Health Benefits of Raw Honey
Paleo practitioners love food; even those foods that are considered “bad” or “off limits” for their sweetness, or for not being “100% protein.” Honey is one of those foods that has unfairly suffered from the low-carb wrath. Let’s explore exactly what honey is, which honey is the best for you, its medicinal benefits and why it is anything but off-limits in the Paleo plan.
What is raw honey anyways?
Raw honey is a sweet liquid produced by honeybees when they extract it from flower nectar. It is collected as it is extracted. It does not go through the pasteurization or heating process that honey normally goes through.
Why do people use honey in its raw form?
The use of raw honey is an ancient eating practice that has prevailed among some cultures. Avid food researchers have dug up information concerning the benefits that raw honey has been famous for through the centuries.
One of the most salient traits of raw honey is that it is a “whole” food, that is, what you eat is what you get: Carbohydrates that will immediately convert to energy and won’t wobble around your body, like processed breads would. It contains minerals and vitamins combined with antioxidants that are universally known to battle cancer and prevent other diseases by strengthening our immune systems. Additionally, raw honey is rich in phytonutrients and enzymes that battle out bacteria and infuse energy in the bloodstream.
Raw vs. regular honey
When honey is processed it means that foreign substances may be added to produce something altogether different. For example, high fructose corn syrup may be added in the heating and pasteurization process to aid with shelf preservation.
The addition of corn syrup immediately poses a risk to people who suffer from certain types of diabetes. Another risk is botulism, or the infiltration of bacteria in the process of trying to pasteurize honey in the first place. Why do you think there are so many food recalls? Sometimes trying to be too careful trying to chide away bacteria is the key problem.
What does it cure?
Historically, raw honey was the go-to solution for burns and skin ulcers. Its binding texture helped protect the skin from further damage and would keep any bandage in place. The antioxidants and other nutrients contained in the actual honey would replenish any lost ones in the fissure, and the skin would have repaired quicker. Think of it as ancient “skin-glue.”
The Food and Drug Administration from Australia, called the Therapeutic Goods Administration, actually approved and classified Manuka raw honey as “medicine.”
Current studies are about to close in to determine that Manuka is an actual antibacterial that can even kill strong and highly resistant germs from the staph species.
Other benefits of raw honey
- Clean, pure food
- Stabilizes blood pressure
- Is recommended as a home remedy to treat cataracts with one drop per eye (consult your physician)
- Anti-allergenic
- No high fructose corn syrup
- Vitamins and minerals are contained and untouched
The key problem with regularly sold honey is precisely that: that it is made for commercial production and, as such, it may be subjected to added preservatives and other processes that remove them far from the actual “honey” group. These concoctions end up becoming mainly syrup, added bacteria, and entirely devoid of nutrients.
Always consult with your primary care provider whenever you want to start a new eating plan, or if you wish to try a new dietary lifestyle for you or your family. Follow all the guidelines, and continue with your research on how Paleo can work for you!
