I’ll bet at one time or another someone told you to nurse a cold with some hot tea and honey. While it might sound like an old wives’ tale that well-meaning advice giver picked up from his or her grandmother, Grandma may have actually been on to something. That’s because natural honey has a surprising number of health benefits.

Here are just some of the reasons, according to the National Honey Board, you might want to toss the sugar substitutes and sweeten life up with a little bit of honey instead:

1.        Honey is a natural humectant, meaning it attracts and maintains moisture. That’s why you’ll find so many skin products containing honey. Slather some on during the dry winter months or to soothe minor itching, irritation or sunburn. Best of all, honey is an anti-irritating agent so it won’t aggravate sensitive skin.

2.       Honey’s unique carbohydrate composition provides natural energy for athletes. Consumed prior to exercise, honey can “help maintain blood glucose levels and prevent premature fatigue.” Enjoy a cup of honey-sweetened tea or juice prior to Bootcamping for some extra stamina to make it through your workout.

3.       Honey is a natural throat soother; hence the tea with honey advice. It turns out, however, that a spoonful of honey taken straight is the best natural remedy. That’s because it coats the throat, reducing coughs and relieving irritation. For an extra cold-fighting boost, mix honey with a citrus fruit juice that’s high in vitamin C, like orange juice, lemon juice or grapefruit juice.

4.       Honey has a high antioxidant composition. It “contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals. Generally, darker honeys have higher antioxidant content than lighter honeys.”

5.       Honey is naturally fat free and has trace amounts of essential vitamins and minerals, “including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.”