Honey is Medicine
Exploring the benefits of raw honey for human health
Honey is a common sweetener located throughout the homes of many Americans today. Honey is used to sweeten a variety of foods and delicacies. Honey is used to flavor various cereals such as Honey Nut Cherrios. Honey is used to sweeten various pastries, such as donuts, muffins and croissants. Honey is a common ingredient used to make granola bars and other snacks. Honey is sometimes drizzled over waffles, pancakes, biscuits and bagels. Honey is everywhere.
Honey is made from bees when they consume nectar from plants. The bees digest the nectar and produce the sugars glucose, fructose and sucrose. The bees then store the honey in honeycombs and dry it with their wings. They finished the process by sealing the honeycomb with sap.
Honey has been used throughout history in a variety of countries for many different purposes. Honey was used by the ancient Assyrians to embalm their dead. Honey was used extensively by the Egyptians and Greeks as an offering to their gods. Honey was employed during Biblical times as a sweetener in cakes and to construct candles. The Islamic prophet Mohammed also enjoyed honey and recommended it to his followers.
Honey has been used medicinally in Ayurvedic medicine for thousands of years. Honey is considered a miraculous “wonder food” and powerful healing agent by the Ayurvedic practitioners. It has been used throughout Indian history to treat wounds and skin disorders, ease digestive pain and help detoxify the body systems.
Honey is an extremely rich and versatile food, and few people are aware of the wide range of health benefits that it offers. Here are some of the top health benefits of raw, unprocessed honey:
1. Wound Healing
Honey is excellent for healing skin wounds, cuts, scrapes and burns. It is anti-microbial and anti-bacterial, and thus helps to sterilize wounds. Honey also helps balance the levels of sebum production and natural oils on the skin.
2. Healing Skin Disorders
Honey is not only beneficial for healing wounds, but it’s great for treating all skin conditions. Honey has especially been proven useful in treating acne and eczema, both of which are inflammatory skin conditions. Honey exfoliates the pores and reduces the inflammation.
3. Preventing and Fighting Allergies
Honey has been shown to help prevent seasonal allergies because of the pollen it contains. The pollen in honey helps to strengthen the immune system and desensitize it so that it doesn’t overreact to the pollen in the environment.
However, in order for honey to be effective in preventing allergies, you must consume it during the entire year and not only during allergy season. Consuming a small amount of honey on a daily basis will help strengthen your immunity.
It’s also important to choose locally sourced honey when trying to prevent allergies. Local honey contains the pollen found in your area and will be most effective in boosting your immunity toward that specific pollen.
Most raw, local honey is effective in preventing allergies, but not all honey is great at treating allergies. Manuka honey has been shown to be best in treating allergies already possessed.
4. Reduces Coughs and Sore Throats
Honey is an excellent tool to have at your disposal during cold and flu season. Honey helps soothe sore throats and reduce the burning and pain. Honey combined with lemon or apple cider vinegar is a very effective home remedy for sore throats.
Honey also acts as a natural cough suppressant. Honey contains dextromethorphan, an ingredient found in many cough medications. Many cough drops contain honey because of its effectiveness.
5. Aids in Digestive Disorders
Honey contains beneficial enzymes, bacteria and prebiotic fibers, all of which can help treat digestive problems. Honey also has anti-microbial properties, which make it useful in boosting immunity. Honey has been shown to help treat conditions such as Chron’s disease, IBS and SIBO. It has also been proven effective in treating diarrhea.
6. Prevents Tooth Decay
Even though honey contains sugar, it can actually be useful in preventing and fighting tooth decay. Honey’s anti-microbial and anti-bacterial properties make it a useful tool in sterilizing the mouth.
7. Aids in Weight Loss
Honey has been shown to help induce weight loss in those who are obese. Honey does not spike insulin levels like processed sugar, and thus will not trigger fat storage. Honey also boosts metabolism and energy levels, which helps burn more calories.
8. Balances Blood Sugar
Although honey is a sweetener, it has ironically been shown to promote healthy blood glucose levels. Honey has a unique combination of sugars that make it useful in balancing blood sugar. In fact, honey has even been shown to help prevent and treat type 2 diabetes. Honey is especially effective at treating diabetes when combined with cinnamon.
9. Treats Insomnia
Honey is also useful as a sleep aid. Honey stimulates the production of melatonin, the hormone that causes relaxation and sleep. A little honey combined with a banana at night is a good way to promote restful sleep.
10. Improves Athletic Performance
Honey has been used for thousands of years as a preferred source of nutrition for athletes. Honey has been proven to boost energy levels and increase strength and stamina in athletes. Honey is quickly absorbed by the body and provides a readily available source of fuel. Honey also helps maintain and stabilize healthy glycogen levels. You can use honey before a workout to boost energy, and afterwards to aid in recovery.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324997
These are just a few of the top health benefits of honey. Honey has many other uses and benefits, such as decreasing cholesterol, healing urinary tract infections and exfoliating the skin.
However, it’s important to realize that the health benefits of honey are confined to raw, unpasteurized, unprocessed honey. Raw, unheated honey is literally teeming with nutrients. It is packed with antioxidants, enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, pollen, propolis, probiotics and prebiotic fibers. Raw honey is delicious and nutritious!
When honey is processed and pasteurized, most of its nutrients are destroyed. Furthermore, the processing actually changes some of honey’s nutrients into harmful particles. Thus, it is always best to choose raw, unadulterated honey.
It is also best to choose honey that is locally sourced. There are a few reasons for choosing local honey. First, honey that is cultivated overseas often contains harmful chemicals. Much of the honey produced in China is filled with harmful chemicals, including anti-biotics. Second, honey that is locally sourced contains the pollen in your geographic area. This local pollen helps to strