Honey in Coffee – It’s a Thing!

“All-natural,” “organic,” “non-GMO,” “antioxidants,” “fight free radicals” … there is a strong push for fewer chemicals and more natural ingredients in whatever we consume. Sugar is often enemy number one. So what to do if you just want a little bit of sweetener in your morning cup of Joe? Honey is an excellent alternative to the sweeteners available on the shelves.

The Benefits of Honey

Raw honey contains a large variety of nutrients and their associated health benefits. The consumption of refined sugar has reached an all-time high in American diets – about 150 pounds per person a year. If just a few substitutions were made, our diets and energy levels could be improved.

A study at the University of Wyoming showed that honey has an ingredient that suppresses appetite. Honey has also been shown to lower blood pressure and boost immune function.

A natural sleep aid, taking a dose of raw honey before bedtime, releases melatonin, which helps you get a full night’s sleep. Lack of sleep can lead to health problems such as hypertension, obesity, heart disease, and Alzheimer’s.

Honey also contains a large amount of antioxidants, including polyphenols, boosting the immune system and fighting disease. Polyphenols are antioxidants that can reduce heart disease and cancer risk. Honey is filled with phytonutrients, an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compound. It can be used to soothe a sore throat or cough by coating the throat with its healing properties.

Ingesting honey from your local area is a natural allergy cure. By eating a small portion of the pollen, your body becomes less reactive to local pollens, calming the allergy. So forget allergy medicine and take a spoonful of honey instead. It’s far better to support local producers of natural honey than buy big brand honey in the supermarkets. Mass market honey can be highly processed and bulked out with sugar syrup.

The Benefits of Coffee

For years there were myths that were a part of everyday culture, the biggest one being that “coffee will stunt your growth”. Luckily, science has caught up to the study of the effects of coffee and there is good news. Coffee is not bad for you. In fact, it has several proven benefits for liver and brain, aside from keeping those of us who like our cup every morning happy and giving us a boost in the afternoons.

Improved performance at the workplace or gym, increased focus and memory recall, and lowering the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s diseases are strong reasons to keep drinking or start drinking a morning cup of black coffee.

Coffee can help you to burn more calories, and work out a little harder and longer during that exercise class or training run. It can have a pain-reducing effect and has been shown to improve endurance. A Japanese study even showed that caffeine helped improve circulation.

Coffee and Honey Together

So the question is, with all of these benefits alone, what about combining coffee and honey? Is this a new trend in coffee culture?

Honey is a great substitute for refined sugar. It won’t spike your blood sugar, has the healthy antioxidants as an added benefit, and not as much honey is needed to sweeten your cup.

An interesting study in the Primary Care Respiratory Journal showed that a coffee and honey drink can work better than prescribed steroids with treating the sort of lingering cough that stays after an illness.

The best-known ingredient in coffee is caffeine, but it also has chlorogenic acid, a powerful antioxidant that may enhance weight loss and improve blood pressure.

Between a cup of coffee and a spoonful of honey, the antioxidants and vitamins contained in this combination are phenomenal. Riboflavin (vitamin B2), Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), Manganese and potassium, Magnesium and niacin (B3) are all packed into a cup of coffee. Honey is a good source of vitamin B6, folate, vitamin C, niacin, and riboflavin. Add in raw honey, cinnamon, and coconut oil to boost your metabolism.

If you don’t like the taste of black coffee and raw honey, try a Café Miel, a combination of honey, steamed milk, and espresso with a dash of cinnamon on the top. It’s the perfect drink for a cold winter’s day or a crisp autumn morning.

The benefits of honey in coffee are clear. Honey is a healthier source of sweetener for your cup of coffee than sugar, and it tastes great – so go ahead and try it today.