Hey Honey

Honey is one of Mother Nature’s greatest gifts and should stay on your “must-eat” list. First, this liquid gold is certainly sweet, and thanks to its distinct, complex flavor, it boasts an even better sweet than regular ole sugar. It can also vary greatly from one batch of honey to the next, depending on which bees made it and what kind of flower nectar they were sippin’ on.

Second, honey is packed with vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3; minerals; enzymes; and antioxidants. It has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties too. But not all honey is equal. The honey you see in the grocery store may contain other ingredients, so be sure to check the label to ensure you get pure honey. Also, some honey has been pasteurized, and the heat from this process destroys many of its most appealing nutritional elements.

That’s why, if you’re interested harvesting honey’s health benefits, you should opt for raw honey, which is un-pasteurized and un-processed and therefore retains all of its inherent good stuff. Raw honey has been proven to aid in digestion, strengthen your immune system, balance blood sugar and soothe a sore throat, too.

You can certainly eat honey straight from the jar, but other honey-dos include:

• stirring it into hot tea
• spreading in on whole grain toast with a bit of unsweetened peanut or almond butter
• drizzling it over plump blueberries mixed with plain Greek yogurt

 And if you like mojitos, try this: Toss watermelon chunks in a simple syrup made from 2 parts honey, 1 part lime juice and a little chopped fresh mint to create a sweet, tart, refreshing summer salad. Fresh basil in place of mint works well too.

Keep it Cool
If your honey sits around long enough to form crystals, transform it back to liquid by sitting the jar in a pot of warm (but never boiling) water and stirring it. Don’t microwave it. The intense heat in a microwave will kill its beneficial enzymes.

Switch the Sugar
You can pretty easily replace sugar with honey in many recipes. If you’re baking though, there are a few simple rules to follow. A quick internet search will give you the conversion measurements and tips.