20 Reasons to Keep Honey in the Pantry
Honey has been used for a long time as both a natural sweetener and a medicinal remedy. This golden liquid not only adds flavor to our food but also provides numerous health benefits. If you’re looking for an amazing ingredient to keep in your pantry, look no further than honey. Today, I want to talk about 20 reasons to keep honey in your pantry.
1. Natural Sweetener
As a healthier alternative to refined sugar, honey can be used in a wide variety of recipes. From sweetening your tea or coffee to baking delicious desserts, honey adds a unique and mellow sweetness. Emergency Prepping with Honey Bees
2. Immune Boosting Properties
Honey contains antioxidants and antimicrobial compounds that can help strengthen your immune system. Consuming honey regularly may help reduce the risk of infections. How to Boost Your Immune System
Honey MAY have benefits for heart health if you’re concerned about sweeteners and heart disease.
3. Cough Suppressant
If you have a nagging cough, a spoonful of honey can provide some relief. It’s soothing and can help alleviate throat irritation and reduce coughing. Allergies: What You Need to Know
4. Energy Booster
The natural sugars in honey, such as fructose and glucose, provide a quick energy boost. Whether you need a pick-me-up during exercise or an afternoon slump, a tablespoon of honey can give you the energy you need! You better believe that I’m doing this as often as I need to these days.
5. Wound Healing
Honey has been used for centuries to treat wounds and burns. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties can help in wound healing by keeping the area clean. Applying honey topically can help speed up the healing process. Of course, always talk to your doctor first. 35 OTC Medications You Should Store
6. Allergy Relief
Local raw honey contains trace amounts of pollen from the area it was produced. Some research suggests that consuming local honey may help reduce seasonal allergy symptoms by desensitizing the body to allergens. Allergies: What You Need to Know
7. Digestive Aid
Honey has mild laxative properties and can help relieve constipation. It also acts as a prebiotic, which means it can help with your gut health.
8. Natural Skincare
Honey is not only great for consumption but also for topical application. It has moisturizing properties and can make it an excellent ingredient for homemade skincare products. I like to make my own skincare products like face masks and scrubs, using honey.
9. Great For Your Diet
Honey helps protect our bodies because it’s a natural ingredient found in nature and it’s just overall great for our diets.
10. Weight Management
Contrary to popular belief, honey can be a helpful tool in managing weight. Its natural sweetness can satisfy sugar cravings. I have also known honey to help control appetite because a little goes a long way!
11. Soothing Sunburns
The anti-inflammatory properties of honey make it an effective remedy for sunburns. Applying honey topically can help reduce redness, and inflammation, and promote healing. How to Reduce Sunburn Naturally
12. Natural Preservative
Honey’s low water content and high acidity create an inhospitable environment for bacteria. Adding honey to homemade jams, sauces, or dressings can extend their shelf life. This is one of my favorite reasons for keeping honey in the pantry, it’s a natural preservative.
13. Nutrient-rich
Honey is very nutrient-rich and includes many vitamins and minerals. These include vitamin C, B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, calcium, and copper. It also has iron, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, and phosphorus, adding a nutrient boost to your recipes.
The natural sugar made up mostly of fructose and glucose, provides a high level of carbohydrates. Honey also contains amino acids and enzymes. Honey may not be a good natural sweetener for you if you have diabetes, check with your healthcare professional. In any situation, you should consume honey in moderation, just like most foods.
14. Natural Cough Syrup
Combining honey with lemon juice or herbal teas creates a natural and soothing cough syrup. This homemade remedy can provide relief from coughs and sore throats without the artificial additives found in regular cough syrups. 10 Healthy Foods Under $1
15. Promotes Better Sleep
Consuming honey before bedtime may improve sleep quality. The natural sugars in honey stimulate the release of serotonin, which converts to melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep. How to Sleep Safely During a Crisis or Emergency
16. Sore Throat Relief
The soothing and antibacterial properties of honey make it an effective remedy for sore throats. Mixing honey with warm water or herbal tea can provide instant relief and help reduce inflammation. Canker Sores: Causes and How to Treat Them
17. Natural Energy Gel
For athletes or those engaging in prolonged physical activity, honey can serve as a natural energy gel. Its quick absorption and easily digestible sugars make it a fuel source during exercise. Fitness for Survival
18. DIY Hair Conditioner
Honey’s moisturizing properties make it a great ingredient for homemade hair conditioners. Mixing honey with other natural ingredients like olive oil or coconut milk can nourish your hair, leaving it soft and shiny.
