When I created my Golden Turmeric Cordial at the beginning of 2016, it was exceptionally important to use raw honey, rather than other honeys which have generally been heated and filtered several times. This is because “regular honey” has had the key health benefits removed by the pasteurisation process they undergo.

Initially I used the Raw Food Company's honey, but as my Turmeric Cordial became more and more popular, I needed to look for an alternative source and to be able to buy in bulk. I now buy my raw honey from The Local Honey Man, which sources 100% of its honey from the surrounding areas around London and Essex. All are raw in the purest sense; they have literally only been strained once to remove the beeswax. As a result they retain all the goodness that is naturally in the honey when still in the comb. You can purchase their honey from their website (http://localhoneyman.co.uk/) and can purchase it as a retail customer in quantities from 500g – 5KG.

Here is a quote from their website:-

“Raw Honey has natural anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties as well as a whole host of other vitamins and minerals essential to the development of a healthy immune system and healthy heart. Raw honey also provides the best natural energy boost available from any raw natural food”

Raw Honey is naturally part of the “sweet” category of foods and is therefore beneficial in helping to maintain balance in our spleens and stomach. Here are some other facts about raw honey:-

• It is an alkaline-forming food, as it contains ingredients similar to those found in fruits, which become alkaline in the digestive system
  
  
• Raw honey never ferments in the stomach and can be used to counteract acid indigestion
  
• I often love to combine it with ginger and lemon in the winter as a warmer, as well as giving me more energy. With the anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties also found in ginger and lemon, it works perfectly as an excellent health drink as well as being delicious in taste!
  
• Raw honey is collected straight from the extractor and is totally unheated; unpasteurized and unprocessed
  
• The amylase (an enzyme which is concentrated in flower pollen) present in raw honey helps to pre-digest starchy foods such as bread
  
• It has a relatively low Glycemic Index (GI) rating, being between 35-58. (The glycemic index (GI) is the rate at how fast blood sugar levels rise after eating a particular type of food. A high GI means that the food is rapidly absorbed by the body, spiking the blood sugar causing the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin. A low GI indicates a food that is more slowly absorbed, thereby preventing that health damaging insulin spike).