Honey and Cinnamon Benefits and Natural Cures

Could the honey and cinnamon cure work for you? Cinnamon has been used by Chinese and Ayurvedic folk medicine for over 2,000 years and honey also has a rich history dating back to ancient Greek, Roman, Vedic, and Egyptian texts.

The healing properties of honey were even referenced by Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) and Aristoxenus (320 BC). Countless stories from people being cured from everything fromdiabetes (type 2) to acne have filled the natural health testimonials since honey and cinnamon were first discovered.

Here are some of the most historically common ways honey and cinnamon have been used to treat and heal various health conditions:
Honey and Cinnamon Cure Under Fire

Ever since Beatrice Dexter wrote an article forThe Weekly World Newstabloid in 1995 claiming that honey and cinnamon can cure virtually anything, this tasty combo has been under hot scrutiny by health enthusiasts and scientists alike.

At this point, conclusive evidence suggesting that a honey and cinnamon mixture will produce miraculous results is lacking in the scientific literature, which is why the medical community is quite reluctant to recommend it to their patients.

However, in my opinion, if you take the individual healing properties of each, it is not preposterous to assume that if one is good by itself, then the two combined can only be great!

I see this a lot in essential oil studies where specific blends have healing property several times more potent than the individual ingredients and I suspect the same thing is true with honey and cinnamon.
Honey and Cinnamon Health Benefits

Cinnamon (cassia) has been shown to be especially beneficial in treating digestive disorders, menstrual discomfort and joint pain because of its high content of cinnamaldehyde (the anti-inflammatory molecular compound that gives cinnamon its flavor and odor).

Honey is also known for its anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to being full of nutrients such as:
Amino acids
Vitamin C
Riboflavin
Niacin
Vitamin B6
Folate
Calcium
Iron
Magnesium
Phosphorus
Potassium
Zinc

At the end of the day, recent research is just tapping into the powerful antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant characteristics of honey and cinnamon. It is most likely that these powerful healing properties have led to “miracle” healings for countless people since the beginning of time.
8 Medicinal Uses for Honey and Cinnamon

The reasons these two superfoods create such a powerful effect on the body vary, but they generally center on their ability to control inflammation, combat free radicals and boost the immune system. Some other common health benefits oftentimes experienced by people mixing honey and cinnamon together are:

1. Allergies – A perfect example of how cinnamon can help with allergies can be seen in an Egyptian study that evaluated its ability to control the powerful allergen house mites. This allergen has become a global problem and the University of Kentucky College of Agriculture, Food and Environment states that at least 45% of young people with asthma are allergic to house dust mites!

Researchers from Egypt tested the effect that various essential oils had in killing the highly allergic house mite and found that cinnamon was the most potent agent.

Regarding honey, taking just a teaspoon of local raw honey every day can boost your immune system by helping build a tolerance to local pollen and naturally fight allergies.

The International Archives of Allergy and Immunology published an article that tested this theory and discovered that pre-seasonal use of birch pollen honey helped people with birch pollen allergies by lowering total symptoms by 60%, experiencing twice as many asymptomatic days, having 70% fewer days with severe symptoms, and by using 50% less antihistamines compared to the group that took conventional meds.

2. Diabetes – Recent studies published out of the journals Nutrition Research andParmacognosy Research suggest that up to 1,500 mg of cinnamon supplementation benefits the lipid profile, liver enzymes, insulin resistance, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in diabetics and people with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients (the #1 cause of liver disease in the world).

According to a study out of Dubai, honey has been observed to cause a lower elevation of plasma glucose levels in diabetics compared to dextrose and sucrose. Some suggest that the insulin boosting power of cinnamon can counteract this glucose elevation in honey, which would make your honey/cinnamon mixture a low glycemic index food!

3. Acne & Skin Infection – Cinnamon oil mixed with honey is used all over the world to treat skin conditions such as acne and skin infections because of its antimicrobial capacity.

Researchers from Iran have even discovered that because of its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties honey is actually more potent in treating wounds and burns and result in less skin infection than conventional medicine!

4. Common Cold – In a study published in the American Journal of Chinese Medicine, cinnamon essential oil was found to be highly effective in slowing the growth of a number of bacteria and fungus including E. coli, Candida, and Staph aureus (microorganisms that can cause a number of diseases including the common cold).

