Nina’s Red Barn Farm Honey
Mother Nature’s Super Food
There is something deeply satisfying about knowing where your food comes from, who grew the vegetables or raised the chickens, and how they take care of their land. It brings you into a more direct relationship with Earth, which feeds you. That is a healing revelation. When our food is prepared with love and care, these foods and spices are among the best medicines in the world. Along with a sense of connection to nature and a community of people, they truly form the foundation of good health.
Honey, specifically raw, is considered a super food. Raw honey comes straight from the honeycomb, while pasteurized honey is heated and strained to remove potential bacteria. At our farmers market in Ridgewood N.J. we have the “real deal“.
There is a big difference between raw or pure honey and the processed little golden bear honey in grocery store chains. Most of the honey you see in the grocery store is a far cry from the health promoting powerhouse of its raw, pure unpasteurized counterpart. Processed honey is not honey at all and if you desire any kind of health benefits, you must stick to the real stuff. Most honey products found in the grocery store are commercially produced. They are pasteurized at high temperatures, which can kill off the majority of the helpful anti-oxidants, nutrients, and enzymes.
Honey producers are quite successful selling honey locally. Farmer’s markets are likely to carry local, raw honey, which contain the most nutrients beneficial to good health. One such offering is our Nina’s Red Barn Farm Honey which is honey as Mother Nature intended it.
Honey – One of Nature’s Super-Foods
Below are just a few of its numerous benefits:
Boosts immunity – Raw honey has antibacterial and antiviral properties that can help boost your immune system and fight sickness. Honey also contains flavonoids, which are antioxidants that can help reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Start your day sweetly – Drinking a glass of warm water with honey and lemon in the morning and could help you see benefits such as improved digestion, decreased constipation and a boost of energy. Also add to your hot tea instead of sugar.
Regulates blood sugar – The sugar in honey is not the same as in white sugar or artificial sweeteners. This type of sugar actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Still be cautious with honey if you have diabetes.
Helps mitigate cold and flu symptoms – Cough and throat irritation that comes along with a cold or flu can be lessened with the help of honey. In a study of 110 children, a single dose of buckwheat honey was just as effective as a single dose of the medicine dextromethorphan in relieving nocturnal cough and allowing proper sleep.
Use when baking – For every cup of sugar a recipe calls for, replace it with 3/4 cup of honey. Pure and raw honey is the best for you and your family and contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes you won’t find in refined honey.
Increases athletic performance – While many athletes rely on sports drinks and gels to refuel themselves, honey (which has 17 grams of carbohydrates per tablespoon) is an even better all-natural energy fuel.
At the beginning of this post you can find a testimonial regarding eating healthy by Robin Rose Bennet, herbalist and best selling author of the book “The Gift of Healing Herbs” Here is an excellent recipe for a sport drink that you can make yourself that is as refreshing, if not more so, than any mass produced offering.
Simple Electrolyte Restoration Remedy
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
1 teaspoon of honey
Dissolve salt and honey in a glass of water (preferably pure or spring)
This offers a more natural solution than Gatorade. It is common belief that if you are dehydrated you only need to drink water. But your body also needs the salt, sugar and minerals to maintain the fluids surrounding every cell and to keep all the brain’s synapses firing on all cylinders. Drink and Enjoy!
Four ways to spot artificial honey
1 – The Thumb Test — Put a drop of the honey on your thumb. If it spreads around right away or spills, it’s not pure. If it stays intact, it’s pure.
2 – The Water Test — Fill a glass of water and add one tablespoon of “honey” into the water. Pure honey will lump and settle at the bottom of the glass. Adulterated and artificial honey will start dissolving in water.
3 – The Shelf Life Test — Pure honey will crystallize over time. Imitation honey will remain looking like syrup, no matter how long it is stored.
4 – Light a Fire — Dip the tip of a matchstick in “honey”, and then strike it to light. Natural honey will light the match easily and the flame will burn off the honey. Fake honey will not light because of the moisture it contains.
