Honey is a great ingredient to use in everything from muffins to salad dressings. The reason why it’s such a versatile and useful cooking ingredient lies in the fact that it’s a humectant. Humectants are substances that keep the mixtures to which they are added moist. They also work as preservatives to prevent foods from going rancid or drying out prematurely.

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When making processed foods, factories often use humectants such as glycerin and PEG. While both of these compounds keep foods moist and preserve them, they are not necessarily the best for your health. One of the best reasons to make more foods at home is that you can use natural ingredients, such as raw honey from Hawaii, to preserve your food and keep it moist. Raw honey is full of nutrition, which makes it a much healthier choice than artificial preservatives in store-bought baked goods.

Honey can be used in any number of homemade foods, including:

• Cake and muffin recipes. Not only does it add sweetness, but it also keeps these products moist and delicious for days.
• Salad dressing recipes. The honey will help emulsify the dressing, so that the oil does not separate from the other ingredients. It will also act as a preservative, so you can safely store your leftover dressing in the fridge for later use.
• Marinades for meats: Adding a touch of honey to your marinade will add a little hint of sweetness to your meat. It will also help keep your meat moist during grilling or broiling.

Our raw honey from Hawaii is 100% natural. It’s obtained from bees that are given access to a wide array of blossoms, which results in very complex and enjoyable flavors. Visit Hawaii’s Local Buzz to order honey, macadamia nuts, coffee and more.