Top 12 Health Benefits of Honey

Honey is generally obtained beehives where colonies of bees accumulate nectar from the flowers in the vicinity. While the phenomenon is wild in nature, the growing need for honey has given rise to Apiculture. As we concentrate on the health benefits of honey, we shed some light on key notes that most of us tend to forget.

Did you know that honey does not rot?

Well, if that is a new piece of information for you, then you are going to love the information that this article consists of. 

 

Health Benefits of Honey :

1. Cuts Fat

How many times have we heard that a tablespoon of honey in a cup of lukewarm water can help you lose weight? Well, it is a well-acknowledged fact that the same has proven essentially beneficial in shedding kilos for so many people.

On an empty stomach, consume a mixture of honey and lukewarm water.

• In a glass of lukewarm water, add a tablespoon of honey and consume the mixture.

Never add lemon juice to the mixture for the combination becomes fatal and results in shrinking of breasts in women, an observation most women have made.

Nevertheless, lukewarm water with honey allows proper digestion and absorption of nutrients, which is essential for the body to not retain fatty acids that lead to obesity.

2. Allergy Alleviation

Though there is no concrete evidence regarding honey’s anti-inflammatory properties, a common theory from naturopathists indicates that the pollen contents in the honey trigger various immune responses making it a natural vaccine. Upon repeated exposure to these pollens in the form of liquid gold, the body cope up repeatedly releasing less histamine that triggers much lesser immune response, a health benefit of honey that no other item will give you.

3. Provides Energy

A tablespoon of honey contains seventeen grams of carbohydrates, mostly glucose and fructose.

Being simple and unprocessed, honey takes its time to be absorbed into the bloodstream. Since all of it is not immediately absorbed and used up at once, the carbohydrates in honey can generate energy for longer intervals of time, keeping you full of energy all day long.

4. Memory Booster 

The antioxidant content of honey is responsible for triggering healing activity in the tissues, especially neural tissues that once damaged cannot be replaced.

A study made in Malaysia on South Asian women approaching menopause suggested that consuming honey on a regular basis improved their memory manifolds better than their counterparts who consumed hormone tablets.

Another study revealed that it is because of honey’s ability to increase the absorption of calcium, thereby reducing chances of occurrence of dementia, probably the more suited explanation for the noticed observation.

Considering the growing cases of Alzheimer’s disease that have been surfacing off late, this health benefit of honey is going to help so many people in the long run.

5. Combats Insomnia

Honey, like sugar, induces the secretion of serotonin in considerably larger amounts by influencing the insulin levels in the bloodstream.

This serotonin is a chemical, commonly called a neurotransmitter responsible for uplifting mood and inducing a feeling of happiness. This serotonin is further converted into melatonin, which lay an impact on both the length and the quality of sleep.

Honey also contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid whose uptake is increased by the increase in insulin, resulting in a good peaceful night’s sleep.

6. Nourishes the Scalp by Eliminating Dandruff

Honey has antibacterial and antifungal properties. This especially comes handy in demolishing dandruff. Dandruff, also caused by a dry, flaky scalp can also be treated effectively by using honey diluted with water.

Being a natural moisturizer, honey enriches the scalp tissue with its goodness to effectively cure the condition and prevent it from cropping up every now and then.

Research suggests that a couple of rinses with a mixture of 10 ml of honey mixed with 100 ml of water can completely cure dandruff in a span of four weeks.

7. Antiseptic on cuts and Burns

Bearing antibacterial and antifungal properties, honey acts as an antiseptic on minor cuts and burns, both internal and external.

• Application of honey on the wound creates a barrier between the wound and its external environment, preventing infections and facilitating the drying up of the wound almost instantly.
• New skin springs up as the previous dead layer sheds off.
• Consumption of honey heals the wounds within the body effectively since it is a natural antibiotic.

This health benefit of honey was most certainly even used in the medieval times, both in Persian culture and in Indian culture.

8. Honey as a Cough Suppressant

Pesky cold can annoy beyond explanation. It hampers our day to day activities. An itchy throat can be treated effectively by ingesting a tablespoon of honey. The honey coats the interiors of the throat, which often gets bruised because of the phlegm and prevents incessant coughing.

A runny nose and phlegm in the bronchus can be removed by ingesting honey, which over a matter of hours pushes itself out into the nasal tract and can be easily removed causing instant relief. This health benefit of honey is perhaps the oldest trick in the ancient texts.

9. Cosmetic Uses as Moisturizer and Cleanser

Honey is an excellent cleanser and moisturizer.

It is for this that it has various uses in many cosmetic products.

• Works like a charm as a Cleanser since it is antibacterial and antifungal in nature, which helps the skin to get rid of the dirt and the grime making the skin clean.
• Used in a number of exfoliators , despite its deep cleansing action.
• Does not strip away natural oils from the skin. One of the significant health benefits of honey is how wonderfully it makes your skin soft and supple, thanks to its mineral contents.

10. Source of Micronutrition

Honey is a rich source of minerals and vitamins. The citric acid or vitamin C content of honey makes it a useful tool to replenish the micronutrition needs of the human body.

Honey, being rich in Sodium, potassium, calcium and phosphorus assists in strengthening the body from within.

11. Flushes Toxins Out from the Body

Honey is considered highly efficient in detoxing the body. The minerals, antioxidants and amino acid content of honey allow you to flush out the toxin build up from the body. This is particularly helpful after workout sessions when your body is warmed up and your metabolism is active.

Honey can effectively replace sugar as a sweetener in herbal teas. This helps in effective removal of toxins along with urea. Aiding the process of detoxification is perhaps the most underrated health benefit of honey.

12. Honey as a Substitute for Sugar

Sugar does not contain any nutrient except carbohydrates. Otherwise called naked carbohydrates, they find themselves a spot in the liver, eventually leading to swelling of the organ. Once they move back into the blood stream, they would have already undergone the transformation to become fatty acids. With the blood circulating all over your body, the fatty acids then deposit in the stomach, thighs, breasts leading to obesity.

However, Honey contains the carbohydrates in addition to a number of micronutrients and amino acids, which is responsible for its healthier Glycemic Index.Without the sugar rush, the carbohydrates in honey get absorbed gently into the blood stream, prolonging the energy supply in the body as discussed before.

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