19. Delicious Addition to Recipes
Honey’s unique flavor profile adds a lot to dishes. From drizzling it on pancakes or yogurt to using it as a glaze for roasted meats, honey enhances the taste of many recipes. Popeye Pancakes Recipe With A Secret Trick
20. Long Shelf Life
Unlike many other food products, the shelf life of honey is extremely long. That’s why many preppers look to honey as a great item for long-term storage. Due to its low moisture content, honey can last indefinitely, when stored properly in a sealed container. This means you can always have a jar of honey in your pantry, ready to be used whenever you need it. Foods That Have a Long Shelf Life
More Tips
Please store your honey in glass mason jars if possible. I remember a cute neighbor down in Southern Utah who told me he had just purchased several 5-gallon buckets of honey. Here’s the deal with 5-gallon buckets, eventually the honey will crystallize, and that’s okay. The term crystallized honey means it will become as hard as a rock. Over time, crystallization is a natural occurrence, even at room temperature.
Yes, it will happen in quart mason jars which is better because you can soften it up to its liquid state in direct sunlight or in a pan of warm water on your stove. I have had plastic containers of honey crack and leak. So from that day forward, I place all my honey in quart mason jars.
What is pasteurized honey?
This is honey that has been heated in an effort to prevent crystallization, fermentation, and granulation. It will keep the honey in a liquid state longer, and help maintain a smoother and clearer texture. Note that it doesn’t kill any bacteria since most bacteria can’t survive in honey. The process does kill yeast spores that prompt honey to ferment.
Honey consumed by children 12 months old and younger can be a problem. There is a rare bacteria called Clostridium botulinum whose spores can cause botulism, particularly in young children. Boiling foods for 10 minutes or longer has been shown to kill these spores. The risk to young children is high enough that the CDC directs us to wait until children’s immune systems are stronger, so wait until after they are at least one year old.
Final Word
Keeping honey in your pantry is a wise choice. Not only does it serve as a natural sweetener and flavor enhancer, but it also provides many health benefits. I mentioned there are at least 20 reasons to keep honey in your pantry, but I’d love to know why you keep it in yours! May God Bless this World, Linda
Copyright Images: Honey Being Poured AdobeStock_226346903 By Ivan, Honey In Glass Jars AdobeStock_217168361 By Ivan
Wish I could keep bees but wife is allergic. But the Minco honey festival is this weekend so I’ll pick up more some like every year.
HI Matt, yeah if she’s allergic, I would just buy the honey. I love going to festivals to see what people are selling. Honey would be a good one for sure. I buy my honey online from Cox’s Honey out of Shelley, Idaho. I wish they were closer I would pick some up. Linda
Yeah we go all over the state throughout the year to various ones. Fresh produce is often available in the seasonal months. We also attend homesteaders expos and local fairs.
I’ve noticed a trend towards clover honey but I’d rather have local crop and forage honey.
HI Matt, you are lucky to get fresh produce near you throughout the year. Local honey is better for allergies I have heard. Linda
I’ve been using local Arizona honey since moving here from the East coast. This is ideal for helping my newly acquired allergies! I also recently had the flu, and of course used honey with lemon by the spoon and in my tea to soothe my throat and ease my cough.
Honey is a miracle food/supplement!
Hi Toby, you are so right! You are lucky to be able to get local honey to help soothe those nasty viruses that go around. It sure helps with allergies!! Love this, Linda
We’re blessed to have a local beekeeper who sells natural, raw honey. I stock up at least once a year. My favorite is his prickly pear honey. Hint: don’t microwave honey–doing so can destroy honeys anti-bacterial properties. If I need to de-crystalize it I place it in water in my Sun Oven for about half an hour. Works beautifully.
Hi Ray, you really are blessed to have a local beekeeper. I will have to find some prickly pear honey. You are so right about not microwaving honey, do not do it. I love the Sun Oven idea. I will try that when I get my Sun Oven out of the storage. We’re still several months out until the house is finished. There are no words! LOL! Linda
Actually there are words. Just none that can be used in polite company.
Hi Ray, LOL! I’m going to email you. LOL! Linda