Honey Facts

The Many Benefits of Honey

In addition to being a great natural sweetener, honey has a multitude of benefits that many people don’t know about. Have you ever had an unrelenting sore throat? Honey has been proven to be a natural throat soother! Are you an athlete looking for a natural energy boost before the big game? Honey’s unique blend of natural sweeteners gives it the ability to provide quick energy in any circumstance.

Read more at Honey.com

Bee Pollen

For years, herbalists have touted bee pollen as an exceptionally nutritious food. They've even claimed it is a cure for certain health problems. Yet after years of research, scientists still cannot confirm that bee pollen has any health benefits.

What Is Bee Pollen?

Bee pollen contains vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, lipids, and protein. It comes from the pollen that collects on the bodies of bees. Bee pollen may also include bee saliva.

It's important to avoid confusing bee pollen with natural honey, honeycomb, bee venom, or royal jelly. These products do not contain bee pollen.

How Is Bee Pollen Used?

Bee pollen is available at many health food stores. You may find bee pollen in other natural dietary supplements as well as in skin softening products used for baby's diaper rash or eczema.

You may also hear recommendations for using bee pollen for alcoholism, asthma, allergies, health maintenance, or stomach problems. But before you take any natural product for a health condition, check with your doctor.

Bee pollen is also recommended by some herbalists to enhance athletic performance, reduce side effects of chemotherapy, and improve allergies and asthma.
At this point, medical research has not shown that bee pollen is effective for any of these health concerns.

Is Bee Pollen Safe?

Bee pollen appears to be safe, at least when taken for a short term. But if you have pollen allergies, you may get more than you bargained for. Bee pollen can cause a serious allergic reaction -- including shortness of breath, hives, swelling, and anaphylaxis.

Bee pollen is not safe for pregnant women. A woman should also avoid using bee pollen if she is breastfeeding.

Read more at WebMD.com

Royal Jelly

Royal jelly, a secretion of worker bees, is the same substance that is fed to all larvae in a colony. When a bee colony needs a new queen bee, a small group of larvae are fed large quantities of royal jelly, and that change in feeding prompts the development of those larvae into queen bees. Recent research has revealed a number of health benefits of royal jelly. Consult with a qualified health professional before supplementing with royal jelly.

Estrogenic Effects

Royal jelly exerts estrogen-like effects, according to a study published in the December 2010 "PLoS One." The study, conducted at the University of Athens, Greece, looked at three different fatty acid components of royal jelly for their effects on estrogen receptor positive breast and cervical cancer cells and found that, under certain conditions, royal jelly inhibited the cancer cells. The results indicate a potential use for royal jelly in the prevention and treatment of certain forms of cancer.

Cancer Protection

Royal jelly fights cancer by inhibiting blood supply to tumors, according to a study conducted at Gifu Pharmaceutical University in Japan and published in the 2009 "BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine." In the study, various types of royal jelly were tested on umbilical vein tissue cultures. All had significant suppressive effects on blood vessel formation, with an extract known as caffeic acid -- a naturally occurring molecule found in plants that has anti-inflammatory and immune-modulating properties -- showing the highest level of inhibition.

Kidney Protection

Kidney's are protected from the damaging effects of cancer chemotherapy drugs with the use of royal jelly, according to a study conducted at the University of Erciyes, Kayseri, Turkey. In the study, laboratory rats were given royal jelly along with the chemotherapy drug cisplatin. Improvements were observed in some markers of oxidative stress, and cisplatin-induced changes were partially reversed by the royal jelly. The report was published in the February 2011 issue of "World Journal of Urology."

Blood Sugar and Blood Pressure

Insulin resistance and high blood pressure are improved with royal jelly, according to a study conducted at Okayama University, Japan. In the study, rats with insulin resistance and high blood pressure resulting from a high-fructose diet were given royal jelly. The rats showed decreased blood vessel constriction, leading to lower systolic blood pressure and decreased insulin and triglyceride levels. The researchers concluded that royal jelly might be a useful functional food for the prevention of high blood pressure and insulin resistance. The report was published in the November 2008 issue of the "Biological and Pharmaceutical Bulletin."

Warning

Allergy to royal jelly can be severe, and in some cases it has resulted in reported incidences of contact dermatitis, acute asthma, anaphylaxis -- a life-threatening allergic reaction -- and death, according to a study conducted at the Institute for Medical Research, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The researchers of the report, published in the December 2008 "Tropical Biomedicine" journal, state that a high prevalence of allergy to royal jelly exists in some populations.

Read More: Livestrong.com

Honey Isn't Just Sugar!

The fact is, honey is far better than what most people perceive. Researchers are turning up more and more new evidence of honey's medical benefits in all directions. The benefits of honey don't just stop at satisfying the palate; honey also offers incredible antiseptic, antioxidant and cleansing properties for our body and health, hot beauty and skin care tips for ladies, and amazing healing properties as a head-to-toe remedy, from eye conjunctivitis to athlete foot. Its powerful healing attributes have long been used thousands of years ago and known to promote healing for cuts, cure ailments and diseases, and correct health disorders for generations after generations. The renowned UMF Manuka honey, perhaps the tastiest natural medicine, is commonly cited in many discussions on health benefits of honey. This honey not only fights infection and aids tissue healing but also helps reduce inflammation and scarring. In addition, it is often used for treating digestive problems such as diarrhea, indigestion, stomach ulcers and gastroenteritis. The page, titled "In What Ways have You Experienced the Benefits of Honey?" is filled with eye-popping testimonies about the healing power of honey. I've lost count of the number of times I have accessed that page, but the stories posted there never cease to move and amaze me over and over again. With more and more health experts and theories, such as the Hibernation Diet, supporting its benefits, this oldest natural sweetener just keeps getting better.

Read more: Benefits of Honey

Wildflower Honey

Wildflower honey is made by bees that have collected nectar from a local source of wildflowers. The taste and composition of wildflower honey can vary depending upon the variety of flowers in bloom at the time the honey is made. The potential health benefits of honey are many due to its nutrient rich content and anti-microbial properties.

Orange Blossom Honey

If you enjoy eating orange blossom honey for its unique and delicate flavors, you will be pleased to know that it isn't just a sweet treat. Orange blossom honey, like many other varieties of honey, has medicinal properties that support human health and well being and can be used both internally and externally. Honey is not intended to replace medical care, and you should always contact your doctor and naturopath before using honey-based products if you have a health concern.

Read more: Livestrong.com

Palmetto Honey

Palmetto Honey has long been preferred by native Floridians. This unique honey has seldom been shipped to the rest of the country because it is produced in small quantities. An exquisite gourmet honey that must be tried is Palmetto Honey. Setting Palmetto Honey apart is its deep Amber color and its full bodied flavor. Citrusy, smoky, with woody overtones, this Palmetto Honey makes a great compliment to cooked or cured meats such as Ham, Proscuitto, Turkey and Sausage. Use Palmetto Honey as a glaze when baking. Hard cheeses such as Asiago go well with Palmetto Honey.

Read more: PalmettoHoney.com