©iStockphoto.com/bhofack2

Your gut is home to a large population of beneficial bacteria known as bifidobacteria, which help you break down your food and absorb certain nutrients. In order to keep your gut healthy (and enjoy overall good health), it is necessary to keep these bifidobacteria healthy. That can be achieved by providing these bacteria with non-digestible dietary components called prebiotics. We have exciting news for all of you honey lovers out there — honey is a great source of prebiotics that keep your gut healthy.

A study by the National Honey Board investigated how bifidobacteria reacted to exposure to honey. Several different strains of this bacteria, all of which are naturally found in the gut, were exposed to solutions of honey for a period of four weeks. Control groups of the same bacteria were exposed to another sweetener. At the end of the four week period, the investigators examined the growth of the bacteria, and they found that for most strains, growth was enhanced by the presence of honey.

In a second set of tests, the investigators found that for some strains of bacteria, honey enhanced their growth even better than commercially available prebiotic supplements. The investigators suspect that two specific factors in the honey, known as inulin and fructooligosaccharides (go ahead — say that three times fast!), are responsible for these effects.

So, as if you didn’t have reason enough to enjoy honey before, now you do! Adding our raw honey from Hawaii to your tea or coffee, spreading a bit on your toast, or using it on your baked goods does more than provide you with a sweet taste sensation — it strengthens your gut bacteria.

Visit Hawaii’s Local Buzz to discover our all-natural, locally produced, raw honey from Hawaii. Our honeys vary throughout the seasons as the bees feast on nectar from different flowers.