All natural, with a host of health benefits, honey can truly be called a miracle food. It’s been used for centuries as a food, a medicine and for skin care. Honey’s super health powers are due to the multitude of nutrients it contains – carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins and amino acids. In addition, honey is antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and contains no fat, cholesterol or sodium.
When choosing honey, look for honey from wild flora, as opposed to honey from cultivated crops which are heavily sprayed with pesticides, traces of which could end up in the honey. Try to avoid honey that has been heated to high temperatures as this can destroy the natural enzymes, affecting its health benefits. It is advisable not to give honey to babies younger than a year old. Honey may (rarely) contain spores that can lead to infant botulism, even though it is completely safe for older children and adults.
Here are 20 health benefits of honey:
1.Useful for Weight Loss
Did you know you can use Honey for Weight Loss ? According to author and nutritionist Mike McInnes honey burns body fat even while when you are sleeping. It is one of the best foods for losing weight. Doctors recommend to have a spoonful of honey before going to bed. You can also consume a little honey with warm water on an empty stomach early in the morning. Having it first thing in the morning, helps increase the metabolism, which in turn helps reduce weight faster. Honey is also good for improving your overall health.
2.Used for Healing Wounds
Honey has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties, which is why honey is used for healing wounds. After any skin injury, bacteria that live on your skin can infect and penetrate the wound site. Honey, has been found to destroy these bacteria.
3.Home Remedy for Cough
Honey is known to be one of the best home remedies for dry cough as well as wet cough. Research has also shown that drinking a tablespoon of honey can reduce irritation in the throat. Honey is the preferred natural remedy for cough, especially for kids, as it helps to relieve nocturnal cough, allowing proper sleep. Find out more about the benefits of ginger and honey
4.Acts as a Natural Sleeping Aid
Having trouble falling asleep? You should try drinking this beverage made of warm milk and honey just before you sleep. For centuries, people have used this drink to help them sleep. This beverage is fairly easy to make. All you need to do is add a teaspoon of Dabur Honey into a glass of hot milk, or add 1 or 2 teaspoons of Dabur Honey to a cup of chamomile tea and sip to induce sleep.
5.Natural Home Remedy for Dandruff
Honey is one of the best natural home remedies for dandruff. It not only provides nourishment to dry hair but it also gives you smooth and soft hair. You can also use honey and lavender with green tea to prevent hair fall . All you need to do is mix 2 tablespoons of Dabur Honey with equal amount of vegetable oil and apply it on your hair. Keep this hair mask on for 15 minutes, and then rinse it off before you shampoo. Learn how beneficial honey for hair can be.
6.Natural Energy Drink
Honey is known as an excellent source of natural energy as the natural unprocessed sugar present in it enters the bloodstream directly and this in turn can give a quick boost of energy. This quick boost works like a wonder for your workout, especially in longer endurance exercises.
7.Super food for Your Face & Skin
Using Honey for skin is very useful because of its moisturizing and nourishing properties. Honey is the best natural moisturizer, especially for your dry skin and it is also very easy to apply. Raw honey not only unclogs pores but it also helps moisturize parched skin. It also helps curing chapped lips during winters. Many people also use honey masks for skin tone correction. Also being a natural antiseptic, it is useful for treatment of wounds, bruises, cuts, burns and other infections. Learn more about how honey can be used as one of the effective home remedies for glowing skin .
8.Boosts memory
We are what we eat and hence it is very important to consume foods that help make our mental health strong to sustain in old age. Honey, the eternal sweetener has numerous health benefits, one of which includes boosting memory and concentration. Honey not only increases brain power and memory but also makes you a healthier person altogether. Consumption of honey prevents metabolic stress and helps calm and soothe the brain, which helps in augmenting memory in the long run. The natural antioxidants and therapeutic properties in honey help in boosting brains’ cholinergic system and circulation and receding cells that cause memory loss.
