to return it to a healthy and shiny mane.
Honey also has varying amounts of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants that help protect your body from cell damage, are anti-aging and are known to fight against heart disease and cancer. As we find out more about the benefits of honey inside and out, it begins to make sense that honey has a place in your medicine cabinet as well as your kitchen.
AVOIDING HONEY NO-NO’S
Honey is safe for adults to consume; however, infants and children under two years of age risk exposure to a bacterium called Clostridium botulinum. These spores are often found in soil, air, dust, and agricultural products. Infantile botulism is a bacterial infection that occurs in the large intestine of young children who ingest raw or uncooked foods, including honey. A toxin found in this bacterium can make children sick and even cause them to become paralyzed. In the United States, all honey sold is required to include a warning on the label about feeding honey to children under two years of age.
Chapter 5
Making Honey Remedies at Home
IN THIS CHAPTER
RECIPES IN THIS CHAPTER
Honey Whipped Hand and Body Cream
Honey Lemon Ginger Cough Drops
Oxymel: Honey and Apple Cider Vinegar Shot
Golden Milk: Honey and Turmeric
Special thanks to my friend and fellow beekeeper Patty Pulliam for her help in preparing this chapter.
Honey is nice on toast. But did you know it can also relieve a multitude of medical issues — from taming a cough and alleviating allergies to healing cuts or burns? Because of honey’s low pH and hygroscopic properties, bacteria cannot survive in it. The pollen in the honey contains various minerals as well as enzymes and B vitamins, which impart immune-boosting properties that help the body fight infection. This is all good stuff.
Although most of the ingredients are easy to find and you may already have them, I include some resources in Appendix B for obtaining the harder-to-find ingredients.
When selecting a honey to use in these recipes, be sure to use a honey that’s just as it came from the hive. That is, not having been heated nor pasteurized, nor ultra-filtered. These processes remove many of honey’s nutritional and health benefits. Unfortunately, product labelling will not reliably tell you this information. So I recommend avoiding the national brands found in supermarkets. Get your honey from local farmers’ markets or a neighboring beekeeper. See Chapter 13 for how and where to shop for the good stuff.
Mixing Up Some Honey-Based Hair and Skincare Products
In this section you’ll find some of my favorite recipes for honey-inspired personal care products. They are all natural, healthy, and work great. I know, when you think of honey, sticky is probably one of the first adjectives that comes to mind. But for many of the honey remedies in this section, the honey is not at all sticky. It’s silky smooth.
Honey’s hygroscopic quality means it absorbs moisture from the air. This is one of the many reasons why honey is such a desirable ingredient in cosmetics. It’s a star at moisturizing and preventing dryness. This is why honey is considered a natural humectant — it retains moisture.
Honey Sugar Body Scrub
A basic, invigorating body scrub to gently exfoliate the skin.
PREP TIME: 5 MIN | YIELD: 1½ CUPS
INGREDIENTS
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 lemon, juiced
½ cup honey
DIRECTIONS