The Wonderful World of Honey

Health Benefits

Honey actually has major health benefits! Here are the top five reasons why you should use honey more in your dishes from a health standpoint.

1. Rich in antioxidants, which can reduce the risk of certain types of cancer, heart disease, low blood pressure, and stroke. Yet another plus is it can improve eyesight!
2. Has almost no fat
3. Can improve cholesterol
4. Have a cold? Honey has proven to be effective in reducing your coughing! (Ever notice how some brands of cough drops integrate  honey, or are honey flavored? That's why!)
5. Also kills bacteria, reducing risk of E. coli and salmonella. Pretty sweet, right?

(All evidence has been scientifically proven to be true by many sources, but this information specifically is from healthline.com and cnn.com)

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Image credit: epicurious.com

Common misconception: there is no one type of honey. In fact, there are over 300 that are created in the United States alone! Therefore, before using honey in your dishes, make sure to do some research on which kind would have the best flavor profile to create the dish you are looking for :)

How is it Made?

Before I cause you to become totally obsessed with honey, let's learn a little more about it (yay)!

So, how is this excellent ingredient created? (It's actually a pretty cool process!)

Bees collects flower nectar in their stomachs, then carry it back to their hive. They then put the nectar into cells of a honeycomb, then fan the substance with their wings. Interestingly enough, this forces the moisture inside to evaporate so it can become the sweet confection we all know and love. There, you learned something new today!

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Best Ways to Use It

• Use it in your breakfast! Whether it's drizzling some over greek yogurt with granola in the morning, or toast with peanut butter, there are endless quick, easy, delicious ways to start your day with exploring the wonderful world of honey!
• Caramelize some vegetables! Wait- honey and vegetables? How can that work? Actually, the sweetness of the honey and the savor of the vegetables often make a great combination. The best veggies to use with it in my opinion are cherry tomatoes and obviously onions, but really any vegetable would pair nicely with honey's sweetness.
• Create a honey-cheeseboard! Honey and cheese go together quite well, they create a sort of salty-sweet effect. So next time you need a satisfying appetizer, turn to this simple idea!
• Swap granulated/brown sugar for honey in baking! Not only is it a more healthy alternative, but some think it actually makes treats taste sweeter. So, dessert fans, next time you're baking a cake, brownies, or even some good baked oatmeal cups (HIGHLY recommend, see here to get a recipe), switch that boring regular sugar for a healthier, tastier honey alternative!