Source: Kimberly Moore, The Wild Bee, New Zealand

The average American consumes about 150 pounds of sweeteners each year. Plain sugar has no nutrient value and health experts are still cautious about artificial sweeteners. Raw honey is a neutraceutical food which contains all the essential minerals for sustaining life, including Vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E, and K; beta-carotene; minerals; and enzymes. And unlike fruits and vegetables, honey can be stored indefinitely at room temperature. According to The National Honey Board, honey stored in sealed containers can remain stable for decades and even centuries! Viable honey has been found in pyramids over 5,000 years old.

Folks watching their weight may worry about indulging in honey, which has 60 calories per tablespoon, but there is power in those calories! Volunteers in a study at the University of California study consumed honey each day for a month with no weight gain. The researchers noted that "they reported feeling fuller after eating, and they found that they had fewer cravings for sweets."

A note to diabetics: Both honey and sucrose have been shown to produce a lower glucose response than starchy foods such as white bread. The total amount of carbohydrate consumed is probably more important than the type of carbohydrate when it comes to blood sugar levels. Thus, experts agree that diabetics may include moderate amounts of “simple sugars” in a balanced diet.

The Academy of General Dentistry has reported the anti-cavity causing effects of honey. Volunteers were given less than a quarter ounce of honey and asked to swish it in their mouths for 4 minutes and then swallow. Volunteers' saliva samples were taken before and after they received the honey. The researchers found that despite the fact that honey contains about 70 percent sugar, honey taken in higher concentrations had an anti-cavity causing effect. Ten minutes after the volunteers had swallowed the honey, a 70 percent reduction in total cavity-causing bacteria counts was found.

You may want to consider honey as a marinade for meat. Honey promotes browning and glaze formation while reducing the production of cancer-causing compounds during grilling and frying. One type of carcinogen, called heterocyclic aromatic amine (HAA), is formed when a high cooking temperature causes meat to char or blacken. Researchers at Michigan State University demonstrated that when meats are covered in marinades consisting of 30 percent honey for four hours, the formation of HAA is significantly reduced by the antioxidants in honey.

Honey contains 21 calories per teaspoon compared to sugar which contains 15 calories per teaspoon. Because of its high fructose content, honey has a higher sweetening power than sugar. This means you can use less honey than sugar to achieve the desired sweetness. When substituting honey for granulated sugar in recipes, begin by substituting honey for up to half of the sugar called for in the recipe. Honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes.
Honey has the ability to absorb and retain moisture which prevents baked goods from drying out while adding a golden brown glaze. Honey adds a sweet and distinctive flavor to recipes. When baking with honey, remember the following:

• Reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used.

• Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.

• Reduce oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning.

• A 12-ounce jar of honey equals a standard measuring cup.

• When measuring honey, coat the measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey. The honey will slide right out.

Be creative! Use as a sweetener in beverages such as tea and coffee or add to milk for extra zest. A glass of water, a teaspoon of honey, and a little lemon make a great thirst quencher and provide both a quick burst of energy and endurance Honey is great on toast and bagels or added to sliced fruit. And don’t forget the honey-lover’s favorite: eat it from a spoon, straight from the jar! . Replacing plain sugar with nutrient-rich honey whenever you can contributes to your overall good health.