Hello BeePharm Bee Friends,

As the farmers markets gear up for the coming season I would like to address some of the most often asked questions about BeePharm products.

Raw honey is considered raw when it is extracted straight out of the hive with no heat ever applied to it and will crystallize, become more solid & lighter in color in cooler temps. This is a natural state & is delicious as is! Never put raw honey in a microwave to liquify. Also, please do not cook or bake with raw honey as you will destroy all the healing properties, vitamins, minerals, enzymes. You can buy store bought honey as it is already dead in most cases and can be used as a sweetener for baking & cooking. Raw honey is best as in on a spoon or mixed with apple cider vinegar, drizzled on figs & a bleu cheese, stilton or roquefort, on ice cream, in smoothies, on fruit to maintain freshness. It may be added to tea once it has cooled off a bit or in warm cereal. Avoid scalding. I also use raw honey mixed with fresh lime juice, ginger & chili as a glaze at the end when finishing chicken or ribs on the barbecue. Beautiful, glossy & tasty! The honeybees worked hard to make this precious nectar & it should be respected & treasured as a living food that remains intact for a lifetime. And please, raw honey should never be refrigerated!

The color and taste depend on the types of flowers and trees the honeybees have visited during a season. On Long Island the honey crop is multi floral.  As bees can travel 3-5+ miles for a source of nectar, there is no “organic” honey.

Nutritionally, 1 tablespoon of honey (21 grams) contains 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar, including fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose.

Raw local honey can be used to desensitize from seasonal allergies as it contains traces of pollen & local allergens. Start with 1/2 tsp or less and gradually increase to 1 full tablespoon or more daily.

• Raw honey boosts the immune system & is antioxidant & antibacterial.
• Raw honey soothes a sore throat & relives cough.
• Raw honey promotes burn & wound healing.
• Raw honey lowers triglycerides & regulates cholesterol. Helps to lower blood pressure.
• Raw honey relieves digestive issues, heals the gut.
• Raw honey promotes peaceful sleep. 1 TBSP. before bed.
• Raw honey is a natural humectant & moisturizer. Use it as a hydrating face masque with a couple drops of lavender or rose essential oil. Leave on for 20 minutes & rinse.
• Fresh dry pollen should be kept in the fridge or freezer.
• Bee bread made with pollen & raw honey should not be refrigerated. You want it to naturally ferment!

Get to know your local beekeeper & eat your honey straight from the hive as nature intended!

Peace, bees & great health,

Frederique