I have an on and off relationship with honey. Given how much I know about the health benefits of honey, one would think that the relationship should be better than that.
There are times when I believe the reason I hardly ever fall ill is mostly down to consuming honey and other natural foods. Honey though, must be at the top of the list of foods responsible for my robust health.
For those who don’t know, honey is produced by bee when they regurgitate the nectar they ingest from all those flowers we use in decorating our homes, events and gardens. This honey contains over 500 important chemical substances.
Working together, these substances are part of a potent and useful cocktail that are responsible for these health benefits.
You would miss the health benefits of honey if you don’t know to spot fake from real. Yes, there are fake honey being sold to the public.
I understand the peddlers of fake honey make it by cooking/heating sugar to make it golden brown like honey. Then they add just enough water and flavors to give the fluid the texture and flavor of honey.
So be careful about where you get your honey.
So let’s get right down to the health benefits of honey. You would be surprised these common and natural food has so many benefits to the human body. It is almost the perfect food.
Health Benefits of Honey
1.for throat infections and cough
Several studies have shown that honey is very effective in relieving people of cough, throat irritations and infections.
It is especially good for children who are suffering from cough and are finding it difficult to get a good night’s rest. A tablespoon of honey for the kid is as effective as the best cough syrup in the market.
2.For wounds and burns
Applying honey to wounds and burns on the skin has the effect of aiding the healing process very fast.
Studies attribute this to the antibacterial properties of honey. This, coupled with the presence of simple sugars, help in drying up wounds and burns thereby accelerating the process of healing.
3.Benefits to the immune system
Because of the presence of several anti-toxins and and other substances like flavonoids, honey stimulates the production of immune cells. This directly has the affect of boosting the bodies immunity.
4.It is good for diabetics
The fact that honey is sweet has no correlation with the white sugars being sold in shops. Honey is a natural sweetener that contains an equal amount of fructose and glucose.
These two simple sugars help the body regulate the blood sugar levels in the body. This is of immense help for diabetes patient whose body might fight it difficult to regulate sugars optimally.
5. In Ayurveda and Other Alternative Medicine
This form of medicine which is common in far eastern countries especially India recognize and understand the immense health benefits of honey.
Ayurvedic medicine utilize honey for:
a.improving vision and other eye-related problems
b.helping people with weight challenges
c.It is used in men to cure impotence and tackle premature ejaculation problems
d.Honey is also used in Ayurvedic medicine to treat urinary tract infections, diarrhea, asthma and acute nausea.
6.Maintains high energy levels in the body
Several studies have shown that honey is very effective in maintaining glycogen levels in the body for those involved in physical activities.
That is why ancient athletes habitually ate honey to improve their performance.
Honey also has the added advantage of reducing recovery time for athletes.
7.For intestinal problems
Honey is known to be highly antibacterial because of an enzyme in honey that aids the production of hydrogen peroxide.
Research shows that this can be used to effectively treat stomach and intestinal problems like ulcers and so many other gastrointestinal anomalies.
8.Prevention of cancers and heart diseases
Like earlier stated, honey contains flavonoids and many antioxidants. Together they provide one of the most important health benefits to the human body: in the prevention of heart diseases and cancer.
Taking honey regularly would seriously reduced the risk of contracting these two major health problems.
Apart from these health benefits of honey, it has so many other uses as well. Perhaps, in the next update about honey, we would look at some amazing things you can do with honey.
It is because of the multi-functional nature of honey that some might refer to it as the ultimate natural substance known to man.
One of the good things about honey is that it has a very long shelf life. Basically, a bowl of honey, even without putting it in the fridge, can easily outlive you without getting spoilt or losing its taste.
It is awesome like that
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Cheers.
