Did you know September is National Honey Month? It’s time to buzz about honey bees’ sweet contributions to our lives and food supply! Imagine not having our favorite fruits and vegetables like avocados, carrots, apples and cherries. That could be our reality if we didn’t have the honey bees and beekeepers who play a vital role in maintaining our ecosystem, including pollinating a third of the world’s food. Yes, you read that right — a third! When you purchase and use honey day-to-day, you’re not only adding a touch of all-natural sweetness, you’re also helping to support the honey bees and beekeepers who maintain our ecosystem. And, the culinary uses for honey are endless! This wholesome sweetener can elevate any dish and enhance flavors from sweet, sour, bitter, salty and savory. Consider some of the different ways you can use honey today:

Breakfast — Adding honey to the most important meal of the day sweetens your day and provides additional fuel to help you last through the day! Eating oats can help lower your cholesterol and adding honey can make them even more delicious. Try adding honey to your yogurt – research has found that this combination supports probiotic enrichment for a healthy gut!

Salad Dressing — An easy but delicious way to take your salads up a notch is by adding honey! According to research funded by the National Honey Board, the combination of adding honey to a vinaigrette for a leafy green salad or a whole grain salad could help 98% of adult Americans eat a more Mediterranean-style diet.

Smoothies — Honey is a perfect addition to smoothies, as it offers the ideal balance to the bitterness of kale, spinach and ginger, common smoothie ingredients. Sweetening your smoothie with honey can add additional nutrients, as honey has trace amounts of 35 different naturally-occurring vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and amino acids.

Baked Goods — Honey is also an all-natural sweetener for baking recipes, such as banana bread, muffins and rolls. Just remember, when substituting honey for granulated sugar in recipes, start by substituting honey for up to half of the sugar called for in the recipe. For baked goods, reduce the oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning; reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.

For more delicious ways to add honey to your diet and ways to support the honey bees this National Honey Month, visit http://honeysaveshives.com or honey.com.