Is Your Honey Real?

Did you know most of the honey in the grocery store isn't the same honey that comes straight from the hive?  There's a difference between honey & raw honey. 


After doing some research on this, my findings were *once again* backed up by what Elder Widtsoe said in the Word of Wisdom book he wrote many years ago.  (Sad, it's probably much worse now than when the book was written).  Here were his words:  "More subtle adulterations, much more difficult to trace, are now employed.....Glucose is mixed with a trifle of honey and sold as pure honey."

Now take a look at this:

More than 75% of the honey you purchase from super markets is NOT what bees produce.  According the food manufacturers, their customers prefer the look of clear honey, so they filter out the nutrients & pollen to make it more aesthetically pleasing.  (They do that to vinegar, juices, & other foods also.  More on that in another post...) 

Even more frustrating is this:  More & more brands of honey contain high fructose corn syrup!  Yet the bottles say "Natural Honey" or "100% Natural Honey" on them... Dr. Joseph Mercola's book "Sweet Deception" outlines the process of 24 hour, round the clock forced honey production.  There are many bee farms in North America that produce 2/3 of honey by force feeding their bees high fructose corn syrup.  Talk about dishonest! Much of what we are getting from the grocery stores is NOT real honey.

Back to filtering:  As if that wasn't enough :o|

Once pollen is removed from honey, there's no way to tell where it came from & whether it's from a reliable, pure, & safe source.  The pollen is the proof of the plants in a specific local area.  Hence the ability to tell where the honey came from. (Not to mention the fact that the pollen is the most nutrient dense & healing part of the honey.)

A friend of mine recently wrote to Golden Heritage Foods asking them about their honey.  Here's their conversation & then my response to the whole thing...

MY FRIEND'S LETTER TO GHF:

"Hi. I have been buying your honey from Costco for a while now and I just found out about "ultra-filtered" honey. Ultra-filtered honey has been processed so that all the pollen has been filtered out. I am just wondering if your company does this? I looked on your website and couldn't find any information about this so I thought I'd ask. I don't want my honey "ultra-filtered". I use honey on a very regular basis and this process concerns me. I hope I haven't been feeding my family honey that is less than pure. Thank you for your time."

**************************************************

 
GOLDEN HERITAGE FOODS RESPONSE:

"Thank you for contacting Golden Heritage Foods. All of our honey is micro-filtered honey.

If you should have additional questions, please feel free to let me know."

Sincerely,
Roxann Ewert
Media Specialist. Marketing Support
Golden Heritage Foods, LLC
Corporate Office
120 Santa Fe Street
Hillsboro, KS 67063

GHF is now True Source Certified!
100% Traceable Honey 

MY THOUGHTS ON GHF'S RESPONSE:

First of all, that was quite the informationally loaded letter back to my friend, don't you think?  A little more info would have been kinda nice. But that's just me.

Second of all, traceable origin (as stated at the end of her response) is one thing. Nutritionally depleted (virtually no pollen) is another.

Here’s the difference in particle size between the 2 filtration processes:

Micro Filtration:

Membranes with a pore size of  0.1 – 10

Ultra Filtration:

Membranes with a pore size of  0.001 – 0.1

 

(Notice the bottom of micro & top of ultra are the same number.   Hmmm.....)

***You want your honey macro-filtered at most.  This is the least invasive filtering process & mainly removes bee parts or large particles/debris.

Burleson’s Honey (a different company) got all fluffed up & posted a big article on their website about this issue, & yet their company isn’t even listed on the “no pollen” list.  (Not sure why they're so worried...)

They also said this: “Honey is made by bees out of nectar, not pollen. Pollen is a by-product of the honey bees gathering nectar. Pollen clings to the bees during the collection of nectar and is inadvertently transferred to the honey.”

 

Of course it’s made out of nectar - DUH.  But the pollen is what makes honey so nutritious & healing.

What an amazing thing for God to do for us... He causes the healing pollen to cling to the bees, then “inadvertently” (definition: without knowledge or intention) cause it to mysteriously transfer to the honey – for our benefit! 

  
Burleson also said this in their story: “The majority of U.S. honey packers do not use Ultra-filtering as it causes what is known by the FDA as a “substantial transformation” of the product identity into a sweetener that does not retain the identity of honey. Filtering raw honey using Ultra-filtration methods, and calling the end product “honey” is illegal and unethical.”

Guess what else they said: “Honey is filtered so it is aesthetically pleasing to the consumer and ensures the honey remains fluid for a longer period of time. Filtering removes bee parts, wax and solids, including the majority of pollen that can hasten crystallization.

They just buried themselves in THAT hole.

PS: If it’s micro filtered, it is not raw. If it’s ultra filtered, it’s not raw. Real raw honey should only be filtered at most through a fine sieve or cheese cloth to remove debris, bee parts, etc... (those words via a bee keeping professional himself) 

**********

Vaughn Bryant, a professor at Texas A&M University (and one of the nation's premier melissopalynologists, or investigators of pollen in honey) did an investigation for Food Safety News...  Here were their findings:

• 76 percent of samples bought at groceries had all the pollen removed, These were stores like TOP Food, Safeway, Giant Eagle, QFC, Kroger, Metro Market, Harris Teeter, A&P, Stop & Shop and King Soopers.

