Honey has been a desired culinary delight and effective treatment for health for many thousands of years. Around the globe, our ancestors seemed to be aware of the many benefits honey offers. The first time it was used as a medicine prescription can be found in Sumerian clay tablets that could be over 400 years of age. Around 30% of Sumerian’s treatments included honey. It is believed that in India honey is a major ingredient in Siddha as well as Ayurveda which are the most ancient traditional medical methods.
In the past it was used in Egypt honey was utilized for treating skin and eye problems and also as bandsages for burns or wounds. Numerous other cultures have used honey for various medicinal uses. Honey is at the forefront of many scientific studies conducted by medical professionals that is investigating and proving the many ways that our ancestors were thinking of. Let’s take a look at a few of these.
Benefits of Honey for Health Benefits of Honey
1. Honey is great for blood circulation
When honey is combined with the form of a drink that is diluted by water, it will have a positive influence on the number of red blood cells (RBC) quantity in the blood. RBCs play a role in transferring oxygen from the blood to the various organs within the body of a human. The honey-tepid mix raises the levels of hemoglobin in the blood which helps to treat anemia.
Anemia caused by iron deficiency could be an indication of anemia which develops when the absorption or intake of iron is not enough and the capacity to carry oxygen in blood is diminished. The reduced ability of the oxygen system can cause fatigue, breathing issues, and depression, in addition to other ailments. Honey is a remedy for these problems by increasing the efficiency of blood oxygen transport.
The improvement in oxygen levels in blood is essential as the health of your body as well as the speed at which it is able to regenerate itself are dependent on the level of oxygen in your blood. Studies have already proven the benefits of honey in reducing hypertension, commonly referred to as excessive blood pressure. In the past, honey was consumed to reduce symptoms of hypotension, as well as the negative effects of low blood pressure.
There is evidence suggesting that honey can help lower low white blood cell (WBC) amounts in chemotherapy patients. In a small study, which contained 40% of patients suffering from low WBC count, they did not suffer symptoms after drinking 2 teaspoons every day of therapeutic honey throughout chemotherapy. Honey can impact your body in a variety of ways depending on how the honey is consumed.
2. Relief from Cough
Honey is used for treating coughs because of its properties against bacteria. The symptoms of asthma, allergies and sore throats are eased by honey.
Honey is recommended to help with Covid symptoms according to The ministry of AYUSH suggests. One of the most effective natural remedies for dry and wet coughs can be honey. A teaspoon of honey in any beverage can help ease the throat.
It helps ease coughing during the night and promotes a sleeping sound Honey is a popular natural remedy for coughs especially for children.
3. Enhances the health of your heart
Honey is a great aid in promoting heart health, decreasing blood pressure, regulating heartbeat, preventing the dying of healthy cells as well as managing heartbeat. Propolis is a component of raw honey. It’s a type of resin produced by bees that lowers cholesterol levels and the levels of triglycerides.
Honey’s antioxidants may assist in lowering cholesterol. For treating ailments honey is recommended in moderate amounts.
4. Honey is not as harmful as sugar
There’s been plenty written about the negative effects that white sugar can have to our health. Honey is a wonderful alternative that’s just as sweet, yet nutritious to consume. Honey is a basic sugar within its chemical structure, it is different from white sugar in that it contains about 30 percent of fructose and glucose, which is 40 percent of two monosaccharides, or simple sugars. Additionally, it contains 20 percent in other sugars that are complex. Honey also has dextrin which is an osmo-fructose fiber. This aids in controlling blood sugars.
5. Honey can be beneficial for Yoga yoga practitioners
For those who do yoga or other yogic activities, Honey consumption can bring back the balance of blood chemical reactions. It is recommended. Regular consumption of honey helps make the body healthier. Drinking a glass of fluid that’s mildly sweetened by honey at the beginning of the day before getting started on the exercise program will aid in opening the system.
6. Honey is antibacterial as well as Antiseptic
Consuming honey can lead to the production of antioxidants which boost the immune system and combat the harmful activity of microorganisms. Many studies have also looked at honey to heal wounds. One study used therapeutic honey that was treated with a special cleansing process that destroyed the bacterial strains that were found in the wounds of patients in the study. Another study dealt with leg ulcers for 59 patients who, in the majority of instances, didn’t respond to the standard treatment of honey which was unprocessed.
Except for the one case, every the wounds had healed. Additionally, the wounds that were infected by the infection were sterile within a week following the application of honey. Traditional medicine says some of the advantages of honey is the treatment of respiratory ailments. Honey consumption can be used to treat issues like excessive breathing and asthma.
