Students buzzed with interest as Winnie the Pooh’s favorite food became the subject of better living.

Holistic Health and Wellness Week continued Wednesday morning with a discussion on local raw honey and its benefits to the mind and body. Red Bennett, owner of Bennett’s Honey Farm in Filmore, spoke to students on the various uses of honey.

“Honey can be applied to many different aspects in life,” said Bennett. “It’s tremendously good for your health.”

According to Bennett’s wife Ann, honey is great for use on beauty needs and wounds. The anti-microbial properties in certain honeys can mend surgical incisions that never fully healed.

Bee stings have also been known to temporarily treat ailments such as arthritis and multiple sclerosis. The leftover beeswax from honey extraction can also be used for making candles and cosmetics.

“All honey has anti-microbial and antibacterial properties,” said Ann. “It’s an excellent beauty aid. Use it as a facial or scrub and it’ll remove dead skin and calluses.”

The most common use for honey is as a substitute for chemically-altered syrups, said Bennett. Honey provides a quick source of energy and contains a wide array of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

“The concept of honey is that it’s just another sweetener but it’s not,” he said.  “It’s a healthy alternative to any sweeteners available in the market.”

Bennett’s Honey Farm was recently featured on the History Channel’s “Food Tech” program, which shows viewers how commercial food is produce. In the clips that Bennett shared, host Bobby Bognar took a behind-the-scenes tour of Bennett’s Honey Farm, learning the ins and outs of working with over 40 million bee employees.

Bennett concluded his discussion by sharing various types of honey with the audience. Things got sticky and sweet as students happily sucked on honey sticks and sampled spoonfuls of jarred honey.

For more information on the benefits of raw honey, visit http://www.honey.com/ and http://www.bennetthoney.com/.