Happiest Holiday wishes, from the whole Manhattan Milk Team!
Wishing you the sweetest New Year, from our families to yours..
Today we're discussing HONEY. Sweet, delicious, eat-by-the-spoonful, great on just about everything, straight from the bees; honey.
Did you know that the flavor of your honey depends on which flower nectar (blossom honey) the honeybees collect? What we typically buy in the stores is fruit tree and clover blossom honey, which is sweeter and milder than the wild forest honey with the strongest flavor and most medicinal purposes.
One of the reasons that honey is so sweet is because it contains a high % of fructose, so when using it in your cooking, please consider the fact that your liver does have to work hard to process this form of sugar and break it down in order to absorb all nutrients and minerals from it. The fact that it comes from nature makes it a superfood to keep on your shelf for the perfect touch of sweet. Be conscious of keeping blood sugars in control: MODERATION is key, especially since some brands of honey can have a higher glycemic index than sugar! Sometimes less, is more. ;)
Like with all foods, read the label of your honey first to see where it was made, and avoid any brands that use any additional ingredients or high-fructose corn syrup.
Some of honey's medicinal properties include:
- Antimicrobial, meaning it kills all kinds of germs! Who wouldn't like their skin soaked in sweet honey for wound healing?!
- Packed with anti-inflammatory and super healthy phytochemicals (like carotenoids, phytosterols, phenolics, peptides, etc) great for the immune system as antioxidants
- Anti-allergic
There are three most common types of the shelves:
- Manuka honey is New Zealand based and stimulates tissue healing. Look for a rating of greater than 5 (over 10 is used clinically, whereas ratings of 15 and higher are considered superior grade). Manuka honey can be use to treat nearly all skin wounds, cold sores, and even sore throats.
- Raw Honey is closest to the way the bees produce it in their hives. It is usually amber colored, with traces of pollen and wax. By consuming local raw honey, you get a homeopathic dose of pollens from your area that helps immunize against allergies. Certified organic raw, unfiltered honey is the best for health purposes. If you can get it local, then even better!
- Wild Honey from the rainforest is a thin liquid and less-sweet form of honey packed with healing properties. Typically dark amber and unfiltered.
Sick? Just a spoonful (or two!) of honey may help...
Heal your cough and cold, and sore throat by adding some honey right onto your spoon, or mixing it to warm lemon tea (simply squish a fresh lemon wedge into warm water!). Feeling adventurous? Add an inch or two of fresh ginger for bonus healing and warming. This trick can also help suppress a cough, and even help deepen sleep in sick kids when taken before bed.
Honey, I love you <3
Buy the best quality that you can afford, and use it in small, moderate amounts.
Here are a few tips:
- Buy organic or wild, non-pasteurized honey (as close to as nature intended as possible)
- Choose locally grown whenever possible, especially when treating allergies and targeting the immune system
- Use only small amounts as a superfood in water, herbal tea, smoothies, face masks, on toast, to dip with apples, mixed with nut butter for a touch of sweet, warm milk before bed, you name it!
- Store in a dry, dark place for best results
Cheers to a delicious 2017 ahead!
From our hearts to yours,
SWEETEST WISHES!