Health Benefits of Honey

Make a Beeline for Sweet Honey
By Diane Parkes, Birmingham Mail (UK), 5/6/2008

Enjoy National Honey Week for ten good reasons:

* Stomach settler - honey is a strong antibiotic particularly in the digestive tract. Cold-pressed honey can kill bacteria in the stomach so can help aid treatment for diarrhoea and gastroenteritis. New Zealand manuka honey is especially good for combatting gastric pains.

* Comfort blanket - honey can help protect the stomach lining from irritants such as medication.

* Fend off hay fever - Tests have shown that eating unfiltered cold-pressed honey in its honeycomb can alleviate the worst effects of hay fever.

* Sweetener - honey is a good sugar replacement and, because it is actually much sweeter than sugar, a smaller amount can be used.

* Soothes - a popular ingredient in cough sweets and syrups, make your own sore throat buster mixing honey, lemon and hot water.

* Energy-booster - go for honey rather than refined sugars as a quick boost of energy before heading for the gym.

* Healer - Honey's antiseptic qualities mean it can help heal minor cuts, grazes and burns...