Top 5 honeys for brain and mental health

Raw honey is one of the few easily accessible foods that contains necessary vitamins and minerals to support the body and the mind. In fact, one teaspoon of honey contains around 25% of your recommended daily allowance of Vitamins B, C and D. Because raw honey has never been heated, processed, pasteurised or diluted, its healthy properties are readily available for our body to absorb. These vitamins and minerals can protect us against molecules that cause damage, illness and aging to our cells. But how it can they specifically target the brain? Read on to find out…

B Vitamins: Raw honey has a high concentration of B complex vitamins: thiamine (B1), niacin (B3) biotin (B7) and folic acid (B9) to name a few. Thiamine’s purpose is to help with the production of neurotransmitters. B12 is found in both honey and bee pollen and is responsible for giving you energy, improving your focus, and, in turn making it easier to learn. In general, B vitamins are crucial for the brain and nervous system: they regulate the energy in the brain and are great memory and mood enhancers, helping to prevent symptoms of depression and anxiety, brain fog and memory loss. Manuka Honey is full of B vitamins – click here to shop:

Omega 3 encourages blood flow throughout the brain and is essential for its function and continued growth. Higher blood flow in certain areas may directly lead to better performance in certain cognitive tasks. These fatty acids can improve memory and ease inflammation in the brain, preventing the chances of dementia and other neurological issues. Along with Vitamin B6, Omega 3 can also promote transmission of chemicals in the brain, such as serotonin and dopamine, which are related to mental health issues and your mood. Our Kyrgyzstani White Honey is especially high in Omega 3 – click here to shop.

Calcium: This mineral is the most important for healthy brain function. Its main role is to relay nerve cell messages. It controls synaptic activity (neuron communication) and memory formation. The polyphenols found in raw honey have been proven to help the body absorb calcium.

Vitamin D: Vitamin D is commonly associated with good moods and overall health. Without it, the body would struggle to absorb other vital vitamins and minerals that it needs. It regulates many tasks relevant to the brain’s function (attention, memory, mood) and balances the calcium levels. Our Whipped Chocolate Honey contains lots of vitamin D and magnesium from the raw cacao. Click here to read more:

Magnesium is a mineral come to light a lot more in recent years. It relays signals between the brain and the body and is the main gateway for receptors that are found on your nerve cells. These receptors are responsible for memory and brain development. Magnesium prevents brain fog and can encourage concentration. Low levels of magnesium in your body can contribute to stress, mental health issues, hormone imbalance, low energy and inflammation, which can often present in the form of a headache or migraine. If you are suffering any of these symptoms, we recommend adding more magnesium to your diet in the form of healthy greens, supplements or by taking a daily spoonful of our Yemeni Wildflowers honey. Click here to shop.

Zinc contributes to the functionality of the immune system and its antioxidants. It is another element that is important to the nervous system and helps with cell reproduction.

Potassium is another key mineral. It carries oxygen to the brain and helps cells communicate by sending electrical signals to each other when the nerves are stimulated.

Curcumin: According to studies, it was found that people who took curcumin – found in turmeric – did better in memory tests and had less “abnormal” proteins in their brains. Our Turmeric-Infused Raw Honey also contains black pepper, which makes the body’s cells more susceptible to soak up the benefits of turmeric. Try our Turmeric Infusion by clicking here:

All of the above vitamins and minerals (and much more) are found in 100% raw and natural honey, so what better reason to add it into your daily routine?! Whether as a sweetener in your coffee (to give you that extra energy and focus), or just a spoon of it on its own!