Honey as Rasayana
Raw unfiltered honey is considered the ideal Sweet food and the best vehicle for therapeutic and rejuvenating substances in Ayurveda.
Honey: The Perfect Sweet
Honey is made of pollen — the sperm of plants. Plant Shukra increases human Shukra according to the principle like increases like. Honey is therefore innately rejuvenating.
Honey is in addition a pre-digested food (thanks to the bees) and it can enter any part of the body without having to be first digested. It can also do this for any medicine mixed with it, which is why it is valued as the best of all vehicles for therapeutic and rejuvenating substances.
Mixing raw, unfiltered honey into your herbal tea allows honey to act as a vehicle for the active principles of the herb. Because honey is made poisonous by heating, it should be added after the tea is brewed and has cooled to the temperature at which you will drink it.
In honor of its position as the ideal Sweet food, honey is called madhu in Sanskrit. Madhu means perfection of Sweet, in contrast to madhura, which refers to Sweet that must be first digested before it can give its Sweetness to ahamkara. All other physical substances are merely madhura; only honey is madhu.
Source: Prakriti: Your Ayurvedic Constitution, Chapter Eight: Rejuvenation
Medical Disclaimer: The information on this page is for educational purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Ayurvedic treatments should be pursued under the guidance of a qualified practitioner (BAMS/MD Ayurveda). Always consult your healthcare provider before starting any new treatment. Content is sourced from classical Ayurvedic texts and may not reflect the latest medical research.