How To Use Honey:
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There are numerous benefits of honey, because of its antiseptic and antibacterial properties. Modern medical science has managed to find uses for honey in chronic wound management and combating infection. Honey has high levels of monosaccharides, fructose, and glucose. It contains about 70 to 80 percent of sugar, which provides sweetness to your diet.
Honey is a sweet liquid made by bees using nectar from flowers. It is graded by color, with the clear golden amber honey often fetching a higher retail price than the darker varieties.
The flavor of honey varies based on the types of flower from which the nectar was harvested. Both raw and pasteurized forms of honey are available. Raw honey is obtained from the hive and bottled directly as it contains trace amounts of yeast, wax, and pollen.
Consuming local raw honey combats seasonal allergies, due to repeated exposure to the pollen in the area. Pasteurized honey has been heated and processed to remove impurities.
Benefits Of Honey:
Honey benefits include wound-healing properties and antibacterial action. It can replace sugar in meals, providing a healthier option. However, they can also add browning and excess moisture to a dish.
- Heals wounds and burns.
- Promotes increased potassium and water intake, which is particularly helpful when experiencing diarrhea.
- Blocks the actions of pathogens that cause diarrhea.
- Recent research has shown that honey can reduce the upward flow of stomach acid and undigested food by lining the esophagus and stomach.
- It helps in fighting infections. Honey’s ability to kill bacteria lies in a protein called defensin.
- It relieves cold and cough symptoms.
- Replaces added sugar in the diet.
Benefits Of Honey In Your Diet:
Honey’s sweet flavor makes it an ideal substitute for sugar in the diet. Added sugar in the diet provides excess calories with no nutritional benefit. This can lead to increased body weight, which comes with an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. Honey is used in food and beverages to sweeten the taste without the negative health impact of added sugars. However, since honey is still a sweetener, it is crucial to remain mindful of how much honey is being used.
- Use honey to sweeten your dressings or marinades.
- Stir honey into coffee or tea.
- Drizzle honey on top of toasts or pancakes.
- Mix honey into yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal for a more natural sweetener.
- Spread raw honey over whole grain toast and top it with peanut butter.
Alternatively, try these healthy and delicious recipes developed by registered dietitians:
- Basil honey mango sharbat
- Honey Dijon vinaigrette with arugula, pear, and walnut salad.
- Grilled fruit kebabs
When stored in an airtight container, honey has no expiry date.
Honey Medicinal Use:
Honey has many medical values, which helps in relieving:
- Stress
- Weakness
- Sleep disturbance
- Vision problems
- Bad breath
- Teething pain in children over a year old
- Cough
- Asthma.
It is also useful for treating:
- Hiccups
- Stomach ulcers
- Diarrhea and dysentery
- Vomiting
- Bedwetting
- Frequent urination.
Modern medical science has found many uses of honey for treating high blood pressure, obesity, jaundice, arthritis, hangover relief, dermatitis, burns, cuts, and wounds.
Honey sometimes is touted as a cosmetic solution for cracked, dry, pimply or clogged skin.
Honey Nutritional Information:
One tablespoon of honey contains:
- 64 calories
- 17.3 grams of sugar including Fructose, glucose, maltose, and sucrose.
- 0 g of fiber, fat, and protein.
Choosing honey over refined and processed sugar may lead to long-term health benefits. Honey has antioxidant, antimicrobial and soothing effects.
The slightly acidic pH level of honey helps prevent the growth of bacteria, while its antioxidant elements clean up free radicals linked to diseases.
The physical properties of honey vary depending on the specific flora used in its production, as well as its water content.
Honey Side Effects:
A person’s overall eating pattern is most important in preventing disease and achieving good health. It is better to eat a diet with variety than to concentrate on individual foods as the key to good health. Honey is still a form of sugar, so intake should be moderate.
Honey may contain botulinum. Endospores may cause infant botulism in children. Infants under a year old should not consume honey. Honey may contain botulinum endospores that cause infant botulism in very young children. A rare but severe type of food poisoning that can result in paralysis. Even pasteurized honey has a chance of containing these spores.
