8 Uses for Honey You May Not Know About!

Kristie Leong M.D.
We all know honey tastes sweet and is a delicious sweetener for cereal, desserts, or baked goods. But don't underestimate this versatile ingredient! It has lots of other applications both within and outside the kitchen. Here are some uses for honey you may not know about:

1. Make a soothing facial treatment

Blend 2 tablespoons of honey with 1/2 cup of ground oatmeal. Add a few teaspoons of water to thin the consistency to preferences. After cleansing your face, apply the mixture evenly. After 30 minutes, remove with a soft, damp washcloth. Admire your glowing skin!

2. Enjoy a milk and honey bath

Add around 1/3 cup of honey to 2 1/4 cups of milk.Mix thoroughly. You can even add a few drops of essential oil to give you honey milk bath additional scent. Place into your bath water and enjoy!

3. Treat minor skin abrasions and wounds

Honey has been shown to be a good antibacterial and antifungal agent and has mild anti-inflammatory properies. Apply a small amount to a wound or burn to keep unhealthy bacteria at bay and speed up the healing process.

4. Make a soothing honey body moisturizer

Mix 1/2 cup of honey with 1 cup of cold water and a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar. Mix thoroughly and apply to your entire body after your shower.

5. Relieve sore throat pain

Mix honey with a little lemon juice and take several teaspoons a day when you have a sore throat. This has wonderful soothing properties for a sore throat.

6. Stop a cough

The same mixture of honey and lemon juice used for sore throat pain can help relieve the symptoms of a cough.

7. Condition dry, frizzy hair

Mix honey with olive oil and apply to the end of your hair to combat dryness and reduce friziness. Leave in your hair for 20 minute with a hot towel wrapped around it. Rinse and shampoo as normal.

8. Use it as a sugar replacement when cooking or baking.

Substitute honey for up to 1/2 of the granulated sugar called for in a recipe. Reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used, and lower the oven temperature by 25 degrees to prevent overcooking. Honey makes a tasty substitute for sugar in your favorite teas and coffees, plus it adds an extra dimension of flavor.

So, next time you reach into your kitchen cabinet, stop and appreciate the many uses for honey and give some of these ideas a try!

Published by Kristie Leong M.D. - Featured Contributor in Health & Wellness

I'm a family physician with a strong interest in disease prevention and alternative medicine. I'm particularly interested in how diet plays a role in disease prevention. Hope I can inspire someone to lead a...   View profile

To comment, please sign in to your Yahoo! account, or sign up for a new account.