Health Benefits to Local Raw Honey
chats at the table with dr. caley scott
Photography by Endlessly Elated
NAME dr. caley scott
DWELLING IN chicago, il
COMPANY doctor of naturopathic medicine at wholehealth chicago
WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RAW UNFILTERED HONEY AND WHAT IS PURCHASED AT THE GROCERY STORE?
The biggest difference between raw unfiltered honey and honey from the grocery store is the way it is processed. Raw honey is straight from the hive to the jar, grocery store honey is processed or pasteurized. This is done by heating the honey at high temperatures to make it smoother for bottling which can denature the healing properties.
HOW CAN RAW UNFILTERED HONEY NOURISH US? WHAT ARE THE HEALTH BENEFITS?
Raw unfiltered honey has many nourishing benefits. It can improve digestion, balance blood sugar, lower cholesterol, support sleep, improve allergies, support the immune system and is great as a topical for acne, eczema and wound healing. Raw honey is also rich in amino acids, minerals and enzymes.
IS THERE ANY DOWNSIDE TO EATING RAW UNFILTERED HONEY? IS THERE ANYONE WHO SHOULD AVOID RAW UNFILTERED HONEY?
There are things to consider when consuming raw honey. It can be a potential source of botulism toxin and should not be given to children under 12 months of age. People with a severe bee allergy should avoid honey as well. The old saying is true that “too much of a good thing is never a good thing” and over-consuming honey can result in weakness, dizziness, nausea and vomiting.
CAN YOU TELL US SOME OF THE WAYS YOU CAN USE HONEY AS NATURAL MEDICINE. WHAT CAN LOCAL RAW UNFILTERED HONEY HELP TREAT?
I love to use food as medicine and recommend honey to patients all of the time in practice. I will have patients use honey in a throat coat tea when having a sore throat to help soothe, honey as a topical for eczema- I’ve even had patients use it for plantar warts! I also recommend local raw unfiltered honey to help with seasonal allergies. I will have patients use local honey in a herbal stinging nettle tea (also great for allergies). This helps to build immunity to local pollen and can help relieve seasonal allergies.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE WAY TO INCORPORATE HONEY INTO YOUR DIET TO GET THE MOST OUT OF IT?
I love to add honey to my tea to give it a nice flavor. I also always add it to my green smoothies to give some extra sweetness. I use a lot of veggies in my smoothies so the honey helps to make them taste great!
DOES LOCAL UNFILTERED HONEY HELP WITH SEASONAL ALLERGIES?
Absolutely! When the bees pollinate from the local environment you can help build a healthy immune system to local allergens through eating local unfiltered honey. This is a go to recommendation for seasonal environmental allergies.
CAN RAW UNFILTERED HONEY HELP WITH DIGESTION?
Definitely! Unfiltered honey can help soothe and settle the stomach. It is also rich in prebiotics which are food for our gut bacteria. This is essential to maintain a healthy gut microbiome and very important for a wide variety of health concerns. Balancing gut flora is one of the major things that I help patients with in practice, and unfiltered honey can be a big help!
