Fireweed honey benefits sound like they will be a ferocious substitute for boring regular honey. But in truth, the bold name comes from a dainty pink flower named fireweed.
The name came to be because fireweed’s seeds lay dormant underground and usually only sprout after a forest fire. In fact, it was the first plant to be seen after the 1980 volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens.
What Is Fireweed Honey
So we’ve gone through what the plant is, but what is fireweed honey? Well, quite simply, it’s honey from bees that have a strict fireweed diet. The honey is often called the “Champagne of Honeys” due to its relative rarity, along with light sweet taste and medicinal qualities.
The rarity comes from the fact that fireweed only grows after an environmental disaster, and then only flourishes well in cold winters and short summers. Then, even if these conditions are perfect, it’s hard for beekeepers to keep their bees from pollinating other wildflowers that populate the grounds.
Anyway, when all of these things are successfully accomplished, we get the “Champagne of Honey” also known as fireweed honey. Now, what are its benefits?
Fireweed Honey Benefits
Heals Wounds & Burns
Like other kinds of honey, fireweed honey is antibacterial and pretty sticky, which means simply applying it to an open wound can kill bacteria and actively promote healing.
Anti-Inflammatory
Fireweed honey has strong anti-inflammatory properties. This not only means it can treat an infected wound, but when ingested, it can have positive effects on gastric ulcers, arthritis, lupus, and much more.
Although, if you’re looking for a more potent anti-inflammatory honey, we recommend manuka honey.
Antioxidants
We always stress how important antioxidants are, and it seems as if every natural product we cover has them. And it’s true; most plants have some sort of antioxidant activity because it keeps them alive and healthy. And it keeps us alive and healthy too.
You see, the human body has many free atoms that roam inside it; they’re called “free radicals”. These atoms “escape” from natural body processes and then actively look for healthy cells to attach to. Once they attach, they slowly degenerate them, leading to inflammations, diseases, and more.
Antioxidants, very basically, battle those atoms and make sure they don’t overwhelm the body. And, well, fireweed honey is rich in antioxidants.
Cardiovascular Health
Certain studies show that some types of honey can affect cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and fireweed honey is one of them.
These effects are not small, either. Fireweed honey can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by 6-11% and triglyceride levels by up to 11%. It may also increase HDL (good) cholesterol by up to 3%.
Combined with the fact that fireweed honey is an excellent substitute for unhealthy sweets, this is not a bad deal at all.
Healthier Skin
Due to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, you can use fireweed honey as a face mask, or even to treat a variety of skin diseases. Granted, this isn’t strictly a fireweed honey benefit, but it is potentially more potent than other kinds of honey.
Also, fireweed honey has moisturizing effects!
Other Fireweed Honey Benefits
- Improves digestion and eases constipation
- Soothes sore throats
- Inhibits bacteria in the body
- Strengthens the immune system
- Can improve anemia
Conclusion
So fireweed honey benefits your body in a variety of different ways, it’s delicious but not too sweet, and it’s revered as the “Champagne of Honeys”. Sounds like a great deal. So, are you going to try it?
Let us know in the comments below! And if you’re looking for another healthy and underrated honey, check out our article about buckwheat honey.