The 7 Best Uses for Raw Honey

Raw honey is delicious, and it has so many uses! While there are certainly more than seven ways to use this magical food, these are some of our favorites. How many have you tried?

1. Soothe a sore throat

There’s a reason you often see honey as a primary ingredient in cough drops and throat lozenges. One of the most traditional ways to use raw honey is as a sore throat and cough suppressant. Research shows that honey may be just as effective as dextromethorphan, a common over-the-counter cough medicine ingredient. To use, add a spoonful to some hot tea and lemon to combat that cold virus. You could also put together a little cold remedy with sliced lemons, grated ginger, and honey in a jar then stir it and refrigerate. You could also take honey as a spoonful to combat that lingering cough and sore throat. Honey is great as an ingredient or taken as a spoonful! If your little one (ages 1-5 years) is having a tough night due to their cough or sore throat, give them some honey just before bed. Everyone will feel a bit of relief throughout the night.

2. Heal wounds

Honey is antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, so it is a popular treatment in some medical settings to treat and cleanse wounds since it has been found to effectively kill pathogens like E. coli (which causes food poisoning and infections), S. aureus (causes skin infections), and H. pylori (which causes stomach ulcers and chronic gastritis). Honey also allows for greater tissue regeneration. Honey may even cut needed healing time and reduce a patient’s risk of infection. To heal wounds or cuts, you’ll want to be sure you are using medical-grade honey rather than honey you would purchase from a grocery store. Also, you want to make sure the honey is sterile before putting it on your body.

3. Combat free radicals with antioxidants

Want to combat free radicals? Free radicals add to your aging and also chronic diseases like cancer and even heart disease, but honey can help! The antioxidants in honey are called polyphenols, and they may help prevent heart disease and other chronic illnesses by reducing oxidative stress caused by those free radicals. A study that fed twenty-five people roughly four tablespoons of honey per day, in addition to their typical diets, found a direct link to honey consumption leading to increased levels of those powerful polyphenols. Phytonutrients are found in plants and help protect them from harm. Honey harnesses phytonutrients to create antioxidant properties. Make sure you’re using raw honey here rather than the cartoon-laden options because raw honey’s antioxidants are much more active. 

4. Help digestive destress

Honey is a powerful prebiotic, so it supports healthy digestive bacteria in your intestines. This support will help set you up to have a healthier digestive tract with fewer issues. Often used to treat diarrhea, honey is also an effective treatment for combating H. pylori, a cause of many common stomach ulcers.  A study of 150 children that struggled with acute gastroenteritis discovered that children who had received honey as part of a drink enjoyed a smoother recovery from their diarrhea than those who did not get honey. Additionally, those same children had fewer bowel movements and felt better faster after their illness.  However, be careful when consuming honey for diarrhea because too much sugar may make symptoms worse. Take a teaspoon of raw honey or even mix the honey in with a drink. To treat an upset tummy, heat a cup of honey with one tablespoon of chopped ginger for ten minutes, on low, at the stove. Add to a glass and allow the ginger and honey to combine for two hours. To improve overall digestion and fight indigestion, take two tablespoons of raw honey. This works because honey won’t ferment in your belly. 

5. Promote a healthy heart

Honey also helps lower your blood pressure. The antioxidants that help fight those free radicals also help you lower blood pressure. Studies with both rats and humans have found that blood pressure tends to go down after consuming honey. Additionally, honey helps lower your bad cholesterol and raises your good cholesterol. This is great news, especially for diabetic patients. And it doesn’t stop there; honey can even help lower your triglycerides. So between lower blood pressure, cholesterol, and even triglycerides, honey can truly help keep your heart health in check.

6. Use it in your bee-uty routine

Honey also makes a great addition to your beauty routine. To make a raw honey face wash, take a half teaspoon of honey and massage it into your fingers. Use water to give it a better texture. Then, as smoothly and evenly as possible, apply it to your skin. Let that goodness set for ten minutes, rinse with some warm water, and enjoy your beautiful, ready-to-take-on-the-day skin! To really treat your hair, create a raw honey hair mask with 1 teaspoon of raw honey and 5 cups of warm water. Apply this to your hair and let it hang out. When you rinse, you’ll notice bouncy, shiny, and hydrated locks

7. Eat it!

And, of course, you can eat it because it’s delicious! So mix it into your coffee and tea to treat your sweet tooth, enjoy it on toast with peanut butter and bananas, and even make a vinaigrette with the stuff.  What are your favorite ways to use raw honey? We’d love to know, so please connect with us in the comments below! Until next time, we hope you have a bee-utiful day!