Health Benefits Of Honey

Health Benefits Of Honey

1. HEALTH BENEFITS
OF HONEY

2. •Honey is a delicious viscous sweetener made naturally by bees for their
own nourishment. Its flavor and texture vary with the type of flower
nectar from which it was made. While the most commonly available
honeys are made from clover, alfalfa, acacia flowers and lime flowers,
honey can be made from a variety of different flowers, including thyme
and lavender. Honey comes in a range of colors including white, amber,
red, brown and almost black. Color of honey is a very useful tool to
judge its quality. Light colored honey is more valued than dark colored
honey as the former has a delicate flavor. It is also believed that
polyfloral honey provides more benefits than monofloral honey.

3. Natural honey has been used by
mankind since the past 2,500
years, all over the world, both as a
food and as a medicine.
Apiculture, the practice of
beekeeping to produce honey,
dates back to at least 700 years
BC. For many centuries, honey
was regarded as sacred due to its
wonderfully sweet properties as
well as its rarity. It was used
mainly in religious ceremonies to
pay tribute to the gods, as well as
to embalm the deceased. Honey
was also used for a variety of
medicinal and cosmetic purposes.
For a long time in history, its use
in cooking was reserved only for
the wealthy since it was so
expensive that only they could
afford it.

4. •The prestige of honey continued for millennia until - the
"discovery" of refined sugar made from sugar cane or
sugar beets. Once these became more widely available,
they were in great demand since they provided a
relatively inexpensive form of sweetening. With their
growing popularity, honey became displaced by sugar
for culinary use. Since then, although honey is still used
for sweetening, much of its use has become focused on
its medicinal properties and its use in confectionary.
•What makes honey so popular? It is the easy with which
it can be consumed. One can eat honey directly, put it
on bread like a jam, mix it with juice or any drink instead
of sugar, or mix it with warm water, lime juice, cinnamon
and other herbs to make a medicine. It is savored by all
due to its taste as well as health benefits. While the
numerous health benefits of honey have made it an
important aspect of traditional medicines such as
Ayurveda, scientists are also researching the benefits of
honey in modern medicine, especially in healing
wounds.

5. Among the health benefits of honey are included the
following:
•1. Honey is an excellent sweetener: Sugar can be substituted
with honey in many food and drinks. Honey contains about
69% glucose and fructose enabling it to be used as a
sweetener.
•Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose
metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver
fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to
glucose. Fructose "unlocks" the enzyme from the liver cell's
nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into
glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and
muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is
essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping
and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are
insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones -
adrenalin and cortisol - in order to convert muscle protein into
glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced
when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available
during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose
metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk
for cardiovascular disease and obesity.

6. • Experimental evidence indicates that consumption of
honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin
sensitivity compared to other sweeteners. The body's
tolerance to honey is significantly better than to sucrose or
glucose alone. Individuals with greater glucose intolerance
like those with mild diabetes and Type 1 diabetes, showed
significantly better tolerance to honey than sucrose.
•British researchers have discovered that honey slows the
oxidation of 'bad' LDL cholesterol, which is responsible for
causing arteriosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. Pure
honey taken with food daily (instead of white sugar)
relieves complains of cholesterol. This is beneficial for
those of old age, sufferers of heart-disease, diabetes, high-
blood pressure, stroke and others.
•Although honey is sweet, it helps to maintain and protect
teeth! Its anti-microbial activity has been tested on several
species of dental plaque bacteria. Studies show that honey
has been proven to sharply reduce acid production, thus
killing the bacteria responsible for dental caries, and
blocking the growth of oral bacteria.

7. •2. Honey is an energy source: Honey is also used by many as a source
of energy as it provides about 64 calories per tablespoon. One
tablespoon of sugar will give you about 50 calories. Further the sugars
in honey can be easily converted into glucose by even the most
sensitive stomachs.
•Honey is a source of complex carbohydrates
•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 fruit 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. Honey facilitates in maintaining
blood sugar levels, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration
after a workout.
•Studies at the University of Memphis Exercise and Sports Nutrition
Laboratory found that honey may be one of the most effective forms of
carbohydrate to eat just prior to exercise, because honey eaten before
is digested easily and released into the system at a steady rate for use
by the body.
•Though honey has more calories than sugar, honey when consumed
with warm water helps in digesting the fat stored in the body. Similarly
honey and lemon juice and honey and cinnamon help in reducing
weight.

