Just a Spoonful of Honey

by Katherine Rowe, LAc

Did you know that local honey is nature’s secret weapon against allergies? Bees pollinate our trees, flowers and shrubs and some of the sticky pollen remains on their bodies when they get back to the hive to make honey. When we consume the honey made from bees that work around where we live, it provides our immune system a boost. The tiny bits of pollen carried around by bees are in fact the very allergens that cause our allergy symptoms. But, when they are delivered to our system in small manageable doses over time, it is very similar to the effects of receiving a series of allergy shots. Our bodies develop antibodies to the allergens slowly so that we are ready to fight them off when they are prevalent in peak allergy times like spring and fall. While the beneficial effects of honey have not been the subject of a published, peer-reviewed study, there have been many unpublished trials conducted with favorable results. You’ll get the most out of eating local honey if you consume 1-2 teaspoons a day all year long. So consider adding it to your tea instead of sugar or use honey to sweeten plain yogurt. In our area we are lucky to have several sources of local honey which can be found at the farmer’s markets and Whole Foods.