September is National Honey Month

National Honey Month is a celebratory and promotional event held annually during the month of September in the United States. Its purpose is to promote American beekeeping, the beekeeping industry, and honey as a natural and beneficial sweetener.

September is significant for honey producers as it is the month that marks the end of the honey collection season for many beekeepers in the United States. The awareness month was initiated by The National Honey Board, a U.S. Department of Agriculture founded and overseen organization in 1989. The story of honey is older than history itself. An 8,000-year-old cave painting in Spain depicts honey harvesting, and we know it's been used for food, medicine and more by cultures all over the world since.

Honey starts as flower nectar collected by bees, which gets broken down into simple sugars stored inside the honeycomb. The design of the honeycomb and constant fanning of the bees' wings causes evaporation, creating sweet liquid honey. Honey's color and flavor varies based on the nectar collected by the bees. For example, honey made from orange blossom nectar might be light in color, whereas honey from avocado or wildflowers might have a dark amber color.

On average, a hive will produce about 65 pounds of surplus honey each year. Beekeepers harvest it by collecting the honeycomb frames and scraping off the wax cap that bees make to seal off honey in each cell. Once the caps are removed, the frames are placed in an extractor, a centrifuge that spins the frames, forcing honey out of the comb.

After the honey is extracted, it’s strained to remove any remaining wax and other particles. Some beekeepers and bottlers might heat the honey to make this process easier, but that doesn't alter the liquid's natural composition. After straining, it's time to bottle, label and bring it to you. 

Honey Benefits:

1     Honey is a health aid

Dating back to ancient times, honey has been used throughout the world for its medicinal purposes. The next time you have a cough, try reaching for a jar of honey since the World Health Organization reports that honey is able to coat and soothe throat irritation. Honey is even known to help heal canker sores and relieve dry skin.

Research has shown that honey contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. Flavonoids and phenolic acids, which act as antioxidants, are found in honey.

Honey is a natural source of carbohydrates, providing 17 grams per tablespoon, which makes it ideal for your working muscles. Since carbohydrates are the primary fuel the body uses, honey can help maintain muscle glycogen, also known as stored carbohydrates, which gives athletes the boost they need when they need it most.

 I    Its a natural sweetener

Honey is excellent for curing almost any sweet tooth. Unlike some highly processed sugars and sugar-like substances out there, honey is chemical free and found directly in nature.

           Honey might help you sleep better

In short, honey causes insulin levels to rise, and when this happens, serotonin gets released throughout the bloodstream. Serotonin gets converted into melatonin, and melatonin has been known to aid in getting you off to dreamland.

The honey sold at The Virginia Marketplace is Monastery Creamed Honey, from the monks of Holy Cross Abbey, Berryville, Virginia. Holy Cross Abbey is a monastery of the Cistercian Order of the Strict Observance (Trappists) sheltered by the Blue Ridge Mountains in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. It is a natural product made of the finest all natural honey, slowly mixed until it has light creamy texture, the consistency of butter. These refreshing spreads are great on toast, crackers, bagels, muffins, scones and other baked goods. Also try it in hot beverages such as tea or cider. It comes in Natural, Cinnamon, Lemon, Brandy, Almond, Blueberry, Orange and Raspberry flavors. Hard to decide on just one favorite!

Monastery Creamed Honey