Honey is a popular sweetener throughout the world. According to an Associated Marketing survey conducted for the National Honey Board in 1997, almost 77 % of U.S. households use honey along with other sweeteners and syrups and 45 % of them consider honey a good value because it is “natural/good for you/better for you than sugar.”
BENEFITS OF HONEY
1. Nature’s Energy Booster
The benefits of honey go beyond its great taste. A great natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies, honey is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue of athletes. Its natural sugars play an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar. So, to experience these health benefits of honey, here are a few tips for you:
1. Next time before you go for a workout, take a spoon of honey to enable you to go for the extra mile.
2. If you are feeling low and lethargic in the morning, instead of reaching out for a can of carbonated energy drink , try honey. Spread it on hot toast or replace the sugar in your tea with it for a refreshing surge of energy.
3. If your kids are finding hard to cope with the physical strain from the buzzing activities at school, prepare them a honey drink (National Honey Board), some sandwiches with honey, butter and ham to make sure they have enough energy to sustain through the day. And for optimal sleep and recovery cycle at night, give your child a spoonful of honey before sleep on a daily basis. They may not care a bit about the health benefits of honey now, but will be grateful and love what you do for them when they grow up! More in: Hibernation Honey for Kids.
2. Immunity System Builder
Amongst the many health benefits of honey, what is most impressive to me is that honey can be a powerful immune system booster. It’s antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help improve digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease. Start every brand new day with this cleansing tonic if you want to see this health benefit of honey: before breakfast, mix a spoonful of honey and lemon juice from half a lemon into a cup of warm water and drink it.
3. Honey is Anti-Cancer!
Can honey help fight cancer? What many people don’t think enough of or have overlooked is – honey possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumour properties! There are now more and more studies pointing to the potential role of honey in the prevention and the progression of tumor and cancer.
4. Honey Remedy for Ailments
- FOR CUTS AND BURNS:
For thousands of years, honey has been recognized as one of the most natural home remedies to treat a wide range of ailments and complaints including yeast infection, athlete foot, and arthritis pain. Its antiseptic properties inhibits the growth of certain bacteria and helps keep external wounds clean and free from infection. Honey has been used as a natural cure in first aid treatment for wounds, burns and cuts as it is able to absorb moisture from the air and promote healing. Its antibacterial properties prevent infection and functions as an anti-inflammatory agent, reducing both swelling and pain, and even scarring. It is widely believed that UMF Manuka is the preferred honey for wound dressing due to its strong antibacterial property. - FOR HANGOVERS:
When you get a hangover from drinking too much alcohol, combat its effects by applying honey remedy. Honey is gentle on the stomach and contains a mix of natural sugars such fructose which is known to speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver, acting as a ‘sobering’ agent. Follow this recipe: 15ml of liquid honey with 80ml of orange juice and 70ml of natural yogurt. Blend them together until smooth. - FOR SORE THROATS:
One of the better known health benefits of honey is that it is able to help treat sore throats. Thanks to its antimicrobial properties, honey not only soothes throats but can also kill certain bacteria that causes the infection. Professional singers commonly use honey to soothe their throats before performances. The Chinese believe that excess “heartiness” in the body causes sore throat and taking honey drink can be helpful. Direction: Take a spoonful of honey to soothe the inflammation or gargle with a mixture of two tablespoons of honey, four tablespoons of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Personally, whenever I have a sore throat or cough, I especially like to take warm water mixed with Manuka UMF honey which is well-known for its anti-bacterial healing properties. - For SLEEPLESSNESS:
Unable to sleep? Use the famous Milk and Honey Remedy. Take a glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of honey to calm the soul and induce sleep. Or, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey to a cup of chamomile tea and sip.
Overall, honey has a positive profile with nearly 62 % of users “especially liking” it for its taste and flavor, 24 % because it is natural and 16 % because it is good for you. From ancient times, honey was not only used as a natural sweetener but also as a healing agent. Many health-promoting and curative properties attributed to it are the basis for some traditional folk medicine treatments throughout the world today.
From ancient times, honey was not only used as a natural sweetener but also as a healing agent. Honey was prescribed for a variety of uses including baldness, contraception and as a wound treatment. Frequently honey was mixed with herbs, grains, and other botanicals. Uses that have continued into modern folk medicine include treatment for coughs and sore throats, lotus honey for eye diseases in India, infected leg ulcers in Ghana, ear aches in Nigeria, topical treatment of measles in the eyes to prevent corneal scaring, gastric ulcers and constipation.
The past two decades have brought a resurgence of interest in learning more about antimicrobial and wound healing properties of honey. Studies conducted in various parts of the world indicate the following: