Did you know? There are over 200,000 species of bees in the world and only a handful make raw honey.
Raw honey is one of nature’s great nurturers. Which can provide you with numerous excellent health benefits. Raw honey is the most original sweet liquid you will find. It is collected fresh after being produced by honeybees with the nectar they sip from flower blossoms. It is unheated, unpasteurized, and unprocessed. So, still contains its full complement of enzymes and antioxidants, and has antibacterial properties.
But while you may be familiar with all this, you’ll probably be pleasantly surprised to learn that honey can work wonders for your hair, skin, and nails.
Here are just a few of the reasons why you will love honey so much:
Honey is antibacterial – Research has shown that raw honey can kill unwanted bacteria and fungi. It contains glucose oxidase and this enzyme makes hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic, which makes honey its antibacterial punch. Research indicates that this is one of the main reasons why honey seems to have such powerful antibacterial and wound-healing capabilities. Because of this, honey can kill bacteria and heal wounds.
Honey is loaded with antioxidants – Studies have shown that a daily dose of raw honey raises levels of health-promoting antioxidants in the body. It fights free radicals and encourages new tissue growth. Honey includes organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids. Which can boost the immune system, to act as a preventative against any number of diseases. Honey also contains polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that have been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer.
Although darker honey generally contains more antioxidant power than light-colored, both are still rich sources of valuable antioxidants. Antioxidants go to work against free radicals and encourage new tissue growth.
Honey is a powerful superfood – Talk about a super superfood! Honey contains glucose, fructose, and numerous minerals including calcium, chloride, potassium, phosphate, sodium, copper, magnesium, manganese, and iron. Vitamins in honey include thiamin, B6, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, and many amino acids.
Honey never spoils – When it is appropriately contained, raw honey has an eternal shelf life. It will not go bad when stored well and can be kept for many years. The acid and low moisture properties of honey make it a highly inhospitable environment for bacteria.
Awesome Honey Fixes
#1 Honey fades scars
Honey possesses the very convenient ability to hydrate your skin, promote skin cells’ restoration, and encourage younger, more supple skin. It also provides a wide range of nutrients, helping it to heal any stubborn scars. This same ability means that honey can help fade or potentially remove scars if applied repeatedly.
If you have scars that you wish to make less noticeable, try this neat trick. To make a natural scar treatment formula, combine a teaspoon of raw honey with a teaspoon of coconut oil. If either the honey or coconut oil is hard to mix, try leaving them out in the sun or a warm place for 10 minutes to get them flowing easier.
Once you’ve blended the ingredients (warming the coconut oil and honey to room temperature first should help with that), gently massage the solution onto any areas of scarring for at least a minute. Placing a cloth soaked in warm water will help to soak the mixture into your skin, amplifying its healing properties. Repeat daily for best results.
#2 Honey is a natural hair remover
Forget shaving or dangerous hair removers, use honey instead. Mix one tablespoon of honey with one tablespoon of lemon juice and three tablespoons of brown sugar in a microwave-safe bowl. Warm slightly in the microwave, allow the mixture to cool, and then apply to facial hair using a popsicle stick. Place a small piece of muslin cloth over the area and rub slightly then rip away quickly. Apply a small amount of tea tree oil to the area where you removed the hair.
#3 Honey is a fantastic face wash
There is no need to buy expensive skin-care products, which are full of chemicals and perfumes. Got any leftovers from that honey shampoo? Use it to wash your face. Raw honey cleanses the skin while also providing moisture. Also, it contains antioxidants that fight the signs of aging.
To use, wet your face with warm water, then smooth on about half a teaspoon of honey. If you want an exfoliating scrub, mix a little baking soda, salt, or sugar into the honey before applying it in circular motions. Leave on for a minute or two, then rinse with warm water.
#4 Honey can reduce the risk of diabetes
Even though honey is naturally sweet, it has a fairly low glycemic index. This means it does not cause a sharp peak in blood sugar as other sweet substances do. It can help balance blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes.
#5 Treat your summertime sunburn
It happens every year – it’s the first hot day of the summer, forget about conventional after-sun lotions and treatments – instead use this guilt-free solution made from ingredients you probably already have at home. Raw honey provides a healthy alternative to these harmful treatments, helping to heal the skin without side effects.
Mix 1 tablespoon of raw honey and 2 tablespoons of pure aloe vera gel.
Apply the honey and aloe mixture gently to any sunburned area of your skin and leave it on for at least a few hours before rinsing off with cold water.
If it’s a particularly bad sunburn, keep reapplying as needed. The powerful anti-inflammatory and hydrating properties of both these ingredients will soothe the area and hopefully keep your sunburn from peeling.
#6 Keep your face unlined and wrinkle-free
No matter how many hundreds or thousands of dollars you spend on anti-aging products, wrinkles are an unfortunate fact of life. If you have a bit more time on your hands, why not make a raw honey face mask?
Raw honey was made for your face, it can smooth out wrinkles and reduce lines and other signs of aging.
One way to use raw honey as a natural wrinkle treatment is to mix a DIY facial cleanser. Simple dampen your skin with a warm wet cloth then place some raw honey on your fingers and gently but firmly massage it into your face. Leave the honey on your face for five minutes, then rinse off.
To utilize the health benefits of honey for a facial mask, it’s just as simple. First, ensure your face is clean and dry — the best time for this is after you wake up and before you shower. Then, spread a thin uniform layer of raw honey over your face or any dry area in need of attention. Leave the face mask on for 30 minutes, then gently rinse off with warm water.
#7 Cleaning wounds
Honey offers natural antimicrobial properties – you can dab honey onto a minor burn or cut, lightly covering the wound like an antibiotic ointment. Research published in the FASEB Journal shows how honey kills off bacteria and helps speed healing time.
The Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery published a paper based on an analysis comparing the use of medicated dressings (silver sulfadiazine) with honey dressings over five years. When the burn-healing time was compared, those patients with the honey dressings healed in an average of 18.16 days, while those with the medicated bandages healed in 32.68 days. Researchers concluded that the honey dressings made wounds sterile for a shorter period and also improved healing time.
#8 Honey can remove dark circles
Mix one teaspoon of honey with one teaspoon of sweet almond oil and spread the mixture under the eyes. After about 20 minutes, wash the mixture off and follow up with a light layer of organic coconut oil. Repeat this treatment a few times a week to keep your skin looking great.
#9 Honey can strengthen nails
If you have weak, brittle nails, try mixing one tablespoon of honey with a 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar in a shallow dish. Soak your nails for 10 minutes and rinse. Repeat weekly for strong and healthy cuticles and nails.
#10 Honey improves digestion
Though it is one of honey’s lesser-known benefits, raw honey is rich in prebiotics, meaning it nourishes the good bacteria that live in the intestines, which are crucial not only for digestion but overall health.
It’s proven to be effective as a treatment for Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria, though, a common cause of stomach ulcers. It is also known to fight nausea and indigestion because it does not ferment in the stomach.
Try making a digestion-boosting drink by mixing a teaspoon of lemon juice, raw apple cider vinegar, and raw honey into a tall glass of water and drinking two or three times daily. Add a little freshly squeezed ginger root juice if nausea is an issue.
There you have it. These amazing honey fixes work.
Not only can you use honey to sweeten your tea, but you can also use it to sweeten your skin. Nothing will make you appreciate the hard work of honey bees more than the results you see when you start using it regularly for health and beauty!
So, What do you think about honey now? Grab a jar and give it a try!
