Home Remedies Using Raw Honey

Having our own beehive has made me research more uses for raw honey than just using it for sweetening tea or baking. A hive can produce a lot of honey in a year, depending on nectar sources and seasonal elements. We always make sure we leave enough honey for the bees, and then take a few gallons worth of honey for ourselves, depending on how much honey was made.

My husband has been a beef farmer and honeybee keeper for years, and he’s been teaching me how to maintain a hive. Well, the bees actually maintain the hive, we just check on them and add more boxes with frames if need be. Harvesting the raw honey is something that takes place in the fall before the bees are hunkered down for winter.

The uses for raw honey go on and on, but below are a few, easy everyday uses that anyone can do.

Building Immunity

Lots of nutrients are found in honey. Besides building your immunity, it provides natural energy. If you have a respiratory flu or cold, honey helps build up your immune system again. Plus it helps soothe a sore throat, or calms coughing. Put a tablespoon in your favorite hot tea and stir until it’s dissolved. If you do not like tea, dissolve a tablespoon of honey in a cup of hot water and stir.

One of my favorite honey drinks when I am sick is 1 tablespoon raw honey, 1 squeezed lemon, 1 teaspoon minced ginger, and 16 fluid ounces of hot water. It helps clear nasal congestion and soothe your throat.

Wounds & Burns

The application of honey as wound dressing leads to stimulation of the healing process and rapidly clears the infection. Honey has cleansing action on wounds, stimulates tissue regeneration, and reduces inflammation. Honey contains natural antibacterial qualities that have been used since ancient times. It was used to prevent infections and also treat them. The sugar in raw honey draws out fluid from wounds, denying the wound a breeding ground for germs and infections and it also promotes healing. 

There is a difference between unheated, unpasteurized, raw honey and laboratory or medical uses of honey. Laboratories use gamma irradiation to remove any bacteria spores so it’s safe to use in your wounds. You can heat raw honey to 120 degrees for about 10 minutes for a similar effect, but it does reduce some of its beneficial properties. 

That being said, you can put honey on minor cuts or burns, and it will speed up the healing and reduce the potential for scarring. Honey also helps soothe a recent burn so whenever I get a burn from an oven pan, I ice it for a minute and then apply a bit of honey. If the wound is serious enough to need stitches or the burn is really bad, seek professional medical help.

Softer Skin

I love using honey for my face. You can use it on acne to reduce inflammation and soften the skin to make healing easier. There’s also less scarring.

One of my favorite anti-inflammatory face masks is one tablespoon of honey mixed with half a teaspoon of ground turmeric. I mix it up, apply it on my face, and let it sit for 20 minutes. Then rinse off in the sink or shower. It softens your skin and helps reduce acne.

Sugar Replacement in Cooking

Honey is a fantastic option for sweetening baked goods or cooking. You might want to look up the exact ratio, depending on the level of sweetness you want. Keep in mind honey is a dense, wet ingredient, so if you use it, it may affect the consistency of your recipe. Pies, cookies, granola, bread, or cake — you can use honey in all of them!

You can use honey in savory recipes, as well. Stir fry, meat marinades, and sauces. You can even make your own ketchup and barbecue sauce using honey.

References

1. Pritish K. Tosh, M.D., “Is it true that honey calms coughs better than cough medicine does?”, M.D. Mayo Clinic, August 6, 2020, accessed August 3, 2023, https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/cough/expert-answers/honey/faq-20058031.
2. Rachel Nall, “How, When, and Why Honey Is Used for Wound Care”, Healthline, March 08, 2019, accessed August 3, 2023, https://www.healthline.com/health/honey-on-wounds#:~:text=The%20sugar%20naturally%20present%20in,help%20keep%20them%20from%20multiplying.
3. Saeed Samarghandian, “Honey and Health: A Review of Recent Clinical Research”, National Library of Medicine, accessed August 3, 2023, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5424551/