Have you ever wondered what are the true benefits of raw honey?
Even though some people choose to use honey in preference to sugar, have you wondered if honey is healthier?
It’s just been a personal preference for many people to use honey instead of sugar without knowing why. I wanted to find out more about the health benefits of honey versus sugar, so I read an eBook titled The Magic and Many Uses of Honey. It seems that using raw honey has a greater amount of nutrients than using refined sugar.
However, both are calorie-dense, which means that eating large amounts of either without exercising is not a good idea if you are concerned about increasing body weight. As honey is absorbed into the body quickly, it could be better than sugar if you need quick energy for exercise.
There are many uses of honey beyond the question “honey vs sugar,” some of which are unexpected and seem to have been explored and developed since people first started experimenting with honey in 7000 BC.
The medical uses of honey may not just be for your immune and digestive systems, but for many other unexpected but everyday situations.
There seem to be a real health and medical benefits of honey use due to the fact that honey is naturally absorbed into the body and can be used with other ingredients such as cinnamon, vinegar, or lemon juice. Mainly because of the natural qualities and characteristics of raw honey, which is in an unprocessed state, that retains vitamins and nutrients.
Many honey recipes aim to assist with ailments such as improving digestion, cholesterol, immune system, and weight loss, to name a few from the eBooks’ list of honey uses. However, due to today’s food processing methods and requirements, there is a concern about choosing the most appropriate honey for specific uses.
There is a chapter titled “Choosing The Right Honey” that talks about raw honey benefits. Raw honey is unprocessed, meaning that it has not been heated, filtered, or processed with additives. Raw honey is, therefore, more beneficial for health because the valuable nutrients have been retained.
Some Honey Recipes to try
Cinnamon Clove Honey Cookies
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 1/3 cups flour
- 1/2 cup slivered almonds
Instructions
- Mix sugar and honey in a bowl, beating well.
- Add egg, cloves, ginger and cinnamon and beat well.
- Dissolve the baking soda in water and add it to the honey mixture.
- Stir in flour and almonds, mixing well.
- Press dough into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
- Cool and cut into squares.
Honey Basil Sauce
- 3 tablespoons chopped onion
- 1/4 cup butter or margarine
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried basil
Instructions
- Sautee onion in butter until onion is translucent.
- Stir in the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil.
- Serve over carrots, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts or other vegetables.
For more healthy honey recipes, suggestions and insights into the Benefits of honey, check out “The Magic and Many Uses of Honey“
