Oh, Honey!

You might think that all honey is created equal, and all good for you. Not necessarily. Most honey that you find on your grocery store shelves has been cooked at high temperatures and filtered through tiny filters. This removes many of the beneficial enzymes we are looking for and which are present in naturally harvested honey. Honey is treated to extend its shelf life only in the sense that it prevents crystallization. These processes kill many of the honey's health benefits.

Raw honey is collected straight from the hives and is unheated, unpasteurized and unprocessed. This ensures that we receive all of the benefits of this heavenly product: A natural energy-booster, a substance that helps build our immunity system, heal wounds, help sore throats, induce sleep and might even help fight cancer. As I did research for this blog I even found a hangover remedy (at http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/health-benefits-of-honey.html)!  

When you get a hangover from drinking too much alcohol, combat its effects by applying honey remedy. Honey is gentle on the stomach and contains a mix of natural sugars such fructose which is known to speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver, acting as a 'sobering' agent. Follow this recipe: 15ml of liquid honey with 80ml of orange juice and 70ml of natural yogurt. Blend them together until smooth.

Don't be fooled by any honey that claims to be "organic." No one can guaranteed that the bees will only work in pesticide-free flowers because bees wander and work in a three to four mile radius from their hives.
Now that we know how totally awesome bees and honey are and how important to our well-being, we must talk about the plight bees are facing right now.
There is a lot of speculation as to the causes for the massive loss of bee and bee colonies. Most scientists believe it is due to a condition called colony collapse disorder (CCD). http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2013/13/130510-honeybee-bee-science-european-union-pesticides-colony-collapse-epa-science/
Our friend and president of Yaupon Asi Tea, Bryon White, explains further:

Once bees reach maturity, they generally only live about four weeks. Everything about bees is programmed into their little brains. They are one of nature's most perfectly designed creations. This life cycle is designed in part so that bees will not naturally die in the hive. For the first two weeks of life, the worker bee will perform house-keeping tasks. For the last two weeks, the bees will forage for pollen and nectar in the field, where they will eventually die as their wings wear out. Many beekeepers believe CCD is caused by this life cycle being altered for some reason or another...perhaps the bees are leaving too early, and after two weeks or so, their wings wear out and they naturally die. A big problem with being part of a perfectly intricate design, is that if one component is altered the whole place falls to pieces. Hence the devastation of CCD. Another especially devastating component is the application of neonicotinoid pesticides. These chemicals have had a brutal effect on bees, especially in Florida, which is one of the largest honey-producing states. Some science suggest that these chemicals are responsible for some broad-reaching environmental impacts which sadly go far beyond their effects on honey bees.

Bryon adds: "I'm lucky enough to have a great friend who teaches me these things. Doug McGinnis, of the Tropical Blossom Honey Co, Inc., has been working with bees his entire life and his company has been in the honey business for over 70 years. I'm glad All Spiced Up is now carrying both of our products!" Here at All Spiced Up, we love our honey products and carry the following honeys: Yaupon's Palmetto, Jimeez Beez' Wildflower, Third Coast's Jalapeno, and Tropical Blossom Honey Company's Mangrove.

We should all tip our collective hats to the many small companies that are taking such good care of the bees we so desperately need, not only for the honey they produce, but also for the many products (fruits, vegetables and beans) we would not have if these plants were not pollinated by bees.

Ana Hernandez offers recipes, cooking videos and her signature spice blends at

http://spice-blends.com