20 Overlooked Uses for Honey

Bees play an important role in plant production helping to pollinate the fruits and vegetables we eat every day. Just in case you didn’t know – September is National Honey Month.

Honey is a wonderful food. It may not be a plant but honey is a different kind of harvest, a different kind of “fruit.”

Have you stopped to think of all the ways you use honey in your daily life?

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Personally, we use it in cooking, salads, making granola, smoothies, in coffee, tea and other uses in the kitchen.

We all know that honey is one of the best natural sweetener that Mother Nature has provided us. But a surprising fact is that it is consumed in tremendous quantities across the world.



UK alone consumes 25,000 metric tons of honey each year while in US, it turns out that every American consumes about 1.5 pounds of honey each year

With such consumption rates, this golden delight offers much more to health than people are generally aware of.

While there are many uses of honey, we are listing 20 uses that will make you appreciate this ingredient much better. And the benefits honey provides, you will see them yourself after trying these uses.

Natural Sweetener For Desserts

Many people use honey as the sweetener for their morning tea to reduce the calorie intake. But the use of honey should not stop at that.

Its sweetening properties can be put to good use by using honey instead of sugar in preparation of desserts.

Apart from rendering its sweet taste and flowery flavor, honey is also loaded with anti-oxidants that are very good for health of internal body organs. Anti-oxidants also slow down the aging process keeping one looking young for a long time.

Cleanser For Skin

Honey is rich in enzymes that act as very good cleansers for skin. Using honey as a skin cleanser gently removes the dead skin cells and dirt from skin making it clean and refreshed.

The enzymes in honey also stimulate the skin cells improving the blood circulation in them. This provides a natural glow to the skin.

Honey also has anti-microbial properties. Hence when it is applied onto skin, it cleans any harmful bacteria present on it due to dirt and sweat. Using honey for regular cleansing of skin avoids skin allergies, acne and other skin problems.

Healing Dry Lips

Sometimes despite regular applications of cosmetic lip balms, our lips do not get the moisture they need and end up drying and even get chapped. Honey has moisturizing properties that can help hydrate and moisturize lips and prevent them from drying up easily.

Combine a drop of honey with a drop of almond oil and gently massage on dry lips. By using this method, dryness from lips can be removed in a day or two. This natural lip balm is not just effective but quite tasty as well.

Natural Conditioner For Hair

With the pollution and stress levels going high in our lifestyles, our hair undergoes a lot of damage. There are various hair care product companies who try to cash-in on the desire of damage free, soft hair. But most of these hair care masks and products are laden with chemicals that only damage hair further in the long run.

Honey has 18% water content and hence has very good nourishing properties.

Mixing a tablespoon of honey with two to three tablespoons of oils like olive or jojoba oil creates the best hair mask that prevents hair damage and avoids splitting.

Cure For Hangover

Hangovers can be cured naturally by eating honey. The natural sugar in honey is present in the form of fructose. Fructose increases the body metabolism that leads to quicker breaking of alcohol in the body. This in turn can relieve the headaches and discomfort of hangover.

uick Boost Of Energy

Honey is made up of 80% sugar and is sweeter than the refined sugar used for everyday cooking. However, the sugar in honey is simple sugar and can be easily broken down and digested by the body to release energy.

Honey is hence a source of quick energy. Drinking a warm cup of tea when tired or adding to a smoothie after work-out can recharge and prepare one for the remaining part of the day.

Soothing Honey Cough Syrup

The medicinal value of honey has been recognized and appreciated from ancient times. Honey is a natural medicine when it comes to sore throat and cough.

Mixing two tablespoons of honey with warm water and a spoonful of ginger extract makes a soothing cough relief drink.

Honey has anti-inflammatory properties that soothe the itchy and tired throat due to cough.

Ginger provides warmth to the body on consumption. Hence it is very beneficial in coughs due to cold. The sweetness of honey makes it easy to consume the bitter ginger extract.

Beneficial For Good Sleep

Irregular sleep, interrupted by constant waking up at frequent intervals can be caused by hormonal imbalance in the body. Hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol can create sleep disorders when they are out of balance.

Eating honey before going to bed in the night has been found to aid uninterrupted night sleep. It is found that the soothing properties of honey calm the senses which reduces anxiety and stress. This in turn helps to regulate the hormones in the body.

Cure For Seasonal Allergies

With changing seasons, different people develop allergies which can lead to skin rashes and itchy, flaking skin. Applying honey on the allergic parts of skin can relieve the irritation providing a soothing relief.

Eating a few spoons of local honey during changing weather conditions can also help in preventing these allergies.

Honey is derived from flowers and it has a very small amount of pollen suspended in it. Eating these pollen help the body to develop immunity against allergies from them.

Use Honey As Natural Preservative

Some seasonal fruits taste so good and nutritious that we wish we could preserve them longer without losing their nutrition. Artificial preservatives are not very good for health and hence many of us prefer not to use them.

