular honey, raw honey skips the pasteurization or filtration process, resulting in its signature cloudy appearance.
“Most health benefits are found in raw honey,” Shapiro says.
“Processed regular honey tends to simply be used and seen as a sugar source.”
(So, don’t throw that jar away!)
To find raw honey, verify that it’s specifically labeled as such.
Raw honey tends to be cloudier than regular honey.
You’ll probably have an easier time finding it in health food stores or farmers markets than in supermarkets.
“RAW HONEY.”
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