Essentially, when regularly combined with immune-boosting raw honey, many people never get sick at all. Or, if they do get sick with the common cold, they recover rapidly!

5. UTI – The Iran Journal of Medical Sciences published a study this past year that evaluated 28 plant extracts against Gram-negative such as E. coli (the main cause of urinary track infections).

Cinnamomum zeylanicum ranked in the top 4 most potent, which provides an explanation to why people who supplement cinnamon and antibacterial honey into their diets reportedly suffer from less UTI’s than people who don’t.

6. Digestive issues – Honey and cinnamon have become quite popular in managing digestive issues such as constipation, nausea, and ulcers. Because honey is predigested nectar, it is easy for the body to break it down, which can soothe an aggravated system.

Cinnamon, because of its antimicrobial characteristics, has helped countless people with bacterial overload in their digestive system; especially with people suffering from an E. coli infection as you just read in the study out of Iran.

7. Energy – Chinese folk medicine has used cinnamon to promote a healthy flow vital energy for centuries, and because of its insulin-boosting property, cinnamon has been known to give people energy as it stabilizes your blood sugar.

And, of course, honey is pure energy. So, when you take a teaspoon mixture of the two, you get a low-glycemic boost to help fuel your burst training or when you simply need a pick-me-up throughout the day!

8. Gingivitis – The past few years, several studies have come out claiming that Manuka honey can help cure gingivitis and periodontal disease.

Due to its superior antimicrobial properties, researchers from the School of Dentistry, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand discovered that chewing/sucking on a Manuka honey product not only caused a 35% decrease in plaque, it led to a 35% reduction in bleeding sites in people suffering from gingivitis!

When combined with the powerful antimicrobial cinnamon, regular use of the amazing mixture can do wonders to your smile! Honey and cinnamon benefits are proving to be a winning combination.

To make this amazing and simple recipe just mix:
1 cup hot water
1 tbsp raw honey
1 tsp cinnamon

To learn more about cinnamon, read my article: 7 Essential Cinnamon Benefits.

To learn more about raw honey, read my article: Raw Honey Health Benefits.

Do you eat honey and cinnamon? What honey and cinnamon benefits have you found from this amazing superfood mixture?

References:
NCCAM. Cinnamon. [Internet]. No copyright – public domain. Available at:http://nccam.nih.gov/health/cinnamon
Potter M. House dust mites. [Internet]. Copyright 2010. Available at:http://www2.ca.uky.edu/entomology/entfacts/ef646.asp.
Saad el-Z, et al. Acaricidal activities of some essential oils and their monoterpenoidal constituents against house dust mite, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus (Acari: Pyroglyphidae). J Zhejiang Univ Sci B 2006; 7(12):957-62.
Ooi LS, et al. Antimicrobial activities of cinnamon oil and cinnamaldehyde from the Chinese medicinal herb Cinnamomum cassia Blume. Am J Chin Med 2006; 34(3):511-22.
Yaghoobi R, et al. Evidence for Clinical Use of Honey in Wound Healing as an Anti-bacterial, Anti-inflammatory Anti-oxidant and Anti-viral Agent: A Review. Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod 2013; 8(3):100-104
Saarinen K, et al. Birch pollen honey for birch pollen allergy–a randomized controlled pilot study. Int Arch Allergy Immunol 2011; 155(2):160-6.
Askari F, et al. Cinnamon may have therapeutic benefits on lipid profile, liver enzymes, insulin resistance, and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease patients. Nutr Res 2014; 34(2):143-8.
Al-Waili NS. Natural honey lowers plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and blood lipids in healthy, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects: comparison with dextrose and sucrose. J Med Food 2004;7(1):100-7.
Ranasinghe P, et al. Effects of Cinnamomum zeylanicum (Ceylon cinnamon) on blood glucose and lipids in a diabetic and healthy rat model. Pharmacognosy Res 2012; 4(2):73-9.
English HK, et al. The effects of manuka honey on plaque and gingivitis: a pilot study. J Int Acad Periodontol 2004; 6(2):63-7.

10 Health Benefits of Honey

Discover the health benefits of one of the oldest sweeteners on earth, plus some interesting trivia, some great recipes and a few cautions.

Bees swallow, digest and regurgitate nectar to make honey; this nectar contains almost 600 compounds. We need our bees, so let’s do everything we can to save them and keep them here on this earth.

Health Benefits:

1. Prevent cancer and heart disease:
Honey contains flavonoids, antioxidants which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease.

