Many thanks to Golden Meadows Honey Farm, home of West Coast Bee Supply, for these facts about honey and honeybees!
Health benefits of local raw (unpasteurized) honey
- Helps with Seasonal Allergies
- Carries Antibacterial Properties
- Anti microbial
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-fungal
- It Can Help Lower Blood Pressure
- Helps Improve Cholesterol
- Can Lower Triglycerides
- Promotes Burn and Wound Healing
- Can Help Suppress Coughs in Children
- Immune Boosting
- Rich in Antioxidants
- Help digestive issues
- Prebiotic
- Soothe a sore throat
Firewood honey - why is it so good for us?
It is considered to be the ‘Champagne of Honey’! 5 reasons why:
- It is a very difficult honey retrieve
- It is wild, making it the same, or some would argue, better than organic
- It is highly medicinal
- It takes much longer to crystallize (Crystallization explained below)
- And of course the taste. It is some of the best honey you’ll ever try!
It is the first plant to grow after there’s been a forest fire or clear cutting. It helps to replenish the earth so the forest can regenerate. The fireweed plant itself carries many medicinal properties and these transfer to the honey.
Blueberry honey
Taken from the tiny white flowers of the blueberry bush, the nectar makes a honey which is typically light amber in colour and with a full, well-rounded flavour. Blueberry Honey has one of the highest levels of Anti-oxidants.
Why does honey crystallize?
You know when honey gets hard and granular tasting? It has not gone bad. It is actually the natural preservation process of honey. Honey will never expire. It was found in tombs in Egypt and was still edible. Crystallization happens over time or if honey is cooled (so don’t store your honey in the fridge). Honey should be stored at room temperature. It is possible to get honey back to liquid
form… no not the microwave, as this will pasteurize it (killing all of the good things). You can place it in a pot of hot water up to 100 degrees and use a turkey thermometer to keep track. It is a slower process, but it ensures you maintain all of honey’s health benefits.
Buyer beware
When buying honey from the grocery store, most times it has been altered and only just resembles honey. It is usually pasteurized (good for some things, but definitely not honey) This means it has been heated past 120 degrees. This process kills everything including all of the health benefits listed above. Another thing that is very common, is it can also have rice or corn syrup added to ‘water it down’ and make it stretch further. We recommend knowing where your honey comes from. Contact Golden Meadows Honey Farm to learn more!
Disclaimer: This information is not intended to replace medical advice, nor is it recommended for people to stop their prescribed medication(s).
Fun facts about honeybees
- One bee makes 1 tablespoon of honey in its lifetime
- The reason bees are so noisy is because they beat their wings over 11,000 times in one minute
- Bees produce 2-3 times more honey than they need – they are hoarders which means we are able to take some of their honey without hurting the colony
- Bees know their own hive by the colour as well as the pheromone that their specific queen releases
- Bees have a heightened sense of smell – because they don’t have a nose, they smell through their antennae, feet and tongue
- Eating honey makes you smarter! It has an antioxidant that improves brain function
- The Honey Bee is the only insect that makes food humans can eat
- Bees can recognize faces
- Royal jelly is what is given to a fertilized egg to make it a queen
What you can do to help
- Plant bee friendly/ pollinator flowers – check with your local garden centre – make seed bombs
- Keep all the dandelions
- Create a safe water source – Bee Bath
- Avoid using pesticides
- Buy local honey – Support your local beekeeper!