Honey, or liquid gold, as it is often called, has a long history.
Its role in religion and symbolism is both authentic and historic. In fact, the respect and value given to honey is evident in all religions.
In the Hebrew Bible and Judaic tradition, honey was used as a sweet offering to God. The most famous line in Exodus 33:3 describes the Promised Land as one flowing with milk and honey.
In the New Testament’s Matthew 3:4, it is mentioned that the prophet John lived in the wilderness on a diet of wild honey and locusts.
In the Qur’an, the prophet Muhammad strongly recommended honey for healing purposes.
In the Vedas/Hinduism, one of the five elixirs of immortality (Panchamrita) is honey, revered as a health food. The other four are milk, yogurt, sugar and ghee.
A Buddhist festival called Madhu, held in India and Bangladesh, recreates how Buddha retreated to the forest and lived on honey given to him by monkeys.
Honeybee
The tradition of gifting monks with honey is observed yearly.
Not all honeys are created equal, however, although it is valued for its medicinal properties more in its natural form than in cultivated varieties. In both the bee and wasp kingdoms, nectar is extracted from flowers followed by an intricate process of digestion and regurgitation within the bees.
The most widely known bee is the honeybee. Honeybees have to travel the equivalent of three times around the world just to produce a single jar of honey.
Honey Scrub
- 4 tbsp coconut or muscovado/brown sugar
- 5 tbsp virgin coconut oil
Mix all ingredients.
Scrub the entire body, including the face. Rinse. Make this a monthly beauty ritual.
A cut above the rest
There is one honey that is a cut above the rest: Manuka honey, from the nectar of the flower of the Manuka tree.
This 100-percent pure and natural honey from New Zealand is famous for its MGO or methylglyoxal, a compound in the pollen of the Manuka flower whose antibacterial content is more powerful than that in any other honey.
What makes Manuka honey special is the fact that the honeycombs are positioned in the forest of Mt. Amos. The honeycombs are airlifted and brought to the plant. Untouched by human hands, the honey is extracted from the honeycombs, which are then returned to the mountain.
A wide range of health, beauty and wellness products such as soap, toothpaste, lotions, creams, throat spray and propolis are made from Manuka honey.
Recently, there was a health breakthrough promising to boost one’s well-being: cyclopower. A cyclodextrin molecule derived from the natural starch of honey elevates the beneficial active ingredients delivered to the body for digestive health and throat protection.
Bee Trading, a Manila-based importer, exclusively distributes a wide range of Manuka honey products. (Call tel. nos. 6365588, 0917-8635588 or 0999-9974277; e-mail info@manukahealth.ph.)
No-Oil Slimming Balsamic Glaze Dressing (from The Farm at San Benito)
- 1 c balsamic vinegar
- 1 c honey
- Pinch of sea salt
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Good as salad dressing and topping for appetizers and main course.
Tropical Enzymes
- ½ c chopped pineapple
- ½ c papaya
- ½ c buko juice
- ½ c orange juice
- 1 tsp calamansi juice
- 3 ice cubes
Combine all ingredients in a blender. Pour and drink up.
Today’s affirmation: “I am as sweet as honey.”
Love and light!
E-mail the author at coryquirino1@yahoo.com