9.Boosts immune system
Honey has countless medicinal properties that naturally help in curing a sore throat. Its antioxidants and bacteria-fighting assets also help against fighting infections that are caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi. According to doctors and scientists, buckwheat honey has the highest number of antioxidants and when consumed daily can be beneficial for boosting immunity in the long run and this is why honey has known to be one of the best immunity boosting foods . It is always advisable to consume honey every morning before breakfast or even workout to get an extra kick of energy for the whole day. It also works as a cleansing toner which improves immunity in children.
10.Helps with herpes
Herpes in one of the most painful conditions one can endure. And apart from the regular medicines prescribed by the doctors, it is also advisable to use honey regularly. The best way to use honey to treat herpes is to use raw honey which contributes in not only treating the infection but also helps in building immunity later. Honey is known to contain antibiotic resistant strains that ward off bacteria and offers several benefits that effectively help in reducing sores caused by herpes. It not only draws and dries the fluid away from the wound but also the sugar content stops microorganism growth.
11.Eases sinus issues
With increasing pollution and dust many people these days suffer from sinus related issues. Sinuses are small cavities in the skull that produce mucus to guard the respiratory system from allergies and infections. When we suffer from infections the viruses block the sinus, traps the air and mucus which causes distress. Honey on the other hand is a natural anti-bacterium and anti-septic that helps to clear the infections and reduce inflammations. Honey also soothes throat and reduces coughs and strengthens the immune system thereby causing less sinus attacks.
12.Helps with gum disease
Honey’s anti-bacterial and infection healing properties help in treating and healing wounds. Teeth and gum diseases like gingivitis, bleeding and plaque can be treated to a great extent with the regular use of honey. Honey is known to release antiseptic hydrogen peroxide which acts as anti-microbial agent that prevents the growth of bacteria. Experts’ advice the use of raw honey mixed with water to be used as mouthwash. Also rubbing honey directly on affected gums gives instant relief from pain and inflammation and other periodontal diseases.
13.Treats yeast infections
Vaginal yeast infections are caused by fungus, causing irritation, discharge, itching and inflammation of the vagina. There are various anti-fungal creams and lotions available to help one soothe the problem but nothing can beat natural treatments. Honey helps in treatment of yeast infection naturally, also hydrating the infected area. Honey can be mixed with bees wax, olive oil or yoghurt or applied directly on the affected area to help pacify the infection. If you are pregnant, it is always advisable to take opinion from the doctor before applying honey.
14.Prevents and Helps control Eczema
Eczema is a skin condition that causes red, itchy, flaky skin that causes discomfort. Usually, young children and teenagers suffer from eczema that can be treated with eczema. Those suffering can make a mixture of raw honey and cold-pressed olive oil and apply on the skin to get rid of the problem. Honey acts as a natural cleanser by removing dirt and making the skin smooth and soft. It can also be used for exfoliation of the skin by mixing it with oats in order to remove dead cells. Regular use of honey prevents eczema from occurring or coming back again.
15.Blood sugar regulation
Even though it contains simple sugars, it is NOT the same as white sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of fructose and glucose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels. Some kinds of honey do have a low hypoglycemic index, so they don’t jolt your blood sugar.
16.Prevent cancer and heart disease
It contains flavonoids, antioxidants which help reduce the risk of some cancers and heart disease.
17.Reduce ulcers and other gastrointestinal disorders
Recent research shows that honey treatment may help disorders such as ulcers and bacterial gastroenteritis.
18.Increase athletic performance
Ancient Olympic athletes would eat honey and dried figs to enhance their performance. This has now been verified with modern studies, showing that it is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time than other sweeteners.
19.Probiotic
Some varieties possess large amounts of friendly bacteria. This includes up to 6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria. This may explain many of the “mysterious therapeutic properties of honey.”
20.Honey Can Lower Triglycerides
Elevated blood triglycerides are another major risk factor for heart disease.They are also a key sign of insulin resistance, a major driver of type 2 diabetes.Triglyceride levels tend to increase on a diet that is high in sugar and refined carbs.Interestingly, multiple studies have linked regular honey consumption with lower triglyceride levels, especially when it is used to replace sugar.For example, one study that compared honey and sugar found 11-19% lower triglyceride levels in the honey group .
Source:
http://www.daburhoney.com/benefits-of-honey.aspx
