homemade herbal honey!!

By Shanna ohmes as seen in "Natural living" on FB.

Herbal honeys have been used by traditional cultures, wise women, grandmothers and mothers for thousands of years. Herbal honeys are culinary, medicinal and delicious. They are made by cutting or chopping fresh herbs and mixing them with honey and setting them out to infuse for several days or weeks.

Honey

Raw honey is favored because it also has its own medicinal qualities. It has been used for thousands of years as food and medicine and even as a preservative. Honey has been used by the Greeks and Egyptians for most ailments and good health. In fact, in Egyptian texts, out of 900 remedies listed honey was one of the ingredients in 500 of the recipes.

Honey is antibacterial and heals infections. It has been used for skin, intestinal and respiratory infections. Honey loves water. It holds moisture in place, so use it for wounds, sore throats, bruises and burns. Honey absorbs water-soluble compounds of the herbs and pulls the volatile oils from the herb into the honey itself so now it becomes even more medicinal as well as a food.

Honey provides energy. It counters depression and promotes healing inside and outside of your body. It strengthens the immune system with the abundant vitamins B, C, D and E.

*Remember, do not feed honey to children under 1 year old because they do not have the stomach acid to digest the botulinus spores found in honey. Older children and adults do not have this problem.

Herbal Honey

We know herbs are used not only for flavoring foods but also their medicinal qualities. When you add an herb to honey you have powerful medicine. You can enjoy herbal honey as a tea, by the spoonful and even spread on toast with the herb. Herbal honey is used to treat colds, flu, prevent and treat infections and inflammation and to soothe a sore throat.

Here is a list of herbs commonly used to make delicious herbal honeys:

Cayenne—use for aches, pains, arthritis, coughs, fibromyalgia and even as a heart tonic.

Chamomile—use for burns, eczema, depression, digestion, insomnia, stress and toothache.

Cinnamon—use for colds, flu, digestion, diabetes, nausea and fungus infections.

Dandelion—use for bladder infections, increase your memory and focus, bronchitis, colds and digestion.

Fennel—use for arthritis, congestion, cough, gout, digestion and menopause.

Garlic—use for bronchitis, respiratory, colds, flu, excellent for sore throat, sinusitis and a heart tonic.

Ginger—use for colds, flu, fibromyalgia, heart tonic, arthritis, nausea, digestion and IBS.

Lavender—use for anxiety, burns, colds, depression, hypertension, insomnia and nausea.

Lemon Balm—use for colds, as a heart tonic, nausea, sore throat and laryngitis.

Peppermint—use for anxiety, bronchitis, chronic fatigue, colds, flu, cough, congestion, and respiratory.

Rose Petal—use for sore throats, infections, heart tonic, wounds, sores, and menopause.

Rosemary—use for arthritis, chronic fatigue, bronchitis, colds, respiratory, gout, and a heart tonic.

Sage—use for increasing your memory and menopause.

Thyme—use for congestion, cough, respiratory and toothache.

How to Make an Herbal Honey

You’ll need:

1 cup or more of raw honey

8 oz. Glass canning jar, wide mouth

Your favorite herb: I’ll use rose petals as an example.

Fill the jar most of the way with rose petals. Slowly pour in the honey. Use the handle end of a wooden spoon or a chopstick and press and stir the honey and petals until all the petals are soaked and the air pockets are released. Add more honey and stir again until the honey comes almost to the top. Cap tightly and label.

This will now set out on your cabinet and infuse for about 6 weeks. Each day turn the jar over so the honey oozes through the petals and keeps them soaked. You can begin using the honey within a few days but it will become more medicinal over time.

Herbal honeys should keep about 2 years, but since they taste so good will probably be used up within a month or so.

How to Enjoy Rose Petal Honey

Put 1 tablespoon of petals and honey in a cup. Pour boiling water over and stir to dissolve. Sip and enjoy.