Add Honey To Your Preparedness

Plan uses for honey as food and medicine.

- Kristi Cook

Whether you’re an outdoors person exploring the wilds or a homesteader striving for self sufficiency, stocking your pack or pantry with life-supporting essentials is necessary. Trusted by the ancients as far back as the pharaohs, raw honey is a vital addition to any preparedness plan. Loaded with vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and antimicrobial properties, honey serves many purposes both nutritive and medicinal. And, should you wish to indulge in a bit of TLC along the way, this golden elixir performs triple duty as a natural skincare aid, too.

Nutritional Supplement

Perhaps the most basic reason to keep honey on hand is its nutritional value. Unlike highly processed granulated sugar devoid of healthful benefits, this “food for the gods” contains naturally occurring vitamins B1, B2, B3, B5, B6 and vitamin C, along with iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium, to name several. Honey also provides various flavonoids that have anti-inflammatory effects on the body, all of which are needed during times of physical stress.

Energy Boost

While natural vitamins and minerals are reason enough to include honey in your arsenal, its ability to provide quick energy during periods of elevated physical activity also should be considered. Sugar and high fructose corn syrup are often chosen for quick energy bursts in the form of drinks, gummies or energy gels. However, honey stabilizes blood-glucose levels by combining fast-acting glucose for immediate use, as well as slow absorbing fructose for long-lasting fuel. Honey’s lower glycemic index (55), as compared to table sugar (68), also makes it a more suitable choice for those with diabetes— with caution, of course—particularly during emergency situations.