2. Reduce ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders.
Recent research shows that honey treatment may help disorders such as ulcers and bacterial gastroenteritis. This may be related to the 3rd benefit…

3. Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-fungal:
“All honey is antibacterial, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide,” said Peter Molan, director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand.

4. Increase athletic performance.
Ancient Olympic athletes would eat honey and dried figs to enhance their performance. This has now been verified with modern studies, showing that it is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time than other sweeteners.

5. Reduce cough and throat irritation:
Honey helps with coughs, particularly buckwheat honey. In a study of 110 children, a single dose of buckwheat honey was just as effective as a single dose of dextromethorphan in relieving nocturnal cough and allowing proper sleep.

6. Balance the 5 elements: 
Honey has been used in ayurvedic medicine in India for at least 4000 years and is considered to affect all three of the body’s primitive material imbalances positively. It is also said to be useful useful in improving eyesight, weight loss, curing impotence and premature ejaculation, urinary tract disorders, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, and nausea.

Honey is referred as “Yogavahi” since it has a quality of penetrating the deepest tissues of the body. When honey is used with other herbal preparations, it enhances the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues.

7. Blood sugar regulation:
Even though honey contains simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of fructose and glucose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Some honeys have a low hypoglycemic index, so they don’t jolt your blood sugar. (Watch this video Sweetener Comparison where I compare stevia, brown rice syrup, honey, molasses and agave, and discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each.)

8. Heal wounds and burns:
External application of honey has been shown to be as effective as conventional treatment with silver sulfadiazene. It is speculated that the drying effect of the simple sugars and honey’s anti-bacterial nature combine to create this effect.

9. Probiotic:
Some varieties of honey possess large amounts of friendly bacteria. This includes up to 6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria. This may explain many of the “mysterious therapeutic properties of honey.”

10. Beautiful skin:
Its anti-bacterial qualities are particularly useful for the skin, and, when used with the other ingredients, can also be moisturizing and nourishing! For a powerful home beauty treatment for which you probably have all the ingredients in your kitchen already, read Carrot Face Mask.

Different honeys have different flavonoid profiles, depending on the floral source of the nectar.

Types of Honey (most popular)

• Alfalfa
• Blueberry
• Buckwheat
• Clover
• Manuka
• Orange Blossom
• Wildflower

There are at least 40 types – each one has distinctive taste and unique properties.
Darker honey tends to have higher antioxidant levels.
Monofloral honey (honey from a single plant species) usually has the lowest glycemic index (GI). For example, locust honey from the Black Locust tree has a GI of 32. Clover honey, which is used commercially, has the highest glycemic index at 69.

Honey Suggestions:

If you want to get the goodness from your honey, make sure it is pure and raw.
Raw honey contains vitamins, minerals and enzymes not present in refined honey.

Honey Cautions:

• Best not to feed to infants. Spores of Clostridium botulinum have been found in a small percentage of honey in North America. This is not dangerous to adults and older children, but infants can have a serious reaction of illness in the first year. Do not add honey to baby food or use as a soother to quiet a fussy or colicky baby. Most Canadian honey is not contaminated with the bacteria causing infant botulism, but it’s still best not to take the chance.
• Honey is a sugar, so do not eat jars full of it if you value your good health and want to maintain a healthy weight. It has a high caloric value and will put you on a sugar high and low.

To cook with honey or not: There is some controversy about cooking with honey, although I cannot substantiate it from all of my research about honey.

“…when honey is heated above 108 degrees Fahrenheit, it becomes transformed into a glue-like substance that is extremely difficult to digest. This substance is considered a toxin (ama), since it adheres to the tissues of the body and is very difficult to remove.” (quote from the Ayurveda Wellness Center)

That said, I am not convinced that we should not cook with honey, although I am not using it in most of my cooked recipes until I get to the bottom of this.

I love my homemade dandelion flower pancakes topped with these healthy syrups (below).

Herbal Infused Honeys to Make Yourself

• Author: Teresa O’Connor

One of my favorite ways to preserve edible flowers and herbs from the garden is to infuse them in honey.

These homemade, infused honeys are delicious and healthy treats for hot beverages and baked items like muffins and cakes.

Use your imagination when selecting ingredients for your infused honeys. Consider edible flowers like roses or lavender. Or, experiment with herbs like mint or lemon balm. I like a teaspoon of rose honey in my black tea, and I’ll drizzle peppermint honey over a fresh fruit salad.