Studies have shown that medical-grade honey can eliminate foodborne pathogens that can cause illness, including Eschetichia Salmonella and the coli. Honey has also shown promise in combating bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics. Research has shown that honey is effective against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
Honey is a potent weapon against infections at various levels, which makes it difficult for pathogens that develop resistance to honey. The majority of antibiotics target bacteria when they multiply in size, giving them the chance to develop resistance. Honey has also been proven to disrupt what’s known as Quorum sensing, which reduces the viability of pathogens responsible for bacterial infections. It also allows antibiotics to function.
7. Honey can be described as an Energy Food
One of the main uses of honey in traditional medicine is that it can provide an instant boost of energy. Honey, as I said, has various types of sugar molecules. This includes glucose and fructose. Contrary to the white form of sugar glucose and fructose are both present in sucrose, which needs an additional process of digestion in honey, these two sugars are in separate forms. That means glucose is able to be used to provide instant energy. The United States National Honey Board advises you to take honey because it contains various vitamins and minerals in tiny amounts. A few of them are Niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid, calcium magnesium copper, iron manganese manganese zinc and phosphorus, and potassium.
8. Honey aids in digestion
Honey is a fantastic treatment for constipation, gas, and bloating because of its ability to act as a moderately laxative. Honey is also an excellent source of probiotics also called “friendly” bacteria such as lactobacilli as well as bifidobacteria. These aid in digestion, enhance the immune system’s health, and aid in reducing the risk of suffering from allergies. Honey as a substitute for table sugar was found to reduce the negative effects on the gut that are caused by mycotoxins produced by fungi.
9. Honey helps fight skin and scalp Infections
There are numerous health benefits of honey for the scalp and skin as well. In a research study conducted on an even smaller sample of 30 people, they evaluated the effectiveness of honey in treating dandruff and seborrheic skin. apply diluted honey daily and gently massage the affected areas for approximately two to three minutes.
The honey was applied to the skin for three hours before being removed using warm water. Patients experienced an improvement in their skin following the treatment. The scaling and itching went away after one month, while the lesions went away in just two weeks. The hair loss issue was also ameliorated. Patients who continued to follow this therapy for a period of six months, applying honey each week were not affected by the repeated relapse.
10. Honey helps Children Sleep Soundly
The preliminary findings of several studies suggest that the use of honey can improve the quality of sleep for children. Based on the opinions of parents, they concluded that pure Honey reduced the coughing of children during the night and helped them sleep better.
Methods to utilize honey
Honey can be included in your diet in the following ways.
- Serve a sandwich of nut butter with honey.
- Blend into smoothies, or mix with fruit and yogurt to make a salad.
- Ginger and honey also create a delicious coating for salmon.
- It can be used to sweeten salads, greens as well as other vegetables.
- Make your own honey-mustard dressing to dip chicken fingers in and spread on sandwiches by mixing equal parts mustard and a small amount of mayonnaise.
- Use it for cupcake frosting or spread it over muffins or on quick bread.
- In addition to the grated grapefruit, orange, lemon, and the zest of lime (peel) One could also use crushed ginger or cinnamon in cream cheese that has been whipped, or the ricotta.
Conclusion
For many, honey could be a variety of things. It’s a long-standing traditional remedy for healing and health and also a healthy natural sweetener, an energy source, and food. Additionally, honey is an important ingredient in skincare and cosmetics products and is being researched in the field of medicine.
Utilizing honey to treat disease-related symptoms has been proven in numerous studies. According to research, the antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, as well as anti-apoptotic and antioxidant qualities could be the reason for its therapeutic properties.
FAQs
Which is the most appropriate time to consume honey?
Consuming honey with an empty stomach in the early morning is recommended since it provides immediate energy and a boost that lasts all day. A teaspoon of honey prior to going to sleep not only helps promote restful sleep but also aids digestion as well as body and mind relaxation.
Can honey go bad?
Honey is generally not a problem to spoil. But if it’s infected with a chemical or stored incorrectly it could become rotten. It’s time to discard the honey if there is visible mold or smells strange or fermented.
Do you think it is healthy to eat honey every day?
Health improvements in the heart and wound healing as well as the level of antioxidants in blood are all linked to honey consumption. The high amount of sugar and calories can make overconsumption of honey a risk to health. Because of this, it is recommended to consume honey instead of other sugars, and only take a small portion of it at one period of.
What are the benefits of drinking hot honey-infused water?
It helps eliminate toxic substances from your body, improve metabolism, and create a healthier feeling. The antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial qualities of honey are at the root of the remarkable benefits of honey and warm water. Drinking warm fluids and honey can aid in digestion, and relief from cough and sleep.
