Oh Honey! Healthy Herbal Honeys for All

Oh Honey! Healthy Herbal Honeys for All

With a golden color that captures the light of the sun, a remarkably sweet taste, and an origin story that begins with blossoming flowers, honey has been considered an ambrosial nectar of the gods since ancient times.1

Revered by cultures around the world, it has been used as both food and medicine throughout history, and in more recent years, it has gained recognition for its healing capacities in modern medicine.2

In Ayurveda, honey is believed to be one of nature's most remarkable gifts to humankind. It has been traditionally used for thousands of years to support healthy digestion, proper respiratory function, glowing skin, healthy vision, and more.3

Our new line of herbal honey fuses the benefits of raw, unfiltered honey with the powerful properties of herbs.

The taste alone will be enough to make these products a new family favorite—and there's so much more that makes our new herbal honeys extra sweet.

Honey as an Anupan

Ayurveda is a proponent of taking herbs with a carrier substance, or anupan, which acts as a vehicle or catalyst to carry the herbs deep into the tissues of the body. Also known as yogavahis, these substances accentuate the beneficial properties of the herbs while also moderating any potentially aggravating effects.

Common Ayurvedic anupans include water, ghee, milk, and of course, honey.

If you have ever received a custom herbal formula from an Ayurvedic practitioner, it's likely that you were instructed to mix your herbs with one of these substances, and you may even be familiar with the sticky mess created when mixing powdered herbs with honey.

Our herbal honeys offer delicious elixirs that highlight the benefits of the herbs—with much less mess.

 

honey bee on honeycomb

Honey Sourcing Matters

When we set out to create these products, finding an excellent source of honey was a top priority. We were thrilled when we found a source of honey that is raw, unfiltered, and organic.

For honey to be certified organic, it must be produced by bees with access to a two-mile radius of certified organic land in all directions.

Meeting these requirements, our honey is sourced from certified organic hives on conservation land in Hawaii. Nestled against the ocean cliffs, the land provides a natural sanctuary for the honeybees.

Most of the nectar collected in the region comes from the Christmas berry, but there are many other native Hawaiian plants in the area as well.

It's Raw for a Reason

In addition to its rare organic status, our Hawaiian honey is raw, unpasteurized, and unfiltered. Many of the honeys available today are highly processed to create a more uniform texture, with extra sugar added and many of the original nutrients lost.

Unfiltered honey can be prone to crystallization, but it ensures that the nutrient content remains intact.

Unlike overly processed honey, raw honey retains the health promoting enzymes, vitamins, and antioxidants that can be lost when heated. From an Ayurvedic perspective, heating honey also results in the formation of ama, or toxicity in the body.

While adding honey to warm tea is acceptable, cooking and baking with honey should be avoided.4

 

turmeric and elderberry honey

Two New Superfood-Packed Herbal Honeys

Currently available in two flavors, our herbal honeys are packed with nutrients, antioxidants, and superfoods. Versatile and delicious, they offer a whole new option for incorporating the healing power of herbs into your daily routine.

Turmeric Honey

Turmeric Honey combines raw, unfiltered honey with turmeric and ginger. This blend is bright golden in color with a drizzly texture that makes it a perfect addition to snacks, meals, and warm drinks.

Turmeric, the star of the formula, is traditionally used to support proper digestion, promote a healthy inflammatory response, support healthy skin, and much more.

Elderberry Honey

Elderberry Honey combines raw, unfiltered honey with a blend of supportive superfoods, including FairWild certified elderberry, blueberry, marshmallow root, amalaki, and more. The result is a rich and gooey herbal honey with a thick granular texture that offers delicious support all throughout the year.

Elderberry has long been used in Western herbalism to support a healthy immune system, and combined with the other herbs in the formula this blend also promotes proper function of the nervous system.  

 

honey on cracker and cheese

How to Use Herbal Honeys

The best part about herbal honey is how utterly enjoyable it is to eat, making an excellent herbal option for the entire family. Honey is generally best for vata and kapha doshas, and suitable for pitta when used in moderation.

Our herbal honeys are safe for children above the age of two, and just as readily enjoyed by adults and the elderly.

If you like to keep things simple, you can lick your honey straight off the spoon. Or, go ahead and experiment—there is no end to the ways you can use these sweet and sticky herbal supplements. Here's a few ideas to get you started:

  • Spread it on toast, muffins, or pastries.
  • Drizzle on pancakes and waffles.
  • Stir into oatmeal or breakfast cereals.
  • Serve alongside an appetizer plate.
  • Mix into coffee, tea, or a mug of warm water.

Sweet and Simple Honey Recipes

Prefer to follow a recipe? We've been doing our own experimentation with the many ways to use these unique herbal honeys, and we have a feeling you'll love these two simple recipes. 

Turmeric Honey Vinaigrette Recipe

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup avocado oil
  • ⅓ cup white balsamic vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons Turmeric Honey
  • 2 teaspoons minced red onion or shallot
  • ¼ teaspoon pink salt

Directions:

Add these ingredients to a glass jar. Cover with lid, and shake until fully blended. Use immediately, or chill until ready to use.

Perfect for salads or drizzled over veggies!

 

Berry Berry Smoothie Recipe with Elderberry Honey

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup berries (choose your favorite!)
  • 2 teaspoons Elderberry Honey 
  • 1 cup nondairy milk of your choice* 

Directions:

Add all ingredients to your blender and blend until it's the perfect consistency for you. Yum!

*Ayurveda doesn't recommend mixing fruit and dairy.

Recommended

References

1 Fudala, Ayla. “The Sacred Bee: Ancient Greece and Rome.” Planet Bee Foundation, December 2020. https://www.planetbee.org/planet-bee-blog//the-sacred-bee-ancient-greece-and-rome.

2 Eteraf-Oskouei, Tahereh, and Moslem Najafi. “Traditional and Modern Uses of Natural Honey in Human Diseases: A Review.” Iranian journal of basic medical sciences. U.S. National Library of Medicine, June 2013. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3758027/.

3 Ibid

4 Douillard, Dr. John. “At What Temperature Does Honey Become Toxic?” John Douillard's LifeSpa, January 2022. https://lifespa.com/diet-detox/heated-honey-toxic/.