For something different, try a few slivers of hot chili peppers and lime peel to spice up honey in a special way. The honey has a kick, and makes a nice grilling sauce for pork chops or sausages. Many herbs have proven antiseptic, antioxidant and antiviral properties, so they add health benefits – plus taste – to the honey too. Roses have long been cherished for their beauty, taste and nutritional benefits. Recent science shows roses (particularly the hips) are higher in Vitamin C pound-for-pound than oranges. Peppermint contains menthol, a plant component that helps relieve bronchial congestion and stomach indigestion.

Thyme features the phytochemical thymol, found in many mouthwashes and cough medicines. And lavender has long been used for relaxation, insomnia and headaches. Needless to say, all of these herbs –and more—would make wonderful infused honeys, especially when mixed with lemon and lime peels, or spices like cinnamon or cardamom.

When selecting honey, look for a high quality, local, raw honey (not pasteurized) from your local Co-op, health food store or farmer’s market. This honey is unstrained, unheated and unprocessed, so it contains healthy live enzymes and pollen. Most store brand honeys have all their pollen removed, unfortunately. If you can’t find raw honey, try an organic honey harvested without pesticides or pollutants.

Whatever honey you select, only use edible flowers and herbs not sprayed with pesticides or fungicides. Pick from the garden early in the morning, when they are freshest. Or, try your local farmer’s market or grocery store. For best results, pick plants that are unblemished and healthy looking.

Making Infused Honeys
There are two methods for making infused honeys. One works rather quickly. The other takes more time and patience, but delivers wonderful results. Let’s start with the slower way to make infused honey.

The Slow Way
1. Fill a clean, wide mouth, glass Mason jar with herbs or petals. (If you are using lavender, where a little goes a long way, fill ¼ of jar with petals. For hot chili peppers and lime peels, use just a few strips of each. For rose petals or herbs like peppermint, fill the jar.)
2. Add local, raw or organic honey to reach the lid rings on the Mason jar.
3. Mix well. Pop any air bubbles. Add a bit more honey, if necessary, so herbs are covered.
4. Close lid tightly, and clean sides with a wet cloth to remove any honey drops.
5. Label jars, so you’ll know their contents.
6. Let honey infuse in a warm, sunny spot for 2 to 3 weeks. (If you are using hot chili peppers, test honey after a couple of days. It may be hot enough!)
7. Turn jars upside down to stir honey every day.
8. When ready, strain honey through a fine mesh strainer. Discard solids.
9. Store strained honey in a tightly closed glass jar in a dark, cool place.
10. This honey should stay fresh for a couple years ... if it lasts that long around your house. Ours never does.

In a Hurry? Here’s a Faster Way
1. On very low heat, simmer 2 cups of honey and ¼ to ½ cups of herbs and flowers slowly in a cast iron or heavy bottomed pan. Gently bring it to almost a boil, and then remove it immediately from the heat. Be careful that you don’t allow your honey to boil, or you’ll lose the taste and health benefits.
2. Allow honey mixture to cool. For more flavor, repeat the first step again carefully. But do not overcook.
3. Strain honey using cheese cloth or a fine mesh screen. Then, pour honey into clean, glass jars with tight lids. Store in a dark, cool place away from direct sunlight.

Some Favorite Combinations to Try
Rose Petal Honey: Try alone, or with a sprig of mint. Infuse with entire jar of unsprayed rose petals.

Peppermint Lemon Honey: Made with peppermint leaves and a sliver of lemon peel (optional); remove the white part of peel. Fill an entire jar with herb leaves and a few slivers of lemon peel.

Hot Chili Honey: Infuse honey with 2 to 3 slivers of hot peppers and lime peel for a week. Start testing after a few days, so it doesn’t get too spicy. Drizzle over crackers with goat cheese, or on pork chops and grilled sausages.

Lavender Honey: Only fill ¼ of jar with lavender. Too much lavender can taste soapy. Delicious in hot teas, or when used in baking scones or cookies.
To make these honey labels, here’s a free source of printable mason jar labels. Have fun!

Herbal Infused Honey

“One of the Best of the Good, Clean and Fair Products in the United States.”                        – Slow Food Nation 2008

To make our Herbal Infused Honey we start with our own unique way of caring for bees.  We focus on the health of our bees instead of our bottom line.

