Raw Honey vs. Honey

Until yesterday, I thought that honey was honey...and then I was faced with the phrase "raw honey". What do you mean raw honey...isn't honey just...honey? I noticed the double in price as I looked from the 5.99 jar of raw honey at Trader Joes to the 2.99 clover honey that was sweetly packaged in a plastic bear jar. Could whatever benefits from raw honey be worth the extra 3 dollars?

1. Taste. Last night as I got a snack craving, I took out some crackers, peanut butter and my new raw honey jar. The difference in taste was immediate. It is hard to put into words, but it taste more PURE. More rich in flavor. Much BETTER than the usual honey I bought before.

2. Health. RAW honey is anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal. Research has shown cancer preventing and anti-tumor properties. It has been shown to be an effective alternative treatment for symptomatic relief of nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty. It is a prebiotic - possessing a large amount of friendly bacteria and in addition, it boosts immunity. Honey may promote better blood sugar control.

3. Athletic Performance. In a study, honey helped athletes maintain optimal blood sugar levels throughout two hours following a workout. In addition, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration (carbohydrates stored in muscle) was favorable in those individuals consuming a honey-protein combination.

4. Protective Antioxidant. Studies have shown that there is a direct link between the subjects' honey consumption and the level of polyphenolic antioxidants in their blood.

5. Helpful with Cholesterol & Type 2 Diabetes. In a series of experiments involving healthy subjects and those with either high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, honey has proved itself the healthiest sweetener and is a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese.

Regular honey (not "raw") IS pasteurized which means that it is heated up and then rapidly cooled so that it looks cleaner, smoother and more delicious on the store shelf. This process of pasteurization kills the yeast and enzymes which are responsible for activating vitamins and minerals in the body system. For these reasons, raw honey is considered more nutritious than honey that has undergone heat treatment.

Strawberry Orange Guava smoothie

Today's smoothie:

2 guava

5 strawberries

1/2 orange

1/2 banana

1 plain yogurt

1 tsp sunflower seeds + 1 tsp flax seeds blended to a powder

a handful of spinach

Blend until smooth. Filled with loads of vitamins and delicious flavors.

Smoothie of the day: Pear-Walnut

Smoothie of the day:

a red pear

1/2 banana

1 tsp walnut pieces and 1 tsp of flaxseeds blended into a powder

1/2 cup plain yogurt

a handful of spinach leaves

a dash of soymilk

Sweet, filling and satisfying!

Smoothie Recipes

Smoothies are one of the easiest ways to incorporate lots of nutrients in one meal. Most everyone has tried a strawberry banana smoothie and I agree, they're tasty, but why not think out of the box? There are so many vitamins out there that you are missing if that is all you try - and we all know we need a multi-vitamin right now during the winter/cold season. Try switching up the fruits you use. Use yogurt or banana as your base and add one or as many fruits as you like, fresh or frozen. For example:

- blueberries (easily thickens your smoothie)

-kiwi

-pineapple (gives a frothy texture)

-oranges ( a juicier smoothie)

-mangoes (make a really smooth, thick consistency like a malt)

OR what about incorporating nuts/seeds? Use your blender/magic bullet to grind your nuts or seeds down to a fine powder and then put it in with your banana, fruits, yogurts, juices and milks. Yesterday I made a banana walnut smoothie. (Banana, walnut powder made from a TBSP of walnut pieces, yogurt and soymilk). Healthy AND delicious!

And if you're daring, add some green leaves into your smoothie. Spinach leaves are tasteless so you'll get the green color and all the nutrients but no change in flavor. I have also added romaine lettuce and kale.