Many of you as I do use honey daily as a sweetener. Its my preference for sweetening my tea. I use natural raw honey. The majority of honey sold in the United States, 76% has been pasteurized. This fake honey contains none of the minerals, vitamins, antibiotic and antioxidant properties found in raw honey.

How can you tell the difference ? Raw honey is labeled raw and unprocessed. Its taken straight from the bee hive, still containing its pollen and bottled. Another way to tell the difference is the thumb test. Put a dab of honey on your thumb, it its real honey it will stay in a droplet, if it runs its honey mixed with corn syrup.

Now lets look at some other uses for honey that you most likely have not heard of. To be honest until I started doing research for this blog, most of them I had no knowledge of.

1. Make your own sports drink

Use one tablespoon of raw honey , a pinch of salt and mix with Tulsi ( holy basil ) tea. The tea you can find at a natural heal food store. I order it from Puritans Pride online. Its on sale now buy one get one free. Two for $8.99.

This is a great when to replenish your electrolytes after a strenuous workout.

2. Stockpile ( store for emergency food)

Raw honey provides a perfect balance of glucose and fructose and contains healthy vitamins and enzymes. It will never spoil.

3. As a burn treatment

To treat minor burns, cool the area with cold water, apply raw honey, cover with a nonstick dressing and wrap with plastic wrap. Change the dressing every 48 hours.

4. Wash your face

Honey is a natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory. It is not harsh on the skin. It is great for acne, redness, and dry irritated skin. As well if you have a rash anywhere on your body spread some honey on the area. It will be gone in a day or two.

5. Clear yeast infections

Works like a charm, apply raw honey in and around the vaginal area. Let it sit 30 minutes. Wash off in a bath or shower.

6. Hair conditioner

Add raw honey to your conditioner or use alone as a hair mask. Rinse well. Leaves hair soft and silky.

7. Natural cough and sore throat elixir

Add 1 tsp. cinnamon and 1 tbsp. of fresh grated ginger to a cup of almost boiling water. Let it steep for 5 minutes. Add 1 tbsp. of lemon juice( fresh squeezed from a lemon) and 2 tbsp. of honey. Stir and drink.

8. Heal cuts

Use raw honey instead of Neosporin on minor wounds. Its a natural antibacterial. I’m an old nurse and back in the day we used honey to help heal bedsores. Guess what ? Today they use honey dressings to do the same thing.

9. Lip balm

Mix honey and coconut oil together, use as a moisturizer. Its great for lip texture and protects your lips from toxins. Just refrain from licking it off.

10. Bath

Add a few tablespoons of honey to your bath to soften your skin and smell sweet. For extra softening add a cup of milk. The great Nubian Queen Cleopatra used this combination for soft flawless skin. Do you think that’s where the term Land of Milk and Honey came from ?

11. Cure a hangover

After a night of hanging out, finish the night off and start the next morning with honey water. Add two tablespoons to a glass of warm water. Honey aids in breaking down alcohol quickly which gets it out of your system.

So there you have it ! Try out some or all of these uses for honey. Stay sweet with raw honey !