• We do not use any chemicals in our hives or on our property.
• We do not “swap” hive bodies or otherwise disturb the integrity of the brood chamber
• We do not feed high fructose corn syrup or sugar water.  Instead we hold back a portion of our harvest each year specifically to feed the bees if needed.
• We smoke our bees very sparingly and only with fresh picked grass.
• We harvest once a year providing the best nutritive variety for our hives, but also the best allergy protection for our customers.
• We NEVER directly heat our honey.  We don’t even use a heated knife to harvest.  Our infusion process takes 1-3 months depending on the herb or herb combination and we use solar, lunar or cold infusion to create the final product

We like to encourage our customers to use our honeys in creative ways… something beyond tea and toast!  Many of you have been asking me to create a page like this for some time, so here it is!  Check out each Infusion below to see some of the ways they can be used:

  

Chamomile Infused Honey

Light and sweet.  Our Chamomile Infusion is the variety we generally suggest for people who are just starting out and not sure what they will think about an herbal infused honey.  It goes really nicely in a fruit salad, on fresh buttermilk biscuits or added to a fresh whipped cream.

 

Citrus Zing Infused Honey

Citrus Zing is a blend of orange and pepper.  It is a nice balance of citrus with a mild heat at the back of your throat on the finish.  When we developed this one we saw it married with shrimp or chicken.  Interestingly though, it is the honey most sought after by local mixologists…. this could just wind up  in a pretty interesting cocktail!

Coffee Infused Honey

We try to grow everything we use in our honey, but I just can’t do a coffee plantation.  This is done with a fair-trade, organic coffee blend that we worked out with a local brewmaster (Cafe Brioso in Columbus, Ohio).  I hate coffee, but I love this one just as much as our customers do!  Instead of the over-roasted flavor of most coffee drinks, you get the character of the bean. Fruity and floral notes mix with chocolate and caramel in an infusion that is easy to add to almost anything.  We’ve heard about customers adding this to waffles, pancakes, oatmeal, pork, beef, cocktails, ice cream, anything chocolate… We have actually had this honey analyzed for caffeine content.  If you’re concerned about that, you can rest assured that the amount this jar contains is technically “negligible”.

Lavender Infused Honey

Locally, this one is a big favorite.  There are other lavender infused honeys out there, but we harvest our lavender at the peak of medicinal potency.  The bitter notes this imparts balance so well with the complexity of our honey and makes our version truly unique.  Try our Lavender Infused Honey on fresh cut pears, or drizzled over scones.  It makes a pretty terrific salad dressing base as well when coupled with vinegar and oil!  Try a spoonful of this in your tea before bed or when you have a tension headache.

Lemon/Ginger/Garlic Infused Honey

Originally, this was lemon and garlic but the flavor profile was incomplete.  The ginger really marries the whole blend together and makes a really nice cold and flu tonic.  It goes well on fish, chicken or cheese, as a stir fry toss and also as a salad dressing base.

Honey Love

Mmmmm….. our aphrodisiac blend is truly something special! Damiana, rose petal, cinnamon and vanilla together with a complex honey… divine!  Try this over ice cream, chocolate, berries or apples, or use it as a simple syrup base for cocktails on your next date night.

Peppermint Infused Honey

Many people enjoy the warm quality of our Peppermint Infused Honey.  It is really nice on chocolate or vanilla ice cream, or in a summer fruit salad.  It is also a nice addition to a cold evening’s hot cocoa.

Rose Petal Infused Honey

When people ask me what my favorite variety is, I have to explain that I love them all or we wouldn’t sell them…. however, I must admit that lately I have leaned a little more toward the Rose Petal.  While it goes on apples and berries quite well, we recently discovered that on goat cheese it is heavenly.  You can’t beat an appetizer that is so simple, looks this great and tastes so amazing!!  We sell out of this faster than the roses can bloom!

 

Rosemary Infused Honey

I know we are heading into the holiday season when we get a run on the Rosemary Infusion.  This is delicious on chicken or cheese, and for some reason most of our customers turn their interest toward a more savory note come colder weather.  Rosemary has aspirin-like qualities and is a great addition to tea when you’re feeling under the weather.

Coffee Infused Honey

Our Coffee Infused Honey is full of the character of the bean, rather than a "roasted" flavor.

