Vendor Spotlight: What are the Health Benefits of Raw Honey?

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March 14, 2026

You've probably added honey to recipes or tea, drizzled it on toast, glazed a ham, or used it as a playful dipping sauce for chunks of grilled chicken.

But raw honey's got a ton of health-related and medicinal tricks up its sleeve as well, which are worth knowing about and definitely worth adding to your list of natural remedies for your family.

Unlike processed honey, raw honey is not heated or filtered, so it retains all of its natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals—making it a medicinal powerhouse.

Here are just a few examples of raw honey's healing superpowers.

1. Raw Honey Boosts Immunity

Raw honey is a powerful antioxidant and antibacterial agent that can help boost your immune system. It contains propolis, which is a substance produced by bees that has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties. The antioxidants in raw honey can help protect your cells from damage caused by free radicals, which can lead to chronic diseases.

2. Raw Honey Soothes Sore Throats

If you have a sore throat, raw honey can help soothe the irritation and reduce inflammation. It has antibacterial properties that can help fight off infections, and its thick consistency can coat the throat and provide relief from pain and discomfort.

3. Raw Honey Aids Digestion

Raw honey can help improve digestion by promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. It contains prebiotics, which are compounds that feed the good bacteria in your digestive system. Raw honey can also help soothe inflammation in the gut and reduce symptoms of gastrointestinal disorders like diarrhea and ulcerative colitis.

4. Raw Honey Helps with Wound Healing

Raw honey has been used for centuries as a natural wound healer. It has antibacterial properties that can help prevent infections and promote healing. Raw honey can also reduce inflammation and help speed up the healing process.

5. Raw Honey Can Improve Sleep

Raw honey can help improve sleep by promoting the production of melatonin, a hormone that regulates sleep-wake cycles. Consuming raw honey before bed can help you fall asleep faster and improve the quality of your sleep.

6. Raw Honey Can Help with Allergies

Raw honey contains small amounts of pollen, which can help desensitize your immune system to allergens. Consuming raw honey regularly can help reduce allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes.

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We're proud to partner with Whistle Creek Apiaries to bring raw, unprocessed, local wildflower honey to our customers and farm friends. Browse our raw honey offerings here.

Family Friendly Weeknight Bolognese

If you're like me, family dinners are important. It feels like there are a million different responsibilities these days, and it's easy to get so busy that there doesn't seem to be time to sit down as a family and enjoy a filling, nutritious meal - much less cook one! The more I learn about the food industry, the more committed I become to making my family's food from scratch as much as possible. So then the challenge becomes finding recipes that fit my criteria... For a meal to be a winner in my book, here's what it needs to be: easy to make with very few separate stepseasy flexibility for dietary needs of individual family memberscustomizable for personal tasteeasy to swap ingredients to a) make it seem like a different dish sometimes and b) use what I have on handbe overall inexpensive (since I have a growing family of 6)have no "weird" ingredients or crazy spices. (In other words, it has to be "kid approved") Now. A quick browse on Pinterest might yield hundreds of recipes that mostly match those criteria, but as soon as I click the mouth-watering picture and actually read the recipe, my stomach churns at all the pre-packaged, ingredient-laden, seed-oil-filled "conveniences" that cook used. 😞 My meals also must be nutritionally dense and use no mystery ingredients or seed oils. Since I created this family-friendly weeknight Bolognese recipe that actually meets all of these requirements, I thought I'd share, because you may be "in the same boat" searching for recipes like this for your family, too. Hannah's Family Friendly Weeknight Bolognese Ingredients: 16 oz dry pasta (For extra kid-friendliness, I usually choose penne or rotini) 1 pound ground beef 1 pound ground pork sausage (My go-to is breakfast sausage, but you can use any flavor. It does need to be pork sausage because of the fat content.) 2 whole carrots (diced) 1 small onion (diced) 1 1/2 tsp salt (I only use REAL salt) 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp EACH dried basil, dried oregano, dried parsley (substitute with 1 Tablespoon of fresh herbs when able. 😊) 4-8 garlic cloves (diced) - depending on size and preference 16-32 oz pasta sauce or tomato sauce - based on preference (I use my home-canned tomato sauce, but any will do) 1/2 cup whole milk or heavy cream (again, depending on preference) Steps: Cook pasta according to package instructions for al dente and set aside. Cook and crumble meats together in a large saucepanIn the meat pan, add vegetables and spices/herbs and cook until tenderAdd tomato sauce and simmer for 10-15 minutes to infuse flavorsStir in milk (or cream) and cook until warmStir sauce into cooked pasta and serve immediately with parmesan Recommended sides: Green salad or caprese (tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper) Sauteed kale or Swiss chard Roasted green beans, squash & zucchini, or asparagus Garlic toast Let me know if you try this dish, what you changed, and how you liked it! There are endless substitutions and changes that make this meal so so easy to keep in the back of your mind and just use whatever you have on hand. And its so easy that even kids can help with prep (which I love to have my kiddos do).

Vendor Spotlight: What are the Health Benefits of Raw Honey?

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