The Benefits of Buckwheat Honey for COVID-19

            Buckwheat Honey has many anti-oxidants (dark honey has more) and is full of immunity-boosting ingredients, as well as being rich in vitamins.  Make sure you have a bottle of this honey in your medicine chest as the COVID-19 virus attacks the United States! Buckwheat honey ranges in color from dark purple to black, but is usually amber with a slight reddish tint.  Anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties help with problems associated with cardio-vascular issues, diabetes, and atherosclerosis.  Buckwheat honey never goes bad and may crystallize and turn solid over time.  It is easily recognizable with its pungent, molasses-toned flavor and a lingering aftertaste.              People have used honey as a healing agent for over 4000 years.  We know that honey has enzymes and anti-viral ingredients that provide active benefits for and skin cuts. The exact science behind the honey’s magic is one of the bees’ secrets.  However, there are many indisputable facts: 
1.  Honey actively stimulates the growth of new epithelial cells.  These cells, found in large amounts lining the lungs and the skin, are responsible for replacing dead or damaged cells. 

2. Honey promotes osmolarity. (root word: osmosis) The sugars (mostly glucose and fructose) act as a water magnet, pulling water away from bacteria, denying it the ability to grow and reproduce.  Another term for this is humectant.  In addition, it draws lymph (white cells) which provide an anti-inflammatory effect, reducing swelling and pain.osmolarity2.  Honey promotes 
3.  Honey has a pH of about 4 which is acidic enough to slow the growth of bacteria. 

4.  Raw, unprocessed honey (like those sold by Winter Park Honey) contain antioxidants.  Darker honeys, such as Buckwheat, contain more and are believed to provide greater benefit. 

5.  Honey’s medicinal qualities can be accounted for by listing its properties: vitamins A, B-complex, C, D, E, K, beta-carotene, minerals, enzymes, essential oils, and flavonoids.  Flavonoids are compounds found in plants that provide the color needed to attract pollination from the bees.  However, many scientists are seeing some link between flavonoids and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer.6.  Honey contains hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which is activated when in contact with water.  Most harmful bacteria can’t survive in its presence.  (This is a primary reason why honey never spoils!)  The peroxide breaks down when in contact with heat.  This why Winter Park Honey never pasteurizes our honey. 
7.  Honey’s viscosity (thickness) covers the skin with a protective barrier with no sticking between the dressing and the wound.  The glucose in honey combines chemically with collagen (the main connective protein in the body).  This reduces the possibility of scarring since the skin cells can regrow without forming a scab!
8.  Finally, honey is being sold under the name of “Medihoney” online and in Australian pharmacies.  
            People, too, can benefit from this knowledge.  Applying Buckwheat Honey to a wound will promote healing quickly.  In addition, scarring will be minimized with this treatment.  So, try some Winter Park Buckwheat Honey. 
            For many years, mankind has been aware of the incredible health benefits of honey.  Its great taste is complemented by its beneficial properties.  Indeed, many consider honey to be a superfood!  Yet, there’s more to this golden liquid than meets the eye.
            In New Zealand, there grows a tree named by the Maori tribe as Manuka.  It can reach a height of 20 meters and grows throughout both islands with the exception of wetlands.  An Englishman, Captain Cook brought attention to this plant by making tea from its dried leaves, thus christening the Manuka as a “Tea Tree.”  It was soon discovered that the Manuka Tree had several other uses.  Its wood was used for tool handles, paddles, and spears.  Burning aromatic Manuka leaves enhances food taste and deters insects.  In addition, Manuka’s use as a poultice can assist in healing wounds, as well as degrading fungi.  It should be noted that Manuka should not be taken internally due to its adverse effects on the liver.  Yet, it’s nectar can be gathered by bees and used to produce Manuka Honey, which is beneficial in combating ulcers and bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract.
            You might think, “Wow, where do I get this honey?”  Hold on, there’s something perhaps better, right here in the U.S.A.  Buckwheat is a short-season, cultivated plant grown primarily as a ground cover and can be found in the northern U.S. and Eastern Canada.  Its name is misleading, since it is not a type of wheat.  In fact, Buckwheat (the name means ‘beech wheat’ since its seeds resemble the triangular seeds of the Beech Tree.) has no gluten at all.  It is planted to help manage erosion and soil nutrition, as well as water, weeds and wildlife.
            Honeybees love the nectar of Buckwheat and will produce a dark, purplish honey.  It is a monofloral honey, meaning that bees will obtain nectar ONLY from the buckwheat plant.  This can be assured by placing hives in large buckwheat fields!  The taste of this honey is very sharp and slightly biting.  Yet, remember, the darker the honey, the higher its antioxidant properties.  Dark honeys also have high peroxide activity level, converting it to hydrogen and oxygen through the use of catalase, found in Buckwheat in high levels.  This is an enzyme that keeps cells from damage due to combustive oxygen reactions.  Buckwheat Honey is known to have high antioxidant, antibacterial, antimutagenic, and antitumor effects. 
            Buckwheat, due to its high viscosity (thickness) has often been used to help subdue coughs and treat upper respiratory infections.  It can also be beneficial in applying a dressing to wounds, much like the Manuka Honey.  Positive results have been noticed when applying Buckwheat Honey to a sterile dressing pad and putting it into contact with a wound.
            Winter Park Honey produces Buckwheat Honey, but this production is diminishing due to the Buckwheat plant being used less frequently.  As flu season approaches, a bottle of Buckwheat Honey could be kept on hand.
            In light of the widespread Coronavirus, we would like to recommend purchasing some Buckwheat Honey.  As noted earlier, this honey is very effective against coughs- particularly the dry cough associated with the COVID-19.  Our honey is not a cure, but rather a preventive barrier against a widespread illness.