I developed this one a dare! Carson LOVES coffee and I hate it. I never understood why he and many of our other customers put our honey in their coffee. So, on the suggestion of a friend. I decided to experiment with infusing different organic, fair trade beans into that year's harvest.

All of my infusions take 1-3 months to complete. We do not use any heat in our process. Instead we use solar, lunar and cold infusion to gently work the flavor and phytochemical benefits out of the herb and into the honey. In the end, you receive the flavor and the benefit of the herb trapped inside our raw honey. We even had this one tested for caffeine content- don't worry, the amount is officially negligible. For those of you watching your caffeine intake there is less in our jar than there is in a generic tea bag! I make these infusions in small batches and I am constantly tasting each jar. When I feel that jar is complete, we stop the infusion and bottle it.... so, yes, I actually do love it even though I hate coffee... I have to love it, or we don't sell it!

Our Coffee Infused Honey is full of the character of the bean, rather than a "roasted" flavor. You will pick up hints of fruit and floral, but you will also enjoy chocolate and caramel notes. Drizzle some of this delectable nectar onto any chocolate dessert, try it on ice cream, waffles, pancakes, oatmeal... even on pork or beef!

Easy Infused Honey

Easy tutorial for infusing your own honey at home in two different ways.

Honey is a delicious and beneficial natural sweetener that can be added to enhance a wide variety of foods and dishes. It's mild flavor profile can also easily take on the delightful and welcome flavor of most herbs, spices, flowers, and fruit peels through the process of infusion. Infused honey also makes a great homemade gift for the friends and families in your life.

This Instructable will detail two ways to infuse your honey. The first technique is a "fast" infusion method utilizing heat. The second method is a "slow" infusion that uses time instead of heat. Each has it's own benefits, use whichever you feel more comfortable with. No matter which method you use, steps 1-5 are the same and should be followed for both fast and slow methods.

Step 1: Ingredients & Materials

You’ll need the following:

• Honey
• Herbs and Spices to Flavor*
• Tea Bags
• Honey Dipper**
• Double Boiler
• Glass Jars with Lids
• Zester/Grater
• Knife
• Cutting Board
• Measuring Cups

*NOTE: You can choose any herbs and spices that you’d like to infuse your honey with. For this Instructable I infused three different honey batches with Vanilla & Orange, Rosemary, and Hot Chili. Other combinations could include: Green Tea, Thyme, Lemon Zest, Sage, Allspice, Mint, Ginger, or any combination of the above. As always, get created. I would avoid fruit and stick to fruit zest if possible.

**OPTIONAL

Step 2: Sterilize Your Jars

Fill a large pot with water. Place your jars and their lids inside the pot, submerging them in the water. Bring to a boil and continue to boil for 10 minutes. This will clean and sterilize your jars before you put your infused honey in them, reducing the risk of bacteria. Allow your jars to cool while you start to infuse your honey.

Step 3: Wash

Wash any herbs or fruit you may be using under a steady stream of cold water. Allow your washed items to dry. This will prevent bacteria from getting into your new batch of honey. You'll also want to make sure that your herbs and/or fruit are completely dry 

before adding them to the honey, you don't want any water in your finished honey.

Step 4: Prepare & Chop

After your herbs or fruit have dried you can prepare them for infusion. I like to chop herbs and/or muddle my spices to release more of the aromatic flavors. You can use whole herb leaves, but you will need more of them for the infusion.

You can adapt the strength of the flavor in your infusion to your own personal preference. Add more spices/herbs for a stronger flavor and less of each for a milder flavor. Get creative! I used the following amounts for my infusions:

Vanilla & Orange Honey:

• 1/2 Cup of Grade A Honey
• Zest from 1/2 of a Large Organic Navel Orange
• 1/2 Chopped Vanilla Bean

Rosemary Honey:

• 1/2 Cup of Grade A Honey
• 2 Rosemary Sprigs Chopped (each sprig was roughly 4")

Hot Pepper Honey:

• 1/2 Cup of Grade A Honey
• 1 Thai Chili Chopped (can be substituted with other peppers)

Step 5: Tea Bags

You can steep your honey with loose herbs and spices but then you will have to strain your honey mixture at the end, or be okay with solids in your finished product. Instead, I prefer to place all of my herbs and spices for the infusion in a loose leaf tea bag. This will allow for the honey to soak in the aromatic flavors you've chosen, but also allow for easy removal when you are done.

