Benefits of Raw Honey

Raw honey is extracted directly from the honeycomb. It is not heated, pasteurized or processed, allowing it to preserve vitamins, enzymes and other nutritional components. Because it is not processed, it maintains fine textured crystals, looks milkier and contains particles and flecks of bee pollen and honeycomb bits. Its high nutrient level has been said to be beneficial when used to treat coughs, colds, burns, high cholesterol, skin and hair problems and even diabetes.

Immune System

Consume local raw honey to obtain the immune-stimulating properties needed for your body to adapt to its environment. It can also help your body ward off allergies. The World's Healthiest Foods website says that raw honey contains the phytonutrients caffeic acid, methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate, which have antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties to keep your immune system healthy and ward off colds and flus.

Wound Healing

According to the World's Healthiest Foods website, raw honey contains primarily glucose and fructose, which strongly attract water. Because of this, honey can absorb the water in wounds, drying it out faster to discourage bacteria growth and promote faster healing. It also contains the enzyme glucose oxidase that, when combined with water, produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic.

Improve Cholesterol and Diabetes

One study found that treatment with raw honey was able to reduce total cholesterol, triglycerides and blood-sugar levels. It also showed that raw honey was actually able to increase HDL, or good cholesterol. Plus, it proved that honey also causes blood-sugar levels to rise less than table sugar, which may help to improve blood-sugar control and insulin resistance.

Skin and Hair Help

NaturalHealthezine.com states that honey can be used to improve the look and feel of skin and hair. Honey can be used as a facial mask to exfoliate skin and unclog pores. For dry hair, honey can be applied after shampooing to restore moisture and shine. The sugars in honey attract water to restore moisture to your hair.

Coughs

A study on children over the age of 2 with cough from respiratory infections found that honey consistently improved the children's cough greater than the use of the medicine dextromethorphan. Parents of the children rated honey most highly for relief of cough and sleep difficulty.

Workout Energizer

World's Healthiest Foods found that studies performed using honey during workouts produced more favorable outcomes than the use of other types of sugars. Honey was proven to be an efficient energy source that, when combined with its wound-healing properties, can help performance athletes. Honey helped produce favorable blood-sugar levels before, during and after workouts, which in turn maintained muscle stores and provided faster recovery after workouts.

Antioxidant Boost

The World's Healthiest Foods identified a study that found honey was able to significantly raise blood levels of antioxidants. Higher levels of antioxidants can ward off cancer-causing free radicals and promote heart health.