8 Surprising Health Benefits of Honey (Pictures)

Since ancient times, honey has been used as both a food and a medicine.

It's very high in beneficial plant compounds, and offers several health benefits.

Honey is particularly healthy when used instead of refined sugar, which is 100% empty calories.

Here are the top 8 health benefits of honey that are supported by science.

Honey Suggestions:

If you want to get the goodness from your honey, make sure it is pure and raw.
Raw honey contains vitamins, minerals, and enzymes not present in refined honey.

Cautions:

• Best not to feed to infants. Spores of Clostridium botulinum have been found in a small percentage of honey in North America. This is not dangerous to adults and older children, but infants can have a serious reaction of illness in the first year. Do not add honey to baby food or use as a soother to quiet a fussy or colicky baby. Most Canadian honey is not contaminated with the bacteria causing infant botulism, but it’s still best not to take the chance. 

• It is a sugar, so do not eat jars full of it if you value your good health and want to maintain a healthy weight. It has a high caloric value and will put you on a sugar high and low.