For this step, place your prepared (chopped, muddled, or zested) herbs and spices in an empty loose leaf tea bag and twist the top to help the bag remained closed.

HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE OILS INFUSED WITH HERBS

Herbal infused homemade oils contain all the healing and healthy benefits of the herb used. These herbal oils can be used marinades, salad dressings and frying. Some can be used as a base for homemade salves, ointments, lotions, liniments or creams. They also make wonderful soap making oils, bath oils, massage oils, herbal rubs or a simple moisturizer. With the simple skill of making infused oils you'll be able to make a wonderful variety of homemade gifts for everyone on your list!

For making culinary oils choose herbs with wonderful flavors such as rosemary, thyme, basil, garlic, peppers, peppercorns, parsley, juniper berries, cloves, etc.

For medicinal or beauty oils pick your herbs accordingly. Lavender smells wonderful and also has relaxing and anti-inflammatory properties so it would make a great massage or bath oil. Arnica, plantain, goldenseal, comfrey and solomons seal are just a few of the herbs that have great healing abilities. These are great choices for herbal rubs or as an oil base for a healing salve.

You also have a choice as to which natural vegetable oil to use as a carrier oil for your herbal oil infusion. It's really a matter of preference but a good cold pressed virgin olive oil is a great choice for both medicinal and kitchen oils. Click here to learn more about natural plant oils.

There's several ways to make oil infusions but it's said that the superior way to get the most benefits from the herbs used is the cold fusion method.

COLD INFUSED HOMEMADE OILS

1. Gather herbs or flowers. When using fresh herbs you'll need enough to fill your jar. You'll also want to let your herbs sit out in a single layer overnight to wilt. You must make sure the herbs are completely dry before starting your herbal oil. Any moisture will cause your oil to go rancid or mold. Though fresh herbs are best dried will work also.
2. Tear or crush the herbs then lightly pack into a clean, sterilized glass jar. For fresh herbs, fill the jar. For dried herbs, fill the jar about 1/3 full.
3. Pour your high quality cold pressed, virgin olive oil (or other natural plant oil) over the herbs.
4. Stir lightly to get rid of any air bubbles!
5. Cap jar and make sure you label it. Place jar in a small bowl in case of overflow. Should this happen stir your infusion again to get rid of air bubbles.
6. Store your jar in a cool, dark place (out of direct sunlight!) for two to six weeks. For kitchen use just taste your oil until the flavor is where you want it. If your making a medicinal oil it's recommended that you infuse for six weeks. MAKE SURE YOU DON'T GO ANY LONGER THAN SIX WEEKS OR YOUR OIL MAY GO RANCID!
7. After six weeks strain out the herbs through cheese cloth, twice if you have to, then pour into a clean, sterile bottle or jar. Infused oils that your going to eat should be stored in the refrigerator.

QUICK METHODS OF MAKING INFUSED HOMEMADE OILS

NOTE: The following methods are best suited for oil infusions to be used externally.

1. OVEN INFUSED HOMEMADE OILS - Place your herbs in an oven safe dish and cover with the natural oil of your choice. Cover the dish and place in the oven at 200 degrees or the lowest possible setting your oven has. Cook for three hours. While it's still warm, strain through cheese cloth and squeeze the oil from the herbs. Pour the oil into a sterile bottle or jar.

2. STOVE TOP INFUSED OILS - Using a double boiler, GENTLY simmer oil and herbs for 2 hours. Strain through cheese cloth. For a stronger infusion repeat using the same oil and fresh herbs.

3. CROCK POT INFUSED HOMEMADE OILS - This method can only be used if your crock pot has a "warm" or very low setting! This works great for infusing several oils at once. Fill your sterile pint jars with your herbs and oils. Place the jars in the crock pot and cook on low for eight hours. You can do up to 5 different oils at once with this method depending on the size of your crock pot!

TIP: Add 1/2 teaspoon of Vitamin E (per pint) to your beauty and medicinal oils to preserve them. You could also try using 15 drops of grapefruit seed extract.

HERBAL INFUSED RECIPE FOR BABY OIL

This is a wonderful body oil either for baby or yourself! Soothing, pampering and all natural!

• 1 ounce chamomile
• 1/2 ounce calendula
• 1/2 ounce rose petals
• 1 pint sweet almond oil

Read more: http://www.healing-from-home-remedies.com/homemade-oils.html#ixzz3Uuue7dxl
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