Long before modern science defined the benefits of raw honey, people ate honeycomb to support their health and immunity. Today we know that raw honey is an excellent source of antioxidants, which protect cells from damage that can cause disease. We’ve also identified its antibacterial and anti-fungal properties, nutrient content, and what makes it so good for gut health. It’s now clear why raw honey and honeycomb have been recommended for healing and wellness for thousands of years.
Of course, you don’t have to be a scientist to understand honey’s benefits for immunity. You can experience its power by eating it in its natural form.
Unfortunately, many honey recipes call for heating honey, which degrades its nutritional profile and beneficial properties. The ancient science Ayurveda warns that heating honey converts it into a toxin, which has been proven in a research setting.(1) In the Ayurvedic tradition, honey is never heated above 104°F to preserve its medicinal properties.
Nutritionists and other experts also agree that raw and unaltered is the best type of honey for health. Since the majority of liquid honey sold in stores today is heated, blended, or adulterated in some way, raw honeycomb is the purest way to get your daily dose of wellness support.
4 Immune-Boosting Recipes With Raw Honeycomb
Raw honeycomb makes a great snack on its own, but it can elevate drinks and dishes with its complex sweetness—all while giving your immune system the support it needs to ward off infections and viruses. These simple recipes will help you make the most of every morsel of honeycomb.
Balanced Breakfast Parfait
Breakfast doesn’t get any easier than this yogurt parfait recipe developed by Registered Dietitian and Certified Nutritionist Ella Davar. By matching up honeycomb with protein and fiber, you get a satisfying meal that balances blood sugar, which is important for immunity. Spikes in blood sugar have been linked to weakened immune response. (2)
Ingredients
- ½-1 cup Goat’s milk yogurt
- A handful of walnuts (or nut of your choice)
- A handful of mixed berries
- 1 pouch Pass the Honey raw honeycomb
Directions
Add the yogurt to a bowl, then top with walnuts, berries, and honeycomb. Break up the honeycomb into small chunks if desired.
Meal prepping? Keep the toppings separate until you’re ready to dig in.
Watch Ella make this and other recipes.
Tulsi & Honeycomb Tea
The herb holy basil, also known as tulsi, is an adaptogenic herb. Adaptogens help the body copy with stress, which in turn reserves energy for combating illness. With a pleasant and light bubblegum flavor, the addition of raw honeycomb in a cooled cup of tulsi is a treat for your cells and your senses.
Ingredients
- 8 oz water
- 1 tulsi leaf tea bag
- Squeeze of lemon juice
- 1 pouch Pass the Honey raw honeycomb
Directions
- Boil the water and pour over the tulsi tea bag. Cover and steep for 5-10 minutes.
- Remove the tea bag and allow the tea to cool to below 104°F.
- Mix in lemon juice and drop in the honeycomb. Allow it to dissolve, stirring gently if needed.
- If wax accumulates at the top of your cup, don’t worry—it’s safe to consume and even has some benefits of its own. But if you prefer to remove it, use a tea steeper, mini sieve, or spoon to filter it out.
- Enjoy immediately.
Sweet Spiced Nuts
When you’re focusing on improving your immunity, don’t forget the snacks! It’s all too easy to slip up and eat something that doesn’t do your body good in between meals. Be ready with these roasted, honeycomb-sweetened nuts flavored with antioxidant-packed spices. Keep them coming throughout the cold and flu season to stave off hunger and nourish your body, one handful at a time.
Bonus: They’re also an excellent addition to charcuterie and cheese plates.
Ingredients
- 1 cup of your favorite nuts (We like a blend of almonds, cashews and hazelnuts)
- 1 tbsp melted coconut oil
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- Salt to taste
- 1 pouch Pass the Honey raw honeycomb
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Arrange the nuts in one even layer on a baking sheet. Pour the coconut oil over the nuts, then sprinkle on the spices and salt. Stir gently to combine.
- Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the nuts are evenly golden brown.
- Once removed from the oven, allow the nuts to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Place the honeycomb on top and allow it to melt, stirring just enough to coat the nuts.
- Taste and adjust seasoning as desired.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
Elderberry Honey Syrup
Unless you’ve been living under a rock—and even if you have—you’ve probably heard about the wonders that elderberries can do for your immune system. Research has proven its effectiveness at fighting off influenza and sinus infections.(3,4) When elderberry and honey team up, you get an immune-boosting powerhouse in a flavorful syrup.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dried elderberries
- 4 cups of water
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground cloves
- 1 tablespoon fresh ginger
- 4 pouches Pass the Honey raw honeycomb (or more to taste)
Directions
- Bring the water, elderberries, and spices to a boil in a large pot.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and cover for 45 minutes or until the liquid reduces by half.
- Cool the liquid until its just slightly warmer than room temperature. Strain through cheesecloth or a fine mesh sieve. Use a potato masher or spoon to press all the liquid out of the elderberries.
- Drop in the raw honeycomb and stir until dissolved. Taste the syrup and add 1-2 more pouches of honeycomb if desired.
- Store the syrup in a glass jar in the refrigerator. Shake the jar gently before each use.
Adults: Take one tablespoon of this elderberry honey syrup daily.
Children: Take one teaspoon of this elderberry honey syrup daily.
Feeling under the weather? Take one dose four times daily throughout the day.
Bee Well With Raw Honeycomb
Raw honey is good for your immune system, and eating raw honeycomb straight from the hive is even better. These raw honey immunity booster recipes will keep the nutrition flowing to keep your body protected throughout the cold and flu season. Running low on comb? Stock your pantry with Pass the Honey’s raw honeycomb, packaged in pre-measured portions that make snacking and sipping easy whether you’re at home or on-the-go.