Raw Honey: Exploring the Benefits of This Ancient Superfood

By Judith Fine-Sarchielli, Natural News, 3/18/2008

…Each day, I scoop raw honey from the jar and savor the taste and health benefits of history's oldest agricultural product that has existed for millions of years. The ancient Egyptians farmed honey 3,000 years ago, and considered bees the symbol of sacred femininity. They also used honey for healing wounds and as a preservative, due to its antibacterial properties. Commercial honey, which is heated and pasteurized, has fewer benefits…

Raw, unprocessed honey is a superfood that provides antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and phytonutrients. According to the National Honey Board (NHB), (http://www.honey.com) , 82 percent of households currently use processed honey, which has been heated and pasteurized, and can contain botulism and High Fructose Corn Syrup, (HFCS). Processed honey is not as antibacterial, as raw honey, and is dangerous for diabetics and infants under 12 months old.

May Berenbaum, Ph.D., a University of Illinois entomologist, shares that "Honey has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of medical problems like wounds, burns, cataracts, skin ulcers and scrapes," Various researchers worldwide are finding strong antimicrobial properties in some honeys. Raw honey is used by many cultures as a remedy for ulcers, digestion, bronchitis, and as an energizer, as well as many other answers to health problems. Recently, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, the equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, approved Manuka Tree honey as a medicine…