Unusual Uses for Honey
Our garden is not getting many bees this year and I continue to be worried about the demise of bee populations worldwide. And now I have found an article on 20 unusual uses for honey that was reported on the Huffington Post site a few months ago. Did you know that honey can be used for the following very useful purposes beyond just sweetening your tea? Some of these below are not so surprising so I have combined them. And I have added a couple more at the end and here is a honey link to order some right away. Read on:
1. Put it on your lips, rub it on your elbows, take a bath with it and soften your skin.
You can make lip balm with a mixture of honey, beeswax and almond oil. Nothing's worse than scratchy elbows (no really) so next time, after you've washed and scrubbed, rub some honey on to soften the skin. Leave on for 30 minutes then wash off. You can also add a few tablespoons of honey to your bath, for sweeter smelling, softer feeling water. Honey is an excellent exfoliant. You can pair it with ground almonds and lemon juice for a killer homemade facial scrub.
2. Make your own honey moisturizer
If you've got a handful of sweet smelling herbs -- think lavender -- laying around and ready to be used, why not use them for your own homemade honey lotion? Warm honey over a saucepan until it gets to a liquid consistency. Pour honey over herbs and cap tightly; the ratio you want to use is 1 tablespoon of herbs per 8 ounces of honey. Let sit for a week and then mix 1 teaspoon of liquid into an 8 ounce bottle of unscented lotion.
4. Prepare for the end of the worldHoney never goes bad! You can store it pretty much forever.
5. Drink it, eat it, add it to your salad dressing, to your tea and
We all know a drop of honey in tea is good for a sore throat, but you can add it to most drinks for an extra energy boost. And simply because it's a whole lot better than tossing in a few Sweet 'N Lows.
7. Give yourself a facialHoney is a natural humectant with antimicrobial properties, which means your skin will be happy when you give it some sweet honey love. Try a basic honey wash by mixing a dollop of honey and two tablespoons of warm water and massaging the mixture into your skin. Or you can go all out and try the Cucumber Honey Facial.
8. Go the extra mile with the energy boost
Forget energy bars and shots, just pop a tablespoon of honey before your next workout. Seriously, it has been proven to boost athletic performance.
9. Remove parasites
Got a post-Southeast Asia backpacking trip bug that just won't leave you alone? Mix up a good blend of honey, water and vinegar and you'll quickly be on your way to being parasite free.
10. Clean your cuts and scrapes
Honey can actually be used as an antiseptic, like a natural Neosporin. Because of its many antimicrobial properties, it can be used to treat wounds and even burns.
11. Get rid of your hangover
Forget a morning of popping ibuprofen, spread some honey on your toast or add some to your tea. Because honey is loaded with fructose, it will help speed up the metabolism of alcohol.
15. Eat the honeycomb. No really, just do it.Yes, it can be done! One of our fave food bloggers Clotilde Dusoulier, of Chocolate & Zucchini, put the ingredient to her readers and got some fun responses. The best sounding one? Mix it with crunchy peanut butter on toast.
16. Get an energy boost
Feeling lethargic? Skip the coffee and go for the honey instead. Mix a tablespoon into a cup of tea and you'll be feeling better in no time.
17. Beautify your hair
In the shower, after you wash your hair, coat the ends with a bit of honey. Let it sit for a few minutes before rinsing out and you'll find that your hair is less frizzy and extra conditioned. Or make your hair shiny and bright by adding one teaspoon honey to one quart of water, and after washing your hair, pouring the mixture over your head. Let dry and enjoy your new-found shiny do.
18. Preserve fruit
Jam is so five years ago; show you're truly cutting edge by preserving your fruits in a honey sauce. All it takes is one part honey to ten parts water and then covering your berries. Pretty much the closest you're ever going to get to bottling up a little bit of summer.
20. Lose weightWell, what were you expecting? With a list this long it had to be pretty apparent that honey is in fact a wonder food, and as it turns out, you can even make it part of your next weight loss plan. Honey is an excellent substitute for sugar and it also helps speed up metabolism. Just remember: all things in moderation.
I would like to add - honey can soothe a sore throat. Take a spoonful of honey when your throat feels raspy and it will provide a smooth coating that might help you feel better.