8. •3. Honey is a source of vitamins and minerals:
•Honey contains more than 180 different substances with complex interrelations
which makes artificial production of honey impossible. The composition and
nutritional value of honey differ in relation to the floral sources honeybees have
visited. For example, recent research supports the claim that dark colored
honeys have larger amounts of antioxidants.
•Honey is an excellent source of vitamins. This is not equally true of vegetables
and fruits. For example, spinach loses 50% of its vitamin C content within 24
hours after being picked. Fruits lose some of their vitamin content during
storage. In contrast, honey keeps well. In fact, it is probably the only food that
never expires!
•The vitamin and mineral content of honey depends on the type of flowers.
Honey is high in vitamin C, in a variety of B vitamins and also A1, D, and E
vitamins.
•Among trace-elements - the most important elements identified in dark color
honeys - are iron, copper, phosphorus, sulfur, potassium, manganese,
magnesium, sodium, calcium, iodine, chlorine, zinc and high concentrations of
hydrogen peroxide. Honey also contains hormones, alcohols and essential oils.
•The inorganic contents of honey, minerals and other trace elements, play a
significant role in human metabolism and nutrition. Owing to its choline
content, honey is appreciated as an excellent tonic and helps people suffering
from constipation and other enteric problems.
•All varieties of honey are rich in amino acids. The level of amino acids present
in honey is a reliable indicator of the honey's antioxidant capacity. Essential
amino acids found in honey are: tryptophan, lysine, methionine, cysteine,
histidine, glutamine, and tyrosine.
•Honey also contains more than 18 different organic acids (gluconic, citric,
malic, formic, etc.).

9. •4. Honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties: Honey has anti-bacterial
and anti-fungal properties and hence it can be used as a natural antiseptic.
•Honey has a distinct bactericidal power which is mainly due to its hygroscopic
property. All living organisms require a certain amount of moisture to maintain
their lives. When bacteria come in contact with honey they are deprived of the
vital moisture and perish. The acid reaction of honey is also an unfavorable
medium for the bacteria to grow in. Most micro-organisms which affect the
human body are destroyed in honey.
•The external application of honey has an age-old history. The ancient
Egyptians used it as a surgical dressing. The Papyrus Ebers recommended
that wounds be covered for four days with linen dipped in honey and incense.
They believed that cataracts yielded to treatments with honey. Honey dropped
into the eyes was supposed to have cured inflammations and other ailments of
the eyelids.
•The Chinese and Hindus cover the entire bodies of their small-pox patients
with honey to hasten the termination of the disease and also to prevent the
formation of scars. Galen (129-200) thought that "Honey warms and clears
wounds and ulcers, attenuates and unloose excrescencies in any part of the
body." The Talmud recommended honey for ulcerated wounds, especially for
extensive sores of animals.
•During the Middle Ages honey was extensively used in the form of ointments
and plasters for boils, wounds, burns and ulcers, plain or mixed with other
ingredients. Charles Butler (1560 -1647; sometimes called the Father of
English Beekeeping) thought that honey "will knit together hollow and
crooked ulcers and likewise close other disjoined flesh." He highly praised the
“Unguentum Aegyptiacum” which was made by boiling honey, vinegar and
wintergreen. This plaster, according to Butler, would "open, clean, dry and
digest all inflammations and resist putrefaction."

