Despite how good it tastes when you add a spoonful of sugar or artificial sweetener to a cup of coffee or tea, there are negative health effects. Lucky for you and your sweet tooth, there are healthy (and sweeter) alternatives to add some sweetness to your life. Both Raw Honey and Agave provide sweetness and great taste.
Raw Honey Benefits
- Honey is much sweeter than table sugar, as well as healthier
- Provides an energy boost (without a sugar crash)
- Known to aid in relieving sore throats
- Honey is naturally antiseptic, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal and kills bacteria – put it on chapped lips or cuts and burns
- Can aid in relieving diarrhea
- Has natural calming properties (pair it with chamomile tea)
- Antioxidant (who doesn’t love antioxidants?)
- Also known to help curb high cholesterol and type 2 diabetes
- Credits: WHFoods, Bee Pollen Buzz, Global Healing Center
Agave Nectar Benefits
- Lower glycemic index than other sweeteners
- Contains anti-inflammatory properties
- Boosts immune system
- Sweeter than sugar (by approximately 3 times)
- Vegan
- Naturally anti-bacterial (similar to raw honey)
- Credits: All About Agave, She Knows
Try making limeade with raw honey or agave!
- 1 cup lime juice (organic and locally grown)
- 5 cups water
- ¼ cup raw honey or agave (or to taste to preferred sweetness)
- let chill and serve over ice!
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A very informative and well written article on honey!
It certainly has good antiviral and anti bacterial capabilities.
You can actually save yourself from getting a full blown sore throat if you act when the initial non threatening tingling in the throat occurs. This is the time if you use honey with turmeric powder, you will be able to prevent sore throat.
Take one tea spoon of honey. Add sufficient turmeric powder to it so that the mixture becomes a thick paste. Divide this paste in 6 parts. Keep one part in the mouth. Don’t chew or swallow. Just let it melt on its own and let it flow down your throat slowly. Use the rest of the portions every 2 hours.
Cheers!
I’m a big fan of raw honey, as well as agave nectar. I tend to not use as much agave, as I do honey.. but i use it for alot of stuff. Honey in my tea.. Agave in my coffee. Good stuff.
I’ve recently been introduced to raw honey and love this stuff. I take a tablespoon a day and use it in other things like lemonade. Plus, raw honey tastes SO MUCH BETTER than processed honey.
I agree! Raw honey is so much better than processed honey! Many wonderful health benefits as well. I have been getting mine from Raw Honey Bee Farms and I am loving the flavor!
You’ve got to try the creamed cinnamon raw honey from Queen Bee Raw Honey.
I have a new obsession with honey and I was wondering where I can get it raw. My zip code is 20109.
You can get organic honey – you want raw, unpasteurized honey – at Whole Foods or most health food stores. The best approach is to get it from a local beekeeper so you’ll get the anti-allergy benefits derived from those bees eating your local pollen. Check out your local green market.