▲

Bees are some of the most fascinating creatures on Earth, especially since they've been hard at work making honey for millions of years. They fly thousands of miles and visit millions of flowers, but an average worker bee still only produces about 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its short life span. So put that hard work to good use!

Instead of letting your honey sit at the back of your cupboard, discover the plethora of ways it can be used, and save money along the way.

▲Heat up a mixture of honey, sugar, and lemon juice. Wait for it cool down a little and then apply some to your skin, followed by strips of cotton. Rip the strips off, and you’re done!

▲Due to honey’s high fructose levels, a spoonful of honey (preferably in a cup of tea) helps your body digest alcohol faster, preventing a hangover or helping it disappear quickly.

▲Honey’s sweetness can be a substitute for sugar, and since honey is a humectant (it attracts and holds water molecules) cookies, cakes, and pastries will stay softer. Plus, you can use less since it’s sweeter than sugar!

▲If you have lasting scars, say from acne, rub on a mixture of equal parts raw honey and coconut or olive oil, then cover the area with a warm washcloth for 15 minutes. Honey stimulates tissue regeneration and can fade scars!

▲Honey’s antibacterial properties are useful in taking down halitosis, or bad breath. Gargle a mixture of one teaspoon of honey, 1/8 teaspoon of cinnamon, and half a cup of warm water to keep things fresh.

▲Mixed with carrot juice (another eyesight helper), honey is reputed to help soothe your eyes, either from conjunctivitis, glaucoma, or just exhaustion from too much screen time.

▲Dabbing honey onto a wound helps encourage healing and prevent bacterial growth, as honey can act as an antibiotic. The darker the honey, the stronger its antibacterial properties.

▲Some naturopathic doctors claim the trace amounts of pollen in honey can act like an inoculation, helping the body produce antibodies to combat full-blown allergies.

▲Due to honey’s glucose and fructose, the simple sugars directly enter the bloodstream, providing a short-term energy boost, which is especially useful for marathoners and endurance athletes.

▲If you suffer from a dry scalp, rub a mixture of 90% honey to 10% warm water into your hair and leave it for three hours. You should find it less itchy and flaky within a week’s time.

▲Many Asian sauces are based on the balance of sweet, salty, and bitter flavors, and adding honey instead of sugar will add a richer sweetness while also helping emulsify the sauce.

▲Honey is not only more nutritious, but it also contains just 300 calories per 100 grams.

▲Dieting can be sweet(er)! Honey can boost metabolism, and when paired with green tea (which also boosts metabolism), it’s a doubly sweet diet aide.

▲If you struggle with falling asleep, honey can help. The sugars release serotonin, a feel-good neurotransmitter, which the body then converts into melatonin, a vital chemical that regulates sleep.

▲Hiccups can happen to any of us at any inopportune time. Thankfully, having a teaspoon of honey can bring this inconvenient bodily spasm to an end.

▲Honey naturally contains hydrogen peroxide, helping make wounds sterile in less time, while also speeding up healing and preventing too much scarring.

▲Dry or chapped lips in the winter months are a nuisance usually treated with expensive lip balms, but why not make your own? A mixture of honey, beeswax, cocoa butter, vitamin E, and olive oil will keep your lips happy.

▲Save those fresh summer berries for a winter treat by canning them with a 1:10 mixture of honey and water.

▲Most facial cleansers are rife with chemicals, but honey's antibiotic properties, which clear off dead skin cells and remove bacteria, are 100% natural. Just mix honey with coconut oil in a 1:2 formula and use like a standard facial scrub.

▲The antibacterial and antifungal properties found in honey also help fight acne, while the moisturizing properties keep your skin glowing.

▲Pregnancy pain is inevitable, but instead of loading up on medication, try honey mixed with milk to help relieve heartburn, morning sickness, and excessive stomach acid—especially before bed!

▲For exfoliated and younger-looking skin: mix one cup of honey in one cup of boiled water, then add it to two cups of milk. Run a bath and add three tablespoons of baking soda and half a cup of sea salt, then add the honey mixture right before stepping inside.

▲Many studies find that raw honey can help soothe gastroenteritis and shorten the duration of acute diarrhea, particularly when paired with ginger. Honey should not, however, be given to infants younger than 12 months.

▲Composed of carbs, water, and important vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, honey can help the body both absorb calcium (a necessary mineral for thought processing) and prevent cellular damage (which leads to the decline of memory).

▲There’s a reason why many cough drops have honey! Some tests have even compared honey with common cough suppressants, and found honey to reduce nighttime cough better than medicine.

▲If you’re worried about a nuclear apocalypse, stock up on honey! Honey famously never goes bad. Even crystallized honey found in Egyptian pyramids was heated to a more viscous state and was still perfectly edible.

▲The enzymes found in the sweet substance facilitate digestion and sooth all those gut pains.

▲Honey with lemon helps fight flu and colds, partly due to the high levels of vitamin C.

▲Craft a low-cost tonic by mixing honey, apple cider vinegar, and water, which can kill intestinal parasites.

▲Honey can be useful in combating acid reflux. Simply swallow a spoonful, allowing it to coat the throat.

▲Combine honey and a bit of warm water to make a cheap, natural shaving cream. The viscosity of honey helps prevent razor burn and helps moisturize the skin. If you want to get fancy, you can add olive oil, liquid soap, and essential oils.

▲

Dry skin funds a billion-dollar moisturizing industry, but ditch the high price tags and chemicals by using honey! Rub it on any particularly dry spots after showering, and wipe it off with a warm washcloth after 15-30 minutes. No more rhino skin!

▲

Especially useful with children, rinsing the infected area with a mixture of honey and water helps cure pink eye by removing the bacteria.

Check out these common kitchen ingredients with natural healing properties.