The Health Benefits of Honey

The Health Benefits of Honey is today’s discussion topic of this present article. We will try to explain the topic in detail thoroughly. The many health advantages of honey, how to choose the best variety, and inventive uses for honey in food and drink.

Honey is a simple and natural way to treat the symptoms and indications of an upper respiratory infection (URI). Studies have shown that honey, a delightful delicacy sometimes called “liquid gold,” has important health advantages.

Here is a look at the studies on the health-protective properties of honey. Shopping tips for the finest brands, and recipes using honey as a sweetener.

Honey Treats Infections of the Upper Respiratory

Antibiotics can less expensively replaced with honey. For instance, Oxford University researchers examined 14 previously published studies on the efficacy of honey in treating URI symptoms in a review article that 2020; BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine publication.

The researchers discovered that honey reduced cough frequency and intensity when compared to standard therapies. Such as over-the-counter (OTC) drugs and antibiotics. The investigation spur worries about antimicrobial resistance. Which partially attribute to overprescribing antibiotics for URIs.

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The World Health Organization claims that bacteria and viruses can cause antibiotic resistance. Or fungi cease responding to drugs used to treat them (like antibiotics) (WHO). That’s worrying since it reduces the possibility of treating URIs and other infections.

Similar findings reported in a 2017 research that appeared in UIC Today. Which suggested that honey may the solution to reducing antibiotic resistance. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago found that a honeybee-produced antibacterial molecule may serve as the foundation for future antibiotics.

Honey Combats the Metabolic Syndrome

People with metabolic syndrome may benefit from honey (MetS). Heart disease and diabetes risk factors are all part of metabolic syndrome. According to the National Library of Medicine. Three out of the following five criteria must be present to receive a diagnosis of MetS:

• Having a waist size of 35 to 40 inches
• Elevated blood pressure
• High triglyceride levels in the blood, a kind of fat
• Low “good” HDL cholesterol (helps remove cholesterol from your arteries)
• A high blood sugar level

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Fortunately, honey could assist to change those circumstances. The preventive properties of honey for metabolic syndrome are discussed in a 2018 Nutrients paper. According to the article, patients with MetS may benefit from honey in the following ways:

• Firstly, honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, so it doesn’t cause an increase in blood sugar or insulin levels and helps improve insulin sensitivity, which lowers blood sugar. Honey should only use in moderation, although studies have shown that it can help prevent excessive weight gain.
• Enhances lipid metabolism: Honey raises HDL cholesterol while decreasing triglycerides, total cholesterol, and LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol in the blood. According to the National Library of Medicine. Your body contains a chemical called cholesterol. Too much cholesterol can build up and result in cardiac issues.
• Reduces oxidative stress: The 2018 Nutrients article claims that honey’s antioxidative characteristics also aid in reducing oxidative stress. A factor in metabolic syndrome. Another study published in 2017 in the journal Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity summarises oxidative stress as an imbalance between the body’s ability to combat harmful free radicals and the generation of cell-damaging radicals.

Due to these factors, the 2018 Nutrients article concludes that honey has a high potential for use in the management of MetS. Both therapeutically and preventative.

The Health Benefits of Honey; It Keeps Arteries from Hardening

Atherosclerosis, commonly known as arterial hardening, may be prevented with honey. Honey includes about 180 compounds, including natural sugars and several vitamins, minerals. And phytochemicals, according to a 2019 Nutrients article. Honey’s antioxidant and anti-inflammatory chemicals are the main causes of its preventive advantages against arterial hardening. In addition to, its capacity to combat oxidative stress.

The Health Benefits of Honey; It Promotes Gut Health

Honey’s usage in alternative medicine is mentioned in a 2017 review published in the journal Integrative Medicine Insights.

According to the review, honey has prebiotic qualities—Prebiotics aid in the fermentation of lactobacilli and bifid bacteria, two types of helpful gut bacteria. The researchers associate that change with the improved immunological response and mental health.

The Health Benefits of Honey; It Contains Nutrients

A 2017 study published in the journal Pharmacognosy Research found that in addition to its natural sugar and antioxidants, honey also contains a number of other nutrients.

For instance, 31 minerals, including phosphorus, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, have been discovered in honey, albeit the levels per serving are modest.

In conclusion, honey won’t provide a lot of nutrients to your diet, but it’s not only empty calories. Additionally, scientists are continuously discovering the functional advantages of its intricate structure.

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Various Types of Honey; The Health Benefits of Honey

Talking to the beekeeper, for instance, at your neighborhood farmer’s market, is one of the greatest methods to find out about the composition of your honey and how it was treated. Always check the ingredients to make sure the honey hasn’t been diluted with other additions if that isn’t an option.

According to research published in Molecules: A Journal of Synthetic Chemistry and Natural Product Chemistry in 2018, buckwheat honey had the highest antioxidant activity. Goldenrod honey rated highly, although overall black honey exhibited stronger antioxidant activity than light types.

One thing to remember: Due to the possibility of Clostridium botulinum spores. You should never administer honey of any form to children less than 12 months. The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention claim that, they can multiply in a baby’s developing digestive tract and result in serious sickness (CDC).

Methods For Using Honey

Honey can consume on its own, directly off the spoon, or in a variety of dishes. Try some of the following suggestions to enjoy this delightful treat:

• Add honey to a smoothie or use it to sweeten tea and coffee.
• Pour honey over pancakes, fresh fruit, chia seeds, avocado pudding, oatmeal, or overnight oats.
• Energy balls created with a nut or seed butter and ingredients like oats, dried fruit, spices, and finely chopped dark chocolate should be mixed with honey.
• Make kale chips out of honey, or use them to glaze carrots, beets, walnuts, or cashews.

In some baked items, honey can also be used for sugar. Reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe and swap one cup of sugar with half to two-thirds of a cup of honey. Even drinks like honey lime margaritas, honey-kissed cosmos, and bee’s knees, which combine honey with gin, ginger, and lemon juice, can sweeten with honey.

Reviewing Quickly

Honey offers several health benefits, including the ability to cure infections, avoid arterial hardening, fight metabolic syndrome, and maintain a healthy gut.

It’s essential to use honey as antibiotics in some situations. Additionally, there are several methods to eat honey and it includes certain nutrients. Honey may be a healthy addition to your diet, whether you spoon it directly from the jar or mix it into your tea.