Honey: Health Benefits and Nutrition Facts
Table of Contents
Honey is a natural sweetener produced by Honeybees. Sugary secretions of plants are utilized for producing it by liquid evaporations, enzymatic action, and regurgitation. It is sweet to taste produced by nectar from flowers.
Essence and flavor also vary from the kind of flowers depending on which the nectar was collected.
It is available in two forms i.e raw and pasteurized forms. Raw is not processed it is directly bottled with yeast, wax, and pollen. This type may cause seasonal allergies. Whereas pasteurized is heated and processed properly to remove impurities.
Due to the presence of monosaccharides, fructose, glucose, and sugar (70%-80%) are sweet to taste. It is used from ancient time’s it has antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Act as a remedy for wound and infection. It is helpful in wound healing and antibacterial from 5000 years. As it is a natural sweetener it helps replace sweets and provide healthier options. It is advisable to not give honey to children less than 12 years.
Since ancient times pictures on cave around 8000 years ago shows that it was used by humans. But there is no evidence until 2400 BC.
Since 4000 years it was used in Ayurveda for medicinal purposes. Which is useful in treating indigestion and imbalances in the body.
Naturally available honey is useful for treating wounds and infection from Egyptian times over 5000 years ago.
Benefits of Honey:
- Helps to relieve cold and cough:
It was recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) that honey is a natural cough and cold remedy since ancient times.
Having a small amount of ginger and honey can help you to relieve cold and cough to an extent.
The American Academy of Pediatrics advises that it is not suitable for children under the age of one year. It also recognized honey as a treatment of cough.
Having a spoon of honey at night can help you to decrease night coughing and helps to improve the sleep quality in kids.
- Helpful in medical purposes:
Diseases and injuries can be treated by honey. Mixing it with other remedial medicines can help to cure ailments to a greater extent. Also applying it on infection or wound can help you to cure the injury.
Though not all uses are useful and effective but also it won’t worsen the conditions. It is helpful as a cosmetic solution for a cracked, dry, pimple or clogged skin.
In Ayurvedic medicines, it is useful for a remedy such as:
-Weakness and uneasiness
-Stress and depression
-Quality sleep
-Bad vision
-Bad breathe
-Toothache in children over a year old
-Cold cough and asthma
-Hiccups
-Ulcers in stomach
-Diarrhea and dysentery
-Vomiting
-Urination problems
-High blood pressure
-Obesity
-Jaundice
-Relief from hangover
-Skin infections
-Burns, cuts, and injuries
-Arthritis
- Alternative for sugar craving in your diet:
Sugar is high in calories without having any nutritional benefits. Sugar can leads you to an increase in weight and may cause a risk of heart and high blood pressure.
Including it in place of sugar can help you to stop craving for sweet and provides many health benefits.
Honey can be added to many health beverages to sweeten the flavor and taste. Still honey is a natural sweetener it is important to remain mindful full of how much amount of Honey being is used.
- Fight infections and kills bacteria:
Defenses-1 is a protein found in kinds of honey that helps to kills bacteria found in 2010 by scientists called Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam reported in The FASEB journal.
Type of honey called Manuka honey is useful in preventing bacteria Clostridium difficile from settling in the body. As it causes severe diarrhea and sickness
- Reduce the upward flow of acid in the stomach:
Researchers found that honey is helpful for digestion and helps to prevent acid reflux i.e upward flow of acid of the stomach and undigested food.
Also helpful in reducing the risk of inflammation, acid reflux, and heartburn i.e gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).
- Helpful in healing wounds and burns :
Since ancient times it is found that honey helps treat wounds. It is also helpful in healing burns.
Can honey is useful in weight loss?
Individuals add 1 teaspoon of sugar in coffee, tea, and juices without knowing what will be the impact of this on their body. Using honey in place of sugar can provide you many health benefits. It helps you with fast weight loss and helps to keep you healthy, fit, and active.
It is the best alternative for the individual who has a craving for dessert. Also, you can include dark chocolate above 70% if you are a chocolate lover.
Honey can also replace natural sweeteners, syrups, etc.
Having 1 teaspoon of honey before bedtime can help you to burn more fat during the early hours of your sleep. Honey helps keep you full for a longer period keeps suppress your appetite.
Cutting off your sugar can help you to burn more fat and keep yourself healthy.
Nutritional facts of Per 1 tbsp (21 g) is Calories 64:
| Serving size | 1 tbsp(21g) |
| Calories | 64 |
| Total fat | 0g (0%) |
| Saturated fat | 0g (0%) |
| Polyunsaturated fat | 0g |
| Monounsaturated fat | 0g |
| Cholesterol | 0mg (0%) |
| Sodium | 0.8mg (0%) |
| Potassium | 10.9mg (0%) |
| Total carbohydrates | 17g (5%) |
| Dietary fiber | 0g (0%) |
| Sugar | 17g |
| Protein | 0.1g (0%) |
| Vitamin A (0%) | Vitamin C (0%) |
| Calcium (0%) | Iron (0%) |
| Vitamin D (0%) | Vitamin B-6 (0%) |
| Cobalamin (0%) | Magnesium (0%) |
* The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contribute to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
Conclusion:
Sugar can leads you to an increase in weight and may cause a risk of heart and high blood pressure.
Including honey in place of sugar can help you to stop craving for sweet and provides many health benefits.
Honey can be added to many health beverages to sweeten the flavor and taste. Still honey is a natural sweetener it is important to remain mindful full of how much amount of Honey being is used.
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