Not all of the honey that is sold in stores is the same. To increase honey clarity, and to prevent the honey from crystallizing, some companies will heat their honey to 160 degrees and then use high pressure to push it through dense filters. This over-processing either kills or removes most of the good stuff in honey, such as pollen, propolis, enzymes, vitamins and minerals. What a waste. Only raw honey (unpasteurized and unfiltered) boosts your immune system and provides natural energy. Eating raw honey and healthy living go together like summer and sunshine. If you need some more reasons for including this superfood in your daily diet, here are 5 health benefits from eating raw honey.
RAW HONEY IS GOOD FOR YOUR HEALTH
1. RAW HONEY Boosts your Immune system
Raw honey has anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties that can help to boost your immune system and fight sickness. Michigan State University agrees that honey "is an immune system builder with antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-tumour properties." For a super-charged immunity booster, we recommend a daily cup of herbal tea, along with one or two teaspoons each of raw honey and raw apple cider vinegar.
2. RAW HONEY CAN HELP CALM YOUR COUGH
To relieve the irritations of a sore throat, eat a spoonful of raw honey. The honey will soothe your throat by coating your mucous membranes with a thick and naturally sticky coating. Raw honey will also send anti-bacterial agents to the problem location. Raw honey has been used for generations as "Nature's Cough Suppressant."
3. A NATURAL ENERGY SOURCE
For a natural energy boost before, during or after exercise, honey is a great option. Since carbohydrates are the primary fuel that the body uses for energy, honey provides a quick and all-natural boost when you need it. An added benefit of honey is that it promotes steady blood sugar levels, and does not lead to spikes in blood sugar, which you get from sugar and other sweeteners.
4. RAW HONEY PROMOTES BETTER SLEEP
Raw honey, eaten just before bed, helps you snooze in two general ways:
ü It provides easy-to-access fuel for your brain throughout the night. Specifically, it restocks your liver’s glycogen. Low levels of glycogen tell your brain that it is time to eat. If you have not eaten in several hours when you go to sleep, this “hunger” can cause you to wake up in the middle of the night and sleep less soundly.
ü Honey helps your brain release melatonin, the hormone that your body uses to restore itself during sleep. This happens through a series of transformations in your brain: honey’s sugars spike your insulin levels, releasing tryptophan, which becomes serotonin, which becomes melatonin.
5. RAW HONEY HAS HEALING POWER
Honey is a good source of antioxidants, which can help to fight bad cholesterol and free radicals in the body. Raw honey even has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties, which can help to heal skin wounds.
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