How Honey Is Made

It takes about 60,000 bees, collectively traveling up to 55,000 miles and visiting more than 2 million flowers, to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey. Once the nectar is gathered, the bee stores it in its extra stomach where it mixes with enzymes, and then passes it (via regurgitation) to another bee’s mouth. This process is repeated until the nectar becomes partially digested and is then deposited into a honeycomb. Once there, the honeybees fan the liquid nectar with their wings, helping the water to evaporate and create the delicious substance we know and love as “honey.” Magical! 

Health Benefits of Honey:

1. Honey is a FUNCTIONAL FOOD -  Honey is one of nature’s superfoods and is a functional food in the sense that it promotes OPTIMAL nutrition and has the potential to promote and improve health. It has anti-inflammatory properties which makes it great for your immune system in general.  Lately, we’ve all been hearing about the importance of a HEALTHY GUT! There are lots of new studies showing that HONEY is great for our GUT and it's being used to successfully heal digestive and gut issues. It’s also a known probiotic and prebiotic. 

2.  Helps Boost Your Energy - If you’re looking for a quick energy boost, such as before or after a workout, honey is an excellent source of energy. This is particularly true for athletes looking for a “time-released fuel” to provide energy over a longer duration. It’s a sugar that our body recognizes with a low glycemic index.

3.  Seasonal Allergy Relief - Locally produced honey, which will contain pollen spores picked up by the bees from local plants, introduces a small amount of allergen into your system. This activates your immune system and over time builds up your natural immunity against it. The typical recommendation is to take about a teaspoon of locally produced honey per day, starting a few months PRIOR to the pollen season, to allow your system to build up immunity. The key is local to reap the allergy benefits. 

4. Honey Makes Healthy Personal Care & Beauty Products - Honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture, making it an ideal ingredient in DIY face washes, lip balms, body moisturizers, shampoos and conditioners. 

5. Great to Treat Sore Throats, Coughs and Wounds - Honey has antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antioxidant properties that make it ideal for topically treating wounds and burns. Honey releases hydrogen peroxide through an enzymatic process, which explains its general antiseptic qualities. Honey has also been found to be especially useful in treating upper respiratory infections. A study at Penn State College if Medicine found that a small dose of buckwheat honey was more effective than an over-the-counter cough treatment for children.