Everyone knows that honey is sweet; in fact, that’s a cliché already. There’s more to honey than having a great taste: it’s got loads of health benefits. nature has packed it with countless health benefits. Honey treats a number of health challenges such as cold, cough, weight loss and even cardiovascular issues.
Honey was found about 8,000 years ago and a has been used ever since. It was widely used in Greece and Egypt especially; it then became a component for Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine, owing to the fact that it’s a natural healer. It can be mixed with spices, herbs, or even water to enjoy its health benefits.
Nutritional Value of Honey
- Sodium: 6 mg
- Protein: 15 mg
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Pantothenic Acid: 0.5 mg
- Water: 6 g
- Fructose: 1 g
- Maltose: 5 g
- Glucose: 5 g
- Riboflavin: 0.6 mg
- Vitamin C: 1 mg
- Zinc: 0.3 mg
- Iron: 0.5 mg
Health Benefits of Honey
Honey Boosts Energy
Honey is loaded with the methylglyoxal compound, known to boost energy levels. This compound also boosts the immune system to stimulate the growth of cytokines that are associated with responses of the immune system. Honey also contains antioxidants. All these properties work together to boost energy.
It Treats Nausea
Nausea together with consistent morning sickness affects nutrition, hence causing weakness. Adding a bit of honey to meals can make this stop. A simple method is adding lemon juice to raw honey. It relieves nausea and prevents vomiting. Lemon juice may be too sour, so apple cider vinegar may be an alternative.
Honey Enhances Weight Loss
Honey consumption is a fantastic way to lose weight. Consuming a spoonful of honey with warm water reduces sugar cravings, and of course, curbs sugar cravings does a lot in weight loss.
Honey Controls Cholesterol
High cholesterol is a terrible health condition that should be controlled early. Consuming 70g of honey regularly for 30 days can reduce cholesterol levels by 3%. Honey also increases helpful cholesterol.
It’s Safe for Diabetics
Even though it is sweet, honey doesn’t increase the sugar in the bloodstream, making it safe for diabetics. It is a healthy alternative for artificial sweeteners. You can incorporate honey into teas or oatmeal.
Honey Treats Gastric Problems
Antimicrobial and antioxidant components present in honey are responsible for the treatment of stomach complications. Honey wonderfully combats germs and bad bacteria in the digestive tract. It can be consumed raw or diluted in warm water to be effective.
It Treats Infections
Infections are usually caused by bacteria. They can be prevented in a number of ways, including a regular consumption of honey. Honey is bursting with antibacterial properties, making it effective to ward off various kinds of infection.
It Promotes Sleep
Getting 8 hours of sleep every night is one of the most healthy steps to take because inadequate sleep exposes the health to terrible risks. A tablespoon of honey before bedtime is perfect for insomniacs. It makes their liver glycogen stay up to avoid the stoppage of glucose formation. Consume honey, and enjoy a good sleep.
Honey is Great for the Skin
Who doesn’t desire a spotless and shiny skin? A regular application of honey on the face treats various skin problems such as acne because honey has got antibacterial and antiseptic properties. Honey removes acne scars, premature wrinkles, and fine lines. It also prevents the reoccurrence of such conditions. Honey also provides loads of nutrients to the skin and improves its completion.
Honey Treats Asthma
Honey treats asthma and troubling coughs; it generally relieves the respiratory system. Honey soothes mucous membranes found in the airways. A regular consumption of honey stops mucus buildup in the bronchial tubes.
It Eliminates Dandruff
Have you ever had dandruff or an itchy scalp? You would agree that it’s quite a frustrating condition. Antibacterial properties found in honey ensure the elimination of these hair conditions. So as fantastic as honey is for consumption, so it is when applied on the hair. Mixing equal portions of raw honey and water does the hair wonders. Simply massage your scalp with the mixture and apply it. It can be applied to locks too. It can be left for an hour then rinsed off to achieve results. Do this for weeks, and testify.
Honey and Bee Facts
- Honey bees gather nectar from two million flowers to make a pound of honey.
- When a bee finds a good source of nectar, it does the ‘waggle dance’, in which it flies back to the hive and shows other bees where the nectar source is by positioning its flower in relation to the sun and hive.
- Honey is able to attract and retain moisture. Its application was said to be part of Cleopatra’s daily beauty routine.
- Honey is healthy: it includes enzymes, minerals, vitamins. It’s the only food that contains “pinocembrin”, an antioxidant that improves brain functioning.
- A bee has to fly about 90,000 miles — that’s equivalent to three times around the globe — to make a pound of honey.
- A colony of bees consists of 20,000-60,000 honey bees and a queen.
- Worker honey bees are females who live for about 6 weeks and do all the work.
- The queen bee lives for as long as 5 years and is the only bee that lays eggs.
- The queen bee is the busiest in the summer months, the period when the hive needs to be at its maximum strength; it lays up to 2500 eggs per day.
- The male honey bee, also called drones, are larger than the working bees. They’ve got no stinger and do no work. All they do is mate!
- Honey is medicinal: it treats sore throats, digestive disorders, skin problems, and hay fever.
- Honey has antiseptic properties: centuries ago, it was used as a dressing for wounds and a first aid treatment for burns and cuts.
- The average bee will make only about 1/12th of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.
- A honey bee visits 50 to 100 flowers during a collection trip.
- A honey bee can fly for up to six miles, and as fast as 15 miles per hour.
- The bee’s brain is oval in shape and about the size of a sesame seed.
- Bees have the capacity to learn and remember — they make complex calculations on distance traveled.
- Honey bees communicate with one another by dancing.
- The natural fruit sugars in honey are fructose and glucose. They’re quickly digested by the body. This is a reason athletes use honey as a natural energy boost.
- The honey bee is the only insect that produces food consumed by human beings.
- Honey lasts really long. It was said that an explorer found a 2000-year-old jar of honey in an Egyptian tomb, and he affirmed that it was delicious.
- The bees’ buzz is the sound made by the wings, and it beats 11,400 times per minute.
- Honey bees have such an interesting body structure:
- 2 compound eyes consisting of thousands of tiny lenses (one on each side of the head)
- 3 simple eyes on the top of the head
- 6 legs
- 2 pairs of wings
- a nectar pouch
- a stomach
- Honey bees have 170 odorant receptors.
- During winter, honey bees feed on the honey they collected during the warmer months. They also form a tight cluster in their hive to keep the queen and themselves warm.
- Bees are highly important to the survival of humans. They have the ability to pollinate flowers, fruits, and vegetables. Without this transfer of pollen, crops and plants would die.
- The bees use their honeycomb cells to raise their babies in and to store nectar, honey, pollen, and water.
- Nectar is a sweet watery substance that the bees gather. After processing the nectar in their stomach, they regurgitate it into the honeycomb cells. After this, the fan with their wings to remove excess moisture. The result of this is honey.
- Even though bears like honey, they prefer to eat the bee larvae.