10. •The rural populations of the European continent, especially that of the Slavic
countries, used honey for all kinds of wounds and inflammations. "Honey
ointment", consisting of equal portions of honey and white flour, well mixed
with a little water, had a wide usage. A good ointment should be more
solidified than too liquid.
•The ancient Greeks often refer to "epomphalia", a navel ointment made from
honey for the newborn. Old mead, which is almost extinct today, was also
used as an antiseptic lotion.
•Dr. Shona Blair from the University of Sydney tested the antimicrobial
capability of honey using problematic pathogens such as: Antibiotic
resistant micro-organisms; Anaerobes (60 species); Fungi (Candida and
Tinea); bio-films. Her paper entitled, The Grossly Underutilized Anti-microbial
was presented to the First International Symposium on Honey and Human
Health on 17 January 2008.
•Besides its antimicrobial properties, honey is a powerful wound healer
because:
•*It topically numbs pain.
•*It is osmotic and attracts water. Since bacteria are mostly made of water, it
is sucked dry in the presence of honey. Bacteria are further inhibited by
honey because honey produces hydrogen peroxide and is acidic.
•*It activates the immune response by providing glucose for the white blood
cells.
•*It speeds up the healing process. It creates a moist environment by drawing
serum up through the skin tissues that helps “moist scab” formation.
•*Honey also reduces inflammation, helps shed dead tissue, and stimulates
the development of new blood cells. Honey's antiseptic qualities also help
prevent infections from moving to other wounds.

11. •5. Honey is an antioxidants source: Honey contains
nutraceuticals, which are effective in removing free radicals
from our body. As a result, our body immunity is improved.
•Honey contains antioxidants, powerful compounds which fight
free radicals and reverse ageing. Free radicals are everywhere -
in the air we breathe, the food we eat, and even the sunlight.
Every moment, the body absorbs oxygen and turns it into
energy in a process called oxidation. This process also
releases free radicals. Antioxidants slow down aging by
neutralizing these free radicals. They perform healing at the
deepest cellular level, allowing honey health benefits to
manifest in a myriad of ways.
•Natural antioxidant from honey can destroy biologically
destructive chemical agents which have been linked to many
diseases such as cancer. These precious honey properties
help protect the skin under the sun and help the skin to
rejuvenate and stay young-looking. As such, there have been
an increasing number of manufacturers of honey skincare
products such as sunscreens and facial cleansing products for
treating damaged or dry skin. A 2004 study conducted by the
University of California concluded that honey contains as many
antioxidants as spinach, apples, oranges or strawberries.

12. •There are at least four reasons why it is so effective in
beautifying the skin:
•*It is a well known antibacterial and antifungal agent, and helps
disinfect and speed the healing process in wounds, scrapes
and burns.
•*It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, which are
wonderful beauty aid that nourish the skin.
•*It contains powerful antioxidants which fight free radicals and
reverse ageing.
•*It is rich and thick, making it an effective moisturizer. Like
other humectants, honey binds moisture to the skin and helps
it stay hydrated.
•Due to its humectant qualities, it is used in moisturizers,
cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners. It does not
only attract water but it retains it in skin. If skin loses its ability
to retain moisture then it appears wrinkled and dry. In this way,
honey it will prevent wrinkles and dryness. It maintains skin
suppleness and elasticity.

13. 6. Honey can cure children night cough
•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 cause the infection.
Professional singers commonly use honey to soothe
their throats before performances.
•Honey’s soothing qualities may help relieve sore throats
and nighttime coughs in children. Since over-the-counter
medicine may be harmful to children, a 2007 study by a
Penn State College of Medicine research team found
that honey may offer parents an effective and safe
alternative. These findings are especially notable since
an FDA advisory board recently recommended that over-
the-counter (OTC) cough and cold medicines not be
given to children less than 6 years old because of their
lack of effectiveness and potential for side effects.

14. 7. Honey aid digestion
•Eating honey is good for stomach and digestion. Dr.
Tobias Olofsson and Alejandra Vasquez from Lund
University in Sweden showed evidence from their
research that different varietals of honey possess a
large amount of friendly bacteria: viable lactobacilli
(6 species) and bifidobacteria (4 species), which may
explain the "mysterious therapeutic properties of
honey." Honey also contains complex carbohydrates
which are probiotic. Consuming them encourages
the growth of friendly intestinal bacteria in body.
Also, honey contains large amount of enzymes. All
these means eating honey will aid digestion and
increase energy.

