In this Healthy Living report, Time Warner Cable News’ Kristen Shaughnessy explores the benefits of natural honey, and how it is being used to create interesting flavors. She filed this report.
Honey has long been considered one of nature's superfoods. Those who work in the industry will tell you that honey, which goes straight from the hive to the bottle, is best.
"There is a big distinction between raw honey and processed honey. Raw honey has all of these nutrients in it, processed honey doesn't," says Casey Elsass, co-founder of Mixed Made.
Raw honey has long been touted for its healing components. Many people put honey directly on wounds, burns and more. Others swear it helps coughs, asthma, hay fever and some stomach ulcers.
Elsass says he only works with the best chemical-free beekeepers in upstate New York, so that the honey maintains all its nutritious properties. He says much of the honey on store shelves is processed, not natural raw honey.
"A lot of honey on the shelves comes from massive bee farms in China where bees are just overworked and sort of only made to produce honey, they don't live their free lives and also it's mixed with sugar, corn syrup. There’s a lot of additives that aren't actually honey in it,"says Elsass.
Mixed Made's Chili infused spicy honey is made in Brooklyn and sold around the country.
"I use it on everything,” says Elsass. “Really, people don't believe me when I say that but it's great on eggs in the morning, it's great on, I've used it on salad dressings. It's great for vegetables for roasted vegetables, it's great for marinades but it's even good on sweet things. I put it in my oatmeal, I make granola with it, even on ice cream."
Natural honey will cost you more.
"It sort of is a decision of what you're putting in your body. You can choose something a little more expensive, but you know it is completely clean of chemicals and nourishing your body," says Elsass.
He says business is growing. When he first started, he was getting about a five gallon shipment every week. Now he's getting about 150 gallons a week.