Honey has been known for centuries as a miracle food due to its nutritional value and antioxidant properties, but did you know that it also deserves pride of place in your first aid kit? This is why…

In addition to its many uses in cooking and food preparation, honey has also been used for centuries to clean and heal wounds, fight infection, and treat burns. Due to its versatility, long life and reasonable cost, it is a must have in your go bag or survival kit.

When raw organic honey is applied directly to a wound, it rapidly reduces inflammation and pain, and healing occurs rapidly with minimal scarring. Honey dressings are easy to apply and remove without sticking to the wound surface; rather, the impurities are removed along with the dressing. When applying honey to a wound, be sure to use a non-absorbent pad, so the honey stays close to the skin.

Do you have hydrogen peroxide in your medicine cabinet? You don’t need it: Honey releases hydrogen peroxide when mixed with water or bodily fluids, making it a natural antiseptic and killer of harmful bacteria. The antimicrobial properties of honey also make it a hostile environment for bacteria. Unlike topical antiseptics, honey promotes blood and lymph circulation to the wound site, speeding up the healing process, rather than causing further tissue damage.

Honey is also highly absorbent, making it beneficial even when applied to an infected wound. Honey absorbs water from the wound and since bacteria cannot grow without water, the wound becomes sterile. This makes honey a great alternative to antibiotics without the high cost and unwanted side effects.

Honey has been used for years as a beauty treatment due to its nourishing properties. It contains not only a wide range of amino acids, but also a variety of vitamins, phytonutrients, and sugars that are easy for your body to absorb and use. These same properties also make honey ideal for wound care: when the skin is nourished, healing occurs on all levels.

The healing properties of honey make it excellent not only to eat, but also to treat the human body. Who knew such a cure-all was in your pantry all the time?