Raw Honey! Garlic... Cinnamon?

Raw Unfiltered Honey! 

First let me say that if you want to receive all the benefits of honey, you need to buy raw and unfiltered honey.  If it has been cooked, the majority of the benefits are gone.  What benefits you ask?  Well people have historically used raw honey to support wound healing, help digestion, and soothe a sore throat. It also contains beneficial nutrients that may provide health benefits. Generally, one tablespoon or 21 grams of raw honey contains about 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar. 

Raw honey contains:

• An array of plant chemicals that act as antioxidanta.  Antioxidants help to protect your body from cell damage due to free radicals.
• Prebiotics, which nourish the beneficial bacteria that live in the intestines. A healthy gut microbiome is crucial for digestion and overall health.
•  Propolis, a waxy substance made from bee saliva, beeswax, and pollinated plant material, has antifungal and antibacterial properties that offer significant potential for both internal and topical treatments
• Phytonutrients, that are responsible for its antioxidant properties and antibacterial and antifungal benefits. They may also be why raw honey has shown immune-boosting and anticancer benefits
• Smaller amounts of the following vitamins and minerals:
  • calcium
  • magnesium
  • manganese
  • niacin
  • pantothenic acid
  • phosphorous
  • potassium
  • riboflavin
  • zinc
  • varying amounts of amino acids, enzymes, and other beneficial compounds

Raw honey may even have some cognitive benefits. A 2022 review of research suggests honey may:

• support memory function
• provide neuroprotective effects and counter the effects of oxidative stress in the brain
• reduce the risks of metabolic syndrome, which can potentially increase the risk of neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s disease
• improve mood and stress

While there are a plethora of benefits from eating Raw Honey, raw honey can carry harmful bacteria such as Clostridium botulinum. This is particularly dangerous for babies. TIt is advosed that honey should never be given to an infant younger than a year old.

While honey doesn't expire, it can easily ecome contaminated in certain circumstances. You should store honey in a tightly sealed container away from light and extreme temperatures.  After a while, your honey may start to crystallize. This is completely safe but can make it look grainy and sugary. You can warm it slightly to melt the crystals but know that higher temperatures can cook the honey, removing its raw properties and causing it to darken.

To be safe, if your honey has changed color drastically or smells off, throw it out.

Organic Ceyon Cinnamon! 

Did you know there are two kinds of cinnamon?  There is and you should switch to Organic Ceylon Cinnamon if you want to get all the benefits cinnamon has to offer.  

The two main types of cinnamon are Ceylon and Cassia.  Cassia is the most common type but known as a "lesser quality" and contains a higher percentage of a toxin that is harmful if you eat too much of it.   Cassia contains Coumarin which has been found to cause kidney, liver and lung dammage in rodents.  There have been isolated insidents of similar diseases in humans.  Cassia Cinnamon contains approximately 1% Coumarin while Ceylon only contains .004% (or 250 times less).

 Ceylon, or “true cinnamon,” is native to Sri Lanka and southern parts of India, it’s made from the inner bark of the Cinnamomum verum tree.  Ceylon cinnamon is less common and has long been prized as a cooking spice. It is somewhat expensive compared to the more common Cassia variety.  Ceylon has a delicate and mildly sweet flavor suitable for desserts.

One main benefit of eating cinnamon daily is it's bioactive compounds appear to block a protein called tau from accumulating in the brain.  Research has shown that tau buildup is a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease.   This benefit comed from both Ceylon and Cassia Cinnamon, however Ceylon dosen't contain the toxin that Cassia does.

Ceylon has far less potential to cause harm when consumed regularly.

Benefits of Cinnamon when consumed regularly:

• Blocks Tau protein from accumulating in the brain
• Contains Antioxidants protect your body from oxidative damage caused by free radicals.
• It is loaded polyphenols.
• Contains Anti-inflammatory properties
• Lowers blood sugar levels
• Reduces risk of heart disease, by reducing levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, and blood sugar in people with metabolic disease.
• Shown to reduce blood pressure when consumed consistently for at least 8 weeks
• Could improve sensitivity to insulin - Insulin is one of the key hormones that regulate metabolism and energy use.  By increasing insulin sensitivity, cinnamon can lower blood sugar levels and support better blood sugar control.
• Is being studied for its potential use in cancer prevention and treatment - has shown success in test-tube experiments

One study found that cinnamon supplementation could significantly increase antioxidant levels in the blood while reducing levels of markers used to measure inflammation, such as C-reactive protein.