Honey is one of nature’s most wondrous creations. Not only is the taste incredibly unique, but its natural creation process is particularly intriguing as well. For those who are unfamiliar, natural organic honey is a by-product of the nectar from flowering plants. Worker bees make it and store it in their hives for times of scarcity.
As is the case with most natural resources on this planet, humans intervened and discovered its sweetening and medicinal properties in both raw and processed form. That’s right; consumption of raw organic honey isn’t as unusual as one might think! It’s so common that nowadays one can buy raw honey online from online shopping centres or authorised sellers.
Continuous raw honey consumption can help build immunity against specific allergies and hay fever because of it’s wax and pollen content. But this article is not to rave about its benefits. It highlights some exciting uses of honey that could enhance daily experiences and potentially save a person some money in the process.
1) Hot Toddy
There is nothing quite like a hot alcoholic cocktail to soothe one’s throat and nose on a cold winter night. Although doctors very rarely recommend this as treatment, a hot toddy is a quick home remedy for the flu. The perfect hot toddy recipe is subjective.
Still, it’s generally agreed that hot water, lemon juice, and a shot of brandy (or whiskey) are the common factors needed to make this soothing drink. Adding just a splash of honey makes the drink a little sweeter, smoother, and palatable.
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The chances of someone waking up with a hangover will reduce because honey helps to metabolize alcohol much faster. It’s the perfect addition to this cocktail and is readily available nowadays; one can buy raw honey online.
2) Burn medication:
In need of an impromptu burn medication? Raw honey can help with that. Raw honey has a lot of medicinal and healing properties. Further, it is a natural moisturizer and antibacterial, which can help minor burn wounds heal faster.
Any type of honey, ranging from unsterilised forest honey to sterilised Manuka honey (exclusively from the Manuka bush in Australia), is useful in healing wounds. The latter has excellent anti-inflammatory properties too.
Many extensively use forest honey in homemade skincare solutions. Despite sounding challenging to acquire, you can buy both Manuka honey and forest honey online.
3) Preservation:
Though adding preservatives to extend the shelf life of food is generally frowned upon, natural preservation yields more good than bad. The process of preservation requires copious, almost unhealthy quantities of sugar. As a result, honey swoops in as a saviour. The water-to-honey ratio in honey-based preservation is 10:1, whereas sugar-based preservation requires an equal amount of sugar and water. There are a few minor setbacks in using honey as a natural preservative.
For example, when used for preservation, much of honey’s benefits and nutritional value is lost during heating. When honey comes in contact with moisture and bacteria present in the preserved fruits, it may spoil (contrary to the popular belief that honey doesn’t expire).
In short, the quality of the fruits or vegetables preserved is damaging and diminishes the quality of the honey. It is worth mentioning that raw organic honey shouldn’t be used for preservation and instead saved up for culinary or medicinal use.
4) A Time Capsule:
The bees had the right idea! Storage for times of scarcity. If left unbothered, honey in its raw and organic form does not expire. It has vital nutrients for human survival. People saving honey for the uncertain future isn’t a new practice, though. There have been discoveries of traces of honey in Egyptian tombs dating over 3000 years ago!
5) Honey bath:
This use may require larger amounts of honey, but fortunately, pure honey’s 1 kg price is pretty low. Everyone has definitely heard the benefits of adding milk to your bathwater, but honey is just as good if not better!
One can combine it with milk to improve the hydration and moisturization of their skin. Researchers suggest using darker honey because they contain more antioxidants.
Some Setbacks of Raw Honey
Raw honey does have a few downsides. Some honey strains may contain bacteria or, in most extreme cases, the botulinum toxin, which could potentially be fatal. Although these are exceptionally rare, the risk arises when one purchases honey from unauthorized dealers. This added risk makes one more inclined to buy honey online since most online sellers require authorisation to sell honey online. However, if the user experiences vomiting, diarrhoea, or feels nauseous immediately after consuming raw honey, it’s in their best interest to consult with a doctor.
