Health & Nutritional Benefits of Honey:- Honey is a natural ingredient used for its sweetness, energy and potential health benefits. It is mainly used for human consumption (but also in some cosmetics) either as pure honey or as an ingredient in other food products such as desserts, cereals and juices.
The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly, giving an immediate energy boost, while the fructose provides sustained energy since it is absorbed more slowly. Honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant in comparison to other types of sugar. Below are the general health & nutritional benefits of honey:
The different types of honey
There are over 300 different types of honey worldwide. They differ in colour, aroma and flavour depending on the plant source where bees collect nectar. Some of the most well-known types of honey are manuka and acacia honey.
Honey can be broadly categorised into raw and processed honey. When honey gets extracted from the beehive, it usually gets strained to remove wax and other non-honey particles. It is then available in its raw honey form which can be further heated and bottled to be available as processed honey, the form which is most commonly available in supermarkets. The heating and bottling process removes potential pathogens, but also the vitamins and antioxidants present in raw honey.
15 Surprising Nutritional & Health Benefits of Honey
1. Reduces insomnia- Taking a tablespoon of honey before bedtime can help you get restful of sleep.
2. Accelerates Ulcer treatment- Consuming 1 to 2 teaspoon a day on an empty stomach, diminishes pain, and assist in the ulcer healing process.
3. Helps in cough and throat irritation– During cold seasons, add two tablespoonsful to hot tea with lemon to keep cases of flu and sore throats at bay.
4. Reduces eczema and acne infections- Honey kills the bacteria causing acne and eczema amongst other skin infections; apply on the affected area, wait for 30 minutes then rinse with warm water. You can also use it as a moisturizer and a nourisher.
5. Suitable for body balance- Enhances eyesight, helps in weight loss, reduces urinary tract disorders, bronchial asthma, diarrhea, and nausea.
6. Honey for Hangover- Hangovers are intolerable when you cannot move and want to sleep all day. Honey is the best remedy. Add 1 tablespoon of honey to 1 cup of yogurt, and thank me later.
7. Increases athletic performance- Put two tablespoonfuls in water drink before or after workouts. It has been proven to work better than the rest energy boosts, for it is low in sugar.
8. Ease in blood sugar control- Honey contains the combinations found in fructose and glucose that helps the body to handle blood sugar levels.
9. Treats allergy- Honey has anti-inflammatory agents that help minimize allergy symptoms like nose bleeding sneezing nose and itchy skin.
10. Enhances the immune system- Honey has antibacterial and antioxidant agents that allow the body to be at its most functional state.
11. Brain booster- The antioxidant in honey helps the brain to be at its optimal state. Honey has calcium that helps the brain as well.
12. Cures Dandruff and scalp irritation- Add honey to water, apply on scalp and leave for an hour or two. Apply every day for effective results.
13. Helps in Herpes- Buying medicine to heal cure herpes is shameful; people infected with herpes grow sores that emit fluids. Honey contains antibacterial agents that help the sores heal quickly.
14. Increases sex drive-Low libido is always bad news. Honey assists men produce testosterone; as for women, it assists with estrogen levels. Next time you are not in the mood to have sex, I recommend you drink warm lemon water mixed with honey. Science shows that honey can give people more stimulation in the bedroom.
15. Heals Yeast infection in Women- Women get yeast infections from menstruation, antibiotics consumption, soap sensitivity, bad hygiene, and so on. Signs range from vaginal irritation to a white discharge with a smell from the vagina. Clean the vagina, then mix honey with plain yogurt, apply on the surface and around the vagina area, wait for 10 minutes, then wipe with a clean damp cloth. Do this in the morning and before bedtime. The ratio is two tablespoons of honey to 1 tablespoon of plain yogurt.
Health Benefit Of Honey
Here are seven things you probably didn’t know about honey
1. It’s sweeter than sugar
Per teaspoon, honey contains 20 calories, 5 grams of sugar and no fat. Granulated sugar has 15 calories, 4 grams of sugar and no fat per teaspoon. Honey is slightly sweeter, so you can use a bit less — so the calories probably are about equivalent to granulated sugar when you account for using less honey.
2. It may help with weight control
We almost always recommend that people buy the plain version of foods and sweeten them themselves using a natural sweetener, so they’re able to control the amount of added sugar. But be sure to consume no more than 6 teaspoons (2 tablespoons) of honey per day, and that’s if it’s the ONLY added sugar you’re eating. If you’re getting sugar from other sources, make sure your total sugar intake does not top 6 teaspoons.
3. It may help beat hangovers
Fructose speeds up the oxidation of alcohol in the liver. Honey is roughly equal parts glucose and fructose, so it has the potential to cause this reaction. However, studies that looked at honey’s ability to increase alcohol metabolism are using about 2 ounces of honey (8 tablespoons) per 25 grams of alcohol, which would be about 480 calories worth of honey. We wouldn’t recommend consuming that many calories worth of honey in one day.
4. It contains antioxidants
Some types of honey have been found to contain antioxidants (the darker the honey the more antioxidants it typically contains), which can help fight cell damage that may increase the risk for diseases like cancer, heart disease, etc. However, in order to really pack an antioxidant punch, you’d have to consume more than a teaspoon or two of honey; the American Heart Association recommends that most women consume no more than 25 grams or (6 teaspoons) of total added sugar per day (that’s about 100 calories worth). While a teaspoon used here and there can provide a small antioxidant bonus, we’d recommend getting antioxidants from more nutritious sources, like fruits and veggies.
5. It may help fight cancer
Preliminary studies on mice show that some types of honey may inhibit cancer cell growth. So far, studies have only been done in mice, so that can’t be translated with certainty to humans.
6. It may help heal your cuts and burns
Some research shows that the topical application of honey on minor to moderate wounds may speed up healing.
7. It may ease coughs
Small studies found that children’s coughs decreased with given honey. (And it certainly feels soothing going down when your throat is raw from hacking.)
