The “nectar of the gods”, honey has been used to treat various health conditions for millennia. Recent formal medical, physiological and nutritional research has provided formal evidence for the effectiveness of honey in treating conditions from cough to skin conditions like acne to high blood pressure. Honey has been shown to reduce the risk of obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome (which puts individuals at high risk of heart attacks) and possibly even cancer.

It is worth noting that most studies use raw honey and the health benefits discussed below apply to raw honey. Pasteurized honey has been heated above 40°C which causes some of the enzymes to break down, diminishing the health benefits. The higher the temperature and the longer the exposure, the greater the reduction in benefits. Some articles studies mention using honey from a specific floral source. With the exception of using manuka honey for medical grade sterilized wound dressings, we feel that one shouldn’t place too much emphasis on the specific floral source of the honey.

There are three reasons: firstly, just because a study mentioned that it used this raw honey or that raw honey, doesn’t mean other raw honeys don’t have similar properties. Secondly, studies have shown that the label on the jar is ofen incorrect when it specifies a floral source – bees often fly up to 5 km (3 miles) and forage whatever flowers are producing nectar within this large area (roughly 80 km2 or 20 thousand acres). Even beekeepers often get this wrong.

Finally, debating which honey has, for example, the greatest level of anti-bacterial activity, is like debating which variety of orange has the highest level of vitamin C: all oranges are good sources of vitamin C; all raw honey has anti-bacterial properties (and many other health benefits!). This page is currently under research and development. More health benefits coming soon!