Refined sugar is probably the most familiar and overly used sweetener on the market. We consume it in mass quantities on a daily basis and it's slowly killing us. Things such as diabetes, obesity, heart disease, tooth decay and even mental illness have been linked to the consumption of these little man made crystals. Sugar is derived from sugar cane or sugar beets. Sounds natural right? That is until scientists and manufacturers get their hands on it and refine and process it into tiny grain sized killers and send it out into the world for us to ingest. Doesn't sound so natural now, does it?
Luckily, we have options! Honey is a rich, all natural sweetener (Produced by honeybees, not humans.) that is a better choice than refined sugar for more reasons than you would think. Although, both refined sugar and raw honey contain glucose and fructose and can be used interchangeably in most recipes, they are very different in many other ways. For example, did you know that raw honey has served as both food and medication since ancient times? Beekeeping dates all the way back to 700 B.C. and raw honey was considered sacred because of its rarity and yummy sweetness. It has also been proven that raw honey can help with allergies if it is purchased from a beekeeper that is local to your area. So why then, do we continue to poison our bodies with refined sugar?
Twelve things you should know about Honey!
1. Consuming organic raw honey is a healthy way to get energy. The carbohydrates in honey provide us with energy and strength, and has been known to increase endurance and reduce muscle fatigue.
2. Organic raw honey has been proven to relieve morning sickness in expecting women even better than traditional soda crackers.
3. The sticky sweetness can be used to soothe sore throat, including laryngitis and pharyngitis.
4. Honey and cinnamon mixed together have been known to relieve bladder infections, arthritis, upset stomach, and even bad breath!
5. Raw honey, reportedly slows the process of hair loss.
6. Honey can be used to medicate men with impotence problems and women dealing with infertility. Warm raw goat milk and honey is believed to help increase low sperm count significantly.
7. A salve using raw honey can be used on diabetic ulcers where other topical antibiotics may not be tolerable. This mixture can also be used on eczema, canker sores, and bleeding gums.
8. Honey and apple cider vinegar can be used to alleviate constipation and migraines. Refined sugars have been known to cause headaches.
9. Honey and lemon work in the body to shift extra fat stores, converting it into usable energy for normal body functions.
10. Raw honey has absolutely no cholesterol and can, reportedly, keep cholesterol in check.
11. Raw honey has a very thick texture, due to its lack of water, which makes it a poor environment for bacteria to grow. Thus, making honey a great natural preservative.
12. There are 64 calories in a tablespoon of honey as opposed to 46 calories in refined sugar. The difference is that honey is sweeter than refined sugar, therefore it takes less to sweeten your food or beverage.
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