The Healing Power of Honey

For thousands of years, honey has been revered not just as a sweetener, but as a potent therapeutic agent. Honey contains a complex array of bioactive compounds that support health in remarkable ways. Modern science is now validating what traditional medicine has long known: honey, particularly in its raw, unprocessed form, offers significant immune support, antimicrobial properties, and soothing benefits for respiratory health.

Honey’s Evidence-Based Health Benefits

Powerful Immune System Support – Honey functions as a multi-faceted immune supporter. Its antioxidants (primarily flavonoids and polyphenols) combat oxidative stress and cellular damage.

Superior Cough Relief – Studies have found that honey outperformed over-the-counter cough medicines in reducing nighttime coughing and improving sleep quality in children with upper respiratory infections.

Throat-Soothing Properties – Honey’s demulcent properties create a protective coating over irritated mucous membranes, soothing scratchy throats while allowing healing to occur. The natural sugars also stimulate saliva production, further lubricating the throat and reducing irritation.

Choosing the Right Honey

Raw Honey

Not all honey is created equal. Raw honey is extracted from the hive and strained to remove debris, but never heated or filtered. This minimal processing preserves the enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial compounds that give honey its medicinal properties.

And while raw honey does contain sugar, it maintains a natural balance of fructose and glucose that results in a more moderate glycaemic response compared to processed honey and other sugar sources, with a glycaemic index comparable to many fruits.

Buckwheat Honey

This dark, robust honey contains significantly higher levels of antioxidants than most other varieties, with its rich colour reflecting a concentrated phenolic and flavonoid content.

Studies have demonstrated buckwheat honey’s particular effectiveness for nighttime cough suppression in children, outperforming over-the-counter medications. Studies have also shown buckwheat honey’s outperformance in antioxidant content, essential minerals, and antibacterial activity compared with other honeys, including the highly touted (and highly priced) manuka honey.

Wildflower Honey

Among honey varieties, wildflower honey stands out for its diverse botanical origins, where bees collect nectar from multiple wildflower species. The varied botanical sources in wildflower honey create a broad spectrum of beneficial compounds, with different flowers contributing their own unique polyphenols, enzymes, and nutrients.

Wildflower honey naturally delivers essential nutrients including B vitamins, calcium, iron, and zinc; beneficial enzymes that aid digestion; a rich antioxidant profile from multiple plant sources; and antimicrobial compounds that support immune defence.

Sourcing Matters

Like other agricultural products, honey can contain trace amounts of environmental contaminants including pesticides, heavy metals, antibiotics, and pyrrolizidine alkaloids from plants bees visit during foraging. Choosing products from reputable producers who conduct batch testing helps minimise potential exposure. This is particularly important for children and frequent consumers. Look for honey from producers who provide transparent sourcing information and conduct third-party testing for contaminants.

A New Way To Get Your Honey

Beekeeper’s Naturals is a Canadian-founded company known for sourcing clean, high-quality raw honey and other products from the beehive. Wellness Wands offer a new, fun way to get the therapeutic benefits of natural raw wildflower honey. In addition to honey, these lollipops contain propolis, vitamin D, and zinc for broad-spectrum immune support. These doctor-formulated lollipops have only 2 grams of natural sugar from raw honey and no dyes or artificial ingredients, making them a convenient immune-supporting treat for kids and adults alike.

References:
Paul, I. M., Beiler, J., McMonagle, A., Shaffer, M. L., Duda, L., & Berlin, C. M., Jr. (2007). Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 161(12), 1140–1146. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/18056558/
Ischayek, J. I., & Kern, M. (2006). US honeys varying in glucose and fructose content elicit similar glycaemic indexes. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 106(8), 1260–1262. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16863724/
Deng, J., Liu, R., Lu, Q., Hao, P., Xu, A., Zhang, J., & Tan, J. (2018). Biochemical properties, antibacterial and cellular antioxidant activities of buckwheat honey in comparison to manuka honey. Food Chemistry, 252, 243–249. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29478537/

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