15. 8. Honey can cure acne conditions
A 2008 study conducted by University of Amsterdam
investigated the antibacterial capability of medical
grade honey (Revamil). The researchers concluded
that honey "is a promising topical antimicrobial
agent for prevention or treatment of infections,
including those caused by multidrug-resistant
bacteria". Honey is one of the best natural acne
fighting ingredients. This is because honey actually
kills the bacterium that causes acne. Honey also has
anti inflammatory properties. It treats the
inflammation associated with acne and calms the
skin. Honey also soothes the skin and nourishes it
providing a healthy glow to the skin.

16. 9. Honey can cure insomnia
•According to Michael McInnes of the Royal
Pharmaceutical Society, eating a tablespoon or two
of honey at bedtime can improve sleep quality
without causing weight gain. Unlike other sugary
food, eating honey raises the blood sugar level
slightly. It causes a controlled increase of insulin,
which causes the amino acid tryptophan to enter the
brain. In brain, tryptophan is converted into the
hormone serotonin, which promotes relaxation. In
darkness, serotonin is converted into melatonin in
the pineal gland. Now, melatonin is a well-known
cure for sleeping disorders. It is widely used for
treating insomnia symptoms for elderly and
depressive patients. It also enhances the quality of
restorative sleep.

17. 10. Honey is useful for hair - dermatitis and dandruff treatment
•Honey is a natural conditioner for hair. Traditional use of honey on
hair has been widely known throughout the ages. A 2001 study
conducted by the Dubai Specialised Medical Centre discovered that
honey may be used to treat scaling, itching and hair loss. It can be
added to conditioners, rinses and pomades.
11. Honey is a treatment for allergies
•It may seem odd, because pollen often triggers allergies, but pollen in
the honey usually has the opposite effect. Recent studies show that
raw honey is an excellent treatment for 90% of all allergies. A highly
appreciated old remedy for hay fever is local honey and honeycomb.
By eating raw honey produced by local bees, it can desensitize the
immune system to local pollens. The recommendation is to start two
months before the hay fever season to eat 2 tablespoons of honey a
day and chew the beeswax for 5 to 10 minutes. It must continue until
the hay fever season is over.
•On the other hand, there are more than 300 types of honey, and the
pollen of one or more plants is likely present in the honey you
consume. Therefore, if you are highly allergic to various flora, you may
want to take extra precautions when consuming honey or strike this
sweet condiment from your diet altogether.

18. 12. Honey is an immunity system builder
•Honey is considered from ancient times, the food of
foods, the drink of drinks, and the remedy of
remedies. The ancient Greeks, Romans and
Egyptians all kept honeybees, and extolled the
virtues of honey. Some call honey a sweet medicine
of heaven, others, elixir of long life.
•Amongst the many health benefits of honey, what is
most impressive is that it can be a powerful immune
system booster. Raw Honey contains 5,000 live
enzymes, a full range of vitamins, 22 amino acids
and 27 minerals. It is a powerful antioxidant,
antiviral, contains natural antibiotics, stimulates the
immune system into action and helps to fight
respiratory conditions- especially when combined
with apple cider vinegar. Honey’s antioxidant and
anti-bacterial properties can help improve digestive
system and help stay healthy and fight disease.

19. •Honey is proven more effective than any pharmaceutical antibiotic in
the treatment of stomach ulceration, gangrene, surgical wound
infections, and speedy healing of surgical incisions. Honey is
unsurpassed for the protection of skin grafts, corneas, blood
vessels, and bones during storage and transport. In fact, honey is
such an excellent preservative of living tissue that it was commonly
used to keep dead bodies from decomposing while being
transported back to their homeland for burial.
•The healing powers of honey are not hyped. The Waikato Honey
Research Unit provides details about the world-wide research that is
being carried out on the benefits of honey in medicine. Further, BBC
reported in July, 2006 that doctors at the Christie Hospital in
Didsbury, Manchester are planning to use honey for faster recovery
of cancer patients after surgery. Such research will provide scientific
evidence to the so-called beliefs held by honey lovers all over the
world and help in propagating benefits of honey to more people.