Honey is a perfect natural preservative for fruits like summer berries. Mix one part honey with ten parts of water to create a natural honey based preservative for the summer fruits.

The amount of honey can be increased if one prefers a slight taste of honey in berries.

Honey To Clear Up Dry Elbows

Our elbows support our upper body for most part of the day. As a result, the skin at our elbows becomes dry and scratchy. Honey with its moisturizing and cleansing properties has proved to be a good solution for dry elbows.

Combine honey with oats to create a gentle scrub for elbows. Apply the mix on dry elbows and massage for a few minutes to release dead skin cells, dirt and dryness.

Another way of using honey for dry elbows is rubbing a small quantity of it on elbows after bath. Leave it on for 30 minutes and wash away.

Honey For Weight Loss

This is the sweetest news for those looking to reduce weight. Despite the fact that honey is rich in sugar content, it also helps in reducing weight.

Honey increases the basic metabolic rate of the body that leads to quicker calorie burn off.

Mixing a spoonful of honey in a glassful of warm water prepares a rejuvenating morning drink. Drinking this honey with warm water mix, cleanses the body and removes toxins from it.

It hydrates the body and supplies it with sufficient energy to avoid morning cravings. This in turn helps lose weight over time.

Treating Burns With Honey

Honey is not only a beauty enhancer but is also extremely beneficial in medicinal sciences. In the olden times too, honey was used to calm and soothe burns. Honey has anti-septic properties which makes it a good natural healer.

Honey provides a cooling effect and hence when applied on burns, it helps soothe the skin. Honey also reduces the probability of skin scarring due to burns since it is rich in minerals which are good for repairing skin.

Solution To Diabetes

Being diabetic can be a challenge for those who enjoy relishing desserts. Honey however has been found to control the blood sugar levels and keep diabetes in control.

Replacing refined sugar with honey can make it possible to enjoy desserts for even those who are diabetic.

Honey has a very low GI – Glycemic Index. This means that the sugar from honey are released very slowly into the blood stream. This ensures that there are no sudden elevations in blood sugar level that can prove harmful to the body.

Improves The Health Of The Heart

Apart from sugar and water, honey is rich in minerals. These minerals are essential for the smooth functioning of the heart. Honey contains minerals such as Sodium, Magnesium, Iron, Potassium and Phosphorous which work differently to improve heart health.

These minerals found in honey help in the metabolizing bad cholesterol, breaking them down and eliminating them from the body. This keeps the blood vessels of the heart healthy and in good working condition.

Good For A Relaxing Bath

Those who are not looking for any beauty benefits can also use honey for its other important property. Honey is a very good body relaxant. After a tiring day, soaking in a bath made of honey can relax the body and mind leaving one feeling fresh.

To create a relaxing bath, mix two spoons of honey with one cup of hot water. Let the honey dissolve completely and then add it to your bath along with essential oils of your choice. The minerals in honey help the body and mind relax.

Improve Nail Health

While we take a lot of care of our body, our nails are often neglected. We only remember to care for them when they begin chipping. Using honey for nails is a simple yet very effective home-remedy that keeps nails strong and supple.

A few drops of honey can be mixed with a few drops of coconut oil to create a creamy lotion.

This can be applied on the nails and cuticle by gently massaging. Leave it on for 30 minutes and wipe clean or wash. This lotion not only nourishes the nails but also clears them off harmful bacteria.

Removing Parasites From The System

Parasites entering the body might sound impossible, but it truly isn’t. For those who have any issue of parasites being present in the intestines, honey can be a great relief.

The anti-microbial properties of honey makes it repel parasites form body.

Mixing up equal parts of honey, vinegar and warm water and drinking it for two to three days can ensure that parasites are removed from the body. For this very reason, it is advisable to carry honey along when on backpacking tours.

A Quick Facial

Not always do we have the time for facials that can make our skin glow. But that however does not mean that the face skin cannot be pampered in less time. Honey can be used to make a quick facial that will make skin look happy.

Two spoons of honey should be mixed with two spoons of milk to create a thick creamy mixture. This can be applied all over the face and neck and left for 10 min. Wash away to find soft, glowing skin within.

Store For Emergency

Honey is one food item that can be stored for a long time without the fear of any kind of spoiling. Due to its ability to quickly boost up energy levels in the body, honey can be stored for emergencies when food is not easily available.

Those who go camping or hunting are often advised to carry honey along as it does not get spoilt over time and can provide sufficient energy in case there is a shortage of food availability.

From food to a beauty enhancer to a medicinal cure, honey has a role to play in every aspect of life. The sweet golden delight can be relished in a number of ways and consumed in anyway, honey never fails in benefiting the body.

Switch to honey for internal and external health and make the most of the goodness provided by Mother Nature.

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