Try This Easy 5 Step Lavender-infused Honey Recipe

Lavender and honey not only make life sweet, they also can improve your physical and mental health. From helping improve your immune system to regulating blood sugar levels to improving your quality of sleep, these two have a lot to offer.

So why not combine them into a lavender-infused honey you can top on toast, acai bowls, ice cream, and more? Before we get to this easy five step recipe, let’s look at some of the health benefits of both honey and lavender.

Health Benefits of Honey

Honey is full of health-enhancing plant compounds such as antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. For centuries, honey has been a staple among “food as medicine” remedies. It has been used to suppress coughing, ease sore throat pain, and support wound healing when applied to the skin.

Modern science has also identified the following health benefits of honey:

• Antioxidants found in honey ?help the body fight off free radicals which destroy cells and raise inflammation (a process known as oxidative stress). The type and amount of antioxidants varies for different sources of honey. Darker varieties of honey tend to have more antioxidants than lighter ones.
• Honey does not rapidly raise blood sugar (glucose) levels. This makes honey a perfect alternative to table sugar and it may even help?regulate blood sugar levels . Even though it is a healthy sugar alternative, people with Type 2 diabetes should consult with their healthcare practitioner before regularly consuming.
• Daily consumption of raw honey may have?cardio-protective benefits . In addition to protecting the heart from oxidative stress, raw honey may improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels due to the propolis it contains. Propolis is a type of resin that bees produce from sap-producing trees and similar plants.

When buying honey, look for a local organic product when possible. Every variety is unique in color and flavor based on the plant nectar that bees draw upon. It’s easy to add honey to your diet. Swirl it into tea, yogurt, and oatmeal. Drizzle it across granola or toast. So sweet and so good for you!

Raw honey ?carries a risk of botulism—a toxic condition caused by bacteria found in improperly prepared, canned, or preserved raw foods. To learn more about how to use honey for its health benefits, check with your holistic healthcare provider.

Health Benefits of Lavender

We all know that?lavender ?smells incredible and has been used for centuries to help induce sleepiness; that’s why a nice sachet of lavender under your pillow has been a long-time favorite solution for insomniacs. But you might be surprised to learn about some of the other fantastic qualities of lavender.

In fact, there are many health benefits to lavender that you might not know about:

• Sweet-smelling lavender has long been used as a remedy for?anxiety ?and sleeplessness—and with good reason, it turns out! Multiple studies have shown it can help you?fall asleep faster ?and get?better quality sleep .
• It decreases the negative physical and mental health?symptoms of menopause .
• Lavender is also?antibacterial, antifungal, carminative ?(smooth muscle relaxing), sedative, antidepressive… and even effective for burns and insect bites!

Simply Delicious Lavender-Infused Honey

Ready to experience the health benefits of relaxing lavender and sweet honey? Why not infuse the two together with this easy recipe!

While it does take a bit of patience–two weeks for the infusion to work its magic–it’s worth the wait. Lavender-infused honey is a perfect complement to a cup of tea. We suggest chamomile, elderflower, or passion flower.

Ingredients

• 1 cup raw honey
• 2 Tbsp dried lavender flowers

Preparation

• Place the raw honey and dried lavender flowers in a jar and mix to combine.
• Cover with a lid and let the herbs infuse for at least 2 weeks in an area where the honey will not be exposed to extreme changes in temperature or lighting.
• Place the jar in warm water and let sit for 5 minutes.
• Using a fine nylon mesh strainer or cheesecloth, strain the honey in a clean jar.
• Cover with a lid and store in a cool, dry place.

For more, check out the full blog post here .