• 100 percent of the honey sampled from drugstores like Walgreens, Rite-Aid and CVS Pharmacy had no pollen.

• 77 percent of the honey sampled from big box stores like Costco, Sam's Club, Walmart, Target and H-E-B had the pollen filtered out. 

• 100 percent of the honey packaged in the small individual service portions from Smucker, McDonald's and KFC had the pollen removed.

• Bryant found that every one of the samples Food Safety News bought at farmers markets, co-ops and "natural" stores like PCC and Trader Joe's had the full, anticipated amount of pollen.

HERE
is the link to the full article and a chart
with the brands that have had most or all
of the pollen removed...
(ie: It's no longer real pure honey)

Is sugar toxic? - A MUST WATCH!

And with that video comes a little help... If you want to cut out white sugar but don't want to totally give up your sweets (like me!) - here are some GREAT options for healthy & "healthier" alternatives to refined white/brown sugar:

*Raw unfiltered honey (healthy & healing!)
*Xylitol (also super great for your teeth!)
*Unrefined coconut palm sugar (loads of nutrients!)
*Stevia (green is natural & unrefined, white is refined, liquid is the extract)
*Rapadura ('nearly' raw whole unrefined sugar, with nutrients in tact)
*Evaporated Cane Juice (simply the juice from the cane in its crystalized form)
*Un-sulfured pure black strap molasses (full of nutrients!)
*100% organic - grade B maple syrup (has nutrients & less sugar content than grade A)
*Unrefined 'brown' rice syrup (not 'white' rice syrup)
*Agave (dark, raw, & organic is best)
*Homemade grain sweeteners (yep! you can make your own! - See the link below... 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/Real-Food/1975-05-01/How-To-Make-Natural-Sweeteners-From-Grain.aspx

Although "better" than refined white sugar - unfortunately the following list of sweeteners can be passed off as whole, healthy, pure, etc... Often it's misleading & not always what they say. Many times these products are somewhat refined, but they're 'painted' with just a touch of molasses for color & flavor &/OR lack healthy nutrients. So... if you're on the bandwagon for TOTALLY getting rid of the unwholesome sweeteners, these may not always make the 100% cut.  Some are less refined than others.  The italicized ones are probably your better choice - (especially if they aren't transparent & crystal looking... but more of an opaque dusty appearance)

Brown Sugar (This IS 100%  refined white sugar - with molasses added)

Demerara
Turbinado
Sucanat
Muscovado
Florida Crystals
Naturally Milled Organic Cane Juice
Unrefined Cane Juice  (minimally refined)
Organic Plantation Milled Sugar
Organic Whole Cane Sugar
Raw sugar  (less refined)
Sugar-in-the-Raw
Whole Cane
Yellow-D

Raw Milk / Raw Dairy

One of the best articles I've read yet on raw milk/dairy.  And I've read A... LOT!!!  I couldn't have said it better myself.

All of these years, & I had no idea .  Then I started hearing.  Then I started reading.  Then I started researching.  Then I started taking classes.  Now I humbly know...  I WAS WRONG.  Our grand parents, our great grand parents, and all of their grandparents all the way back... were right. 

Chances are, you drink pasteurized/homogenized milk from the grocery store - OR if you don't drink milk or eat dairy products because of milk allergy / lactose intolerance...  Just take a look at this milk conversion article below.  (And there's a lot more where that came from, if you need it)

IF you don't drink milk or consume dairy because you don't believe in it, then I guess all we can do is agree to disagree.  Right?   I personally believe that we've been blessed with these beautiful animals to provide us with added nutrients through milk, cheese, yogurt, kefir, etc...  And our family is grateful for those generous animals.  But if you don't believe in the nourishing foods that come from cows/animals, then there's probably no hope of convincing you otherwise.  However, I do hope you'll read this with an open mind anyway, even if the articles don't change your views at all. :)

Read what Elder Widtsoe had to say about milk in his Word of Wisdom book!!! - - -

"Since the inspired Word of Wisdom says: Yea, flesh also of beasts and of the fowls of the air, I the Lord have ordained for the use of man, with thanksgiving...  It would follow that the product of the beasts and fowls, milk, and eggs, would be acceptable foods also.  Naturally & emphatically they MUST be produced by healthy animals & cared for in a strictly sanitary way.  That must be understood - for ALL food eaten by man, as well as for milk & eggs. - - - One must remember that not only does milk show a high co-efficient of digestibility, but it is a protein food particularly well adapted for storage within the body.  This is because of its content of necessary amino acids which complement so perfectly those found in whole grains. 

