Tag Archives: herbal honey

Eating to good health

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Herbal Honey

I love eating my medicine, which prompted me to experiment with herbal honeys years ago. They are so easy to make, delicious, nutritious and medicinal. What more can anyone ask for? I add it to my oatmeal, spread it on my toast,  and I love peanut butter and honey sandwiches. The possibilities are endless.

The first herbal honey I made was with fresh Elecampane (Inula helenium) root. I harvested the root after its second year of growth, since they start to lose their medicinal qualities after 2-3 years. Elecampane is excellent for all respiratory ailments and honey is wonderful for calming coughs. Honestly, Elecampane root is not a great tasting herb and honey helps make it palatable. All and all, it’s a winning combination.

My next herbal honey endeavor was with Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root (known as Indian Ginseng).  It is a wonderful energy builder, it increases the body’s ability to adapt to and resist stress, along with dealing with tension and anxiety. It helps increase memory, facilitates learning, promotes general well-being and enhances stamina. It is also a great herb in helping the body recover after chemotherapy and radiation treatment. Again, not the best tasting herb, so combining it with honey makes a lot of sense to me.

Making herbal honey is very simple. All you need is a pot, clean jar/lid, chopstick, raw honey and herb.

How to make herbal honey:

1. Fill jar ¼ – ½ with the herb (I use fresh sliced Elecampane root and dry powdered Ashwagandha root).

2. Fill clean/dry jar with raw honey

3. Fill pot with about 2 inches of water

4. Put jar of herbal honey in pot with water (think double boiler)

5. Simmer water, temperature should never get higher than 110° as it will kill the medicinal qualities of the raw honey.

6. Stir honey with chopstick to disperse herb in honey.

7. When the honey develops a frothy top, it is done.

Some people strain the herbs out before eating but I leave them in and take pleasure in the herbs along with the honey.

YUM!

Enjoy honey in tea, oatmeal, on toast or however you want! Honey should keep for a couple of years but rarely lasts that long since it is so delicious. If the honey starts to crystallize as raw honey often does, simply reheat as in the above directions.

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Golden Honey

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november bee

I couldn’t believe my eyes, while walking the land the other day, ~ I spotted some Goldenrod (Solidago spp.) blossoms! It was quite remarkable considering it was early November. The pollinators were happy too. It was a rather brisk day and the little guys were hanging out on the blossoms, though a little sluggish; actually they were barely moving. I decided to take just a couple blossoms to infuse into honey, since I wanted to leave most of them for the pollinators, as they needed to load up for the long winter ahead.

Goldenrod and raw honey are a winning combination. Goldenrod has antiseptic, antimicrobial, and analgesic properties, while raw honey contain propolis, a compound that can kill bacteria. Combined they make a very soothing remedy for scratchy and sore throats. Goldenrod infused honey is also useful for reducing congestion and postnasal drip from a bad cold.

Goldenrod honey is very easy to make and as we approach cold and flu season it is a wonderful addition to anyone’s apothecary.

How to make Goldenrod Honey:

  1. Collect fresh Goldenrod blossoms (when collecting any herb, make sure the area hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals and is not growing along roadways)
  2. Separate the florets
  3. Fill clean/dry jar ¼ – ½ with blossoms.
  4. Fill jar with raw honey (I prefer a light honey like apple blossom or wildflower).
  5. Fill sauce pan with about 2 inches of water.
  6. Put jar of herbal honey in pot of water (double-boiler method).
  7. Simmer water, temperature should never get higher than 110° as it will kill the medicinal qualities of the raw honey.
  8. Stir honey with a chopstick to disperse blossoms in honey.

warm goldenrod and honeySome people strain the blossoms out before eating but I leave them in and take pleasure in the herbs along with the honey.

golden honeyTake a spoonful for a sore throat or add to tea. YUM!

All information is shared for educational purposes only and has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.  This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.