Did you know there are more than 300 unique types of honey (named for the bee’s floral source) available in the U.S.?
Did you know one-third of the human diet is derived from insect-pollinated plants, and honey bees are responsible for about 80% of this pollination?
Did you know you can use honey as a natural beauty ingredient, natural sweetener, natural cough suppressor and natural energy boost?
There are many, many interesting facts about bees and benefits of honey and I got to learn all about them at a fantastic community event by the National Honey Board last week.
Held at an event venue called Vuka, the space was decorated with beautiful photos of bees and honey. There was reading material and recipes available at every table. (You can find most of this information on their website Honey.com.) Of course, the signature drinks and all the bites had honey in it. I loved these bites made by Pink Avocado.
Grilled Honey Glazed Shrimp
Flatbread with Melted Manchego, Rosemary and Honey
Cold Chinese Noodles with Spicy Honey Peanut Sauce
Velvety Honey Chocolate Pudding
Also pictured: Sriracha and Honey Stuffed Eggs
My friend, fellow Austin-based blogger, and natural beauty and skin care expert Mary Helen Leonard demoed how to make a honey grapefruit salt scrub. It was super quick and easy to make. It only needs four ingredients: honey, grapefruit juice, olive oil, and salt. This scrub helps retain moisture, which gives your face a natural glow and keeps away wrinkles.
Beekeeper Brent Barkman was very informative about the myths about beekeeping (they’re not a fan of African bees but they aren’t really destroying bee colonies) and explaining the process the bees go through to create honey. He even had live bees (secured in a box with glass panels) we could look at.
Nurse Barb Dehn was excellent in explaining what medical research with honey is currently going on and she explained the natural cough suppressor recipe she created. Also honey sticks are perfect for small portions to-go (quick drizzle on yogurt or boost before working out) or to give to kids as an alternative to candy.
Lastly, cookbook author and food writer Marie Simmons gave us a honey tasting while explaining great pairings. It was a beautiful spread of cheese and chocolate and it was interesting to really taste the differences in the honeys. We tried Alfalfa, Orange Blossom, Tupelo and Buckwheat honey. Next time you’re at the grocery store, read the label to find out what kind of honey it is!
We received Marie’s Taste of Honey cookbook in our goodie bags and I’ve already began digging into it. It lists the many kinds of honey and provides many recipes for different meals. Yep, there are already some desserts I’m eyeing!
I knew bees were important and honey was good for me before this event, but learning more about honey has inspired me to try substituting sugar with honey when possible, especially baking. Perhaps I’ll take what I learned and my goodies, especially the cookbook, to throw a honey-themed party!
If you want to learn more about honey, there’s a wealth of information on the National Honey Board website, including recipes and tips.
How do you like to consume honey? Do you have any great recipes to share?
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