A few days ago I wrote about "To Vegan or Not To Vegan" and I mentioned that I would write about honey and honey bees. Well today we're going to talk about that! Most peoples' relationship with bees is that they have been stung or encountered a bee hive when they weren't expecting it. Well, believe it or not, you actually have experienced bees in other forms, you just don't know it. For example, did you know that two-thirds of our food supply relies on bees? Well, it's true!
Why are bees important? They pollinate fruits and vegetables (so we can eat).
Honey nutrition facts: Some of the top vitamins/minerals are iron, calcium, zinc, B6, B2, magnesium. Honey is also recognized by the body where white sugar is not recognized by the body and results in a blood sugar spike.
Why we need bees/honey: So we can continue to eat vegetables and fruits (plants).
Best kind of honey: Raw honey is the best source because it contains traces of pollen (which also contains more minerals and vitamins). As with any product, the more refined and processed it is, the less nutrients it has.
Why I eat honey: Bees are vital to our food (veggies and fruit) supply. If we didn't have bees, we wouldn't have plants. Even flowers! Bees job is to pollinate so we can have food to eat. Over the last several years, the bee population has been dwindling. And this is due to the fact that more & more pesticides and chemicals are being used. We wouldn't want to pull weeds now would we (sarcastic)? Bees also need warmth so when harsh winter storms come, bees have no where to go. Bees are essential to our food system. They pollinate 90% of our food (nuts, avocado, apples, blueberries, cherries, citrus fruits, celery, cucumber, etc). By buying organic, locally owned produce this helps the bee colonies. By not supporting GMO/Monsanto. Honey is a natural sweetener. Honey is not harming the bees but supporting the plants we need to live on. By protecting the bees, we are helping to protect the planet we live on. If you want to be eco-friendly, you'll take personal responsibility for the foods you put in your body. Bees and honey are essential to human life.
And know you know why I eat honey and love bees :)
peace, sweat, love: life
photo credit: jbaker5