Honey has been valued by humans for thousands of years, both as a valuable source of nutrition and a versatile medicine. It is made by honeybees; from the nectar they collect and contains a careful balance of over 200 components. This includes natural sugars as well as small amounts of pollens, amino acids and natural yeasts, B vitamins, vitamin C and even trace minerals. The flavour, colour, texture and medicinal properties of honeys are determined by the nectars the bees use to produce them. 

The medicinal properties of raw honeys have been recognised for millennia. It has long been known as a cure for hay fever.  As a wound dressing, raw honeys can help to protect against infection, reduce inflammation and promote skin growth, thereby reducing scaring. Antibacterial and antiviral properties make honeys ideal for combatting sore throats. Some honeys are excellent for calming digestive problems, including indigestion and acid reflux. Raw honey also contains antioxidants which support general health.

Sadly, many of the beneficial properties of honey are lost once it is processed for sale. Often it has been heat treated, microfiltered and had processed sugars and water added, ending up as little more than sugar syrup. To benefit from the incredible properties of ‘real’ honey, source it locally from a reputable beekeeper and make sure that it has not been processed.

The Bee Centre is the home of sustainable beekeeping in the UK. Established by Simon and Kath Cordingley, this pioneering and multi-award-winning organisation promotes an ethical approach to beekeeping. Their 10 million, or so, bees also produce delicious honey!

Unusual in the beekeeping world for many reasons, making honey is not actually focus of what they do. They prefer to leave as much as possible for the bees to enjoy. Consequently, this delicious resource is in fact a happy by-product of their environmental and educational activities. 

The raw, unprocessed honeys which they do produce are of a very high quality. Their ethical, low interference approach ensures that this delicious, sticky treat is not contaminated with processed sugars nor chemical treatments. 

To find out more about honey and honeybees, as well as recipes for using honey, visit www.TheBeeCentre.org