Yet one hears the occasional statement that milk makes mucous & the saying is passed around from one uninformed person to another.  It may do so for a poorly nourished person, or it may seem to do so.  There are people who can't eat wheat in any form - or strawberries make their eyes swell, or produces hives, etc.  Should it therefore be said that strawberries make the eyes swell or wheat gives one hives & therefore no one should eat them?  IF ONE IS COMPLETELY NOURISHED, NO NATURAL FOOD WILL CAUSE THESE ILL EFFECTS."  One of the distinct advantages of milk is that it tends to cleanse the lower bowel or colon...  Milk  should be certified clean and un-pasteurized if possible, & from cows which produce a soft curd & are healthy above all."  


Take a look at this awesome post below:


http://mylifeinapyramid.com/2012/03/my-raw-milk-conversion-why-how-i-decided-to-embrace-fresh-local-milk/

A few more of my favorite references are these:

http://www.realmilk.com/

http://www.naturalnews.com/035130_raw_milk_infographic_pasteurized.html

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/the-rise-and-fall-of-pasteurized-milk/

http://www.westonaprice.org/press/cdc-cherry-picks-data-to-make-case-against-raw-milk

http://www.naturalnews.com/035039_raw_milk_pasteurized_CDC.html

Hand Sanitizer Dangers

Anti-bacterials (including soap/detergent, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes, etc...) may kill 99+% of bacteria, BUT the 1% or less, that's left behind, creates a stronger more resistant strain of bacteria that's even more dangerous.   It gets worse...

 The following information comes from this link:

Hand Sanitizers and Antibacterial Wipes: The Dirty Truth

Triclosan is the main ingredient in most hand santizers.  It weakens your immune system making it easier for you to get sick.  A new study from the School of Public Health at the University of Michigan shows that people exposed to Triclosan actually have a higher risk of developing allergies and asthma, which mean that Triclosan is killing off your good, beneficial bacteria and allowing yeast to overgrow internally.  

Triclosan has also been shown to increase drug resistance to antibiotics and, like Bisphenol A (BPA), is an endocrine-disrupting compound because of it messes with your hormones, and even worse, mirror them. Triclosan is actually in a ton of personal care products, such as soaps, deodorants, toothpaste, and lotions.  This means that hand sanitizers also put your thyroid at risk.  And to children, who’s hormones are developing, this can spell disaster.  

Additionally, if you are in the sun a lot, you need to know that when exposed to sunlight or ultraviolet light, Triclosan converts to dioxin, which increases the risk of cancers, and reproductive problems like miscarriage, birth defects, and altering sex hormones.  Dioxin is also a major ingredient in disposable diapers, tampons and menstrual pads.

3 squirts of hand sanitizer is LETHAL to a toddler!  One child got severely sick from licking the sanitizer off her hands & after tests, they found it was as if she'd consumed 120 proof alcohol!  It's happening more & more.  Read about this specific case at the link I provided above. 

A few more links on the dangers of this stuff:

WARNING: Antibacterial Soap Linked to Major Health Threats

Hospital Warning: Antibacterial Wipes Found to Spread Super Bugs

Why Disinfectants and Antibacterials Are Overkill + 5 Health-Safe Alternatives

Do the un-lazy thing. Use a pure soap & just wash the germs away... Like it's always been done!  Or use essential oils, which are antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, & more!

OR... just make your own.  All you need is a germ killing antibacterial blend of essential oils.  It's easy, it's safe, & it smells great!

(Some popular pre-made brands are: "On Guard" from doTerra, "Germ Fighter" from Plant Therapy, or "Thieves Oil" from Young Living).

I make my own "Thieves" oil & mix it with purified water & glycerine in a spray bottle.  (Just google 'Thieves oil recipe'...)  Or you can also do it 'pump' style by mixing it with aloe vera & witch hazel.  There are recipes all over the internet.

GET RID OF THAT DANGEROUS STORE JUNK!

To make it easier for you, here's one recipe from a friend of mine - similar to the one I use - that works better than any commercial sanitizer out there:

5 drops each mixed with 6 oz. water (or the water/glycerine/aloe mixtures described above):

Cinnamon
Clove bud
Eucalyptus
Rosemary
Lemon or Wild Orange

For every 6 oz of water, use the spray for:

* Wipe doorknobs and other things touched by the public.
* Wipe dirty piano keys to clean and disinfect.
* Use to clean children's hands when traveling.
* Use on the steering wheel and gearshift of your vehicle.
* Use on public telephones to remove germs.
* Use on public computer keyboards and mice.
* Spray on hands before and after shaking hands with a lot of people.
* Spray in public restrooms on airplanes to reduce airborne bacteria.
* Carry for protection in countries with cholera, malaria or dysentery.
* Use as an air freshener for cooking odors or other unwanted smells.
* Take to the gym and spray all the equipment you use.
* Take to the supermarket and use to disinfect shopping cart handles.
* Use in the classroom for desks, tables and other items handled by children.
* Spray in your mouth and throat at first onset of cold or bronchitis.
* Spray on shower stalls and bathroom walls to disinfect and remove mold.
* Wash pesticides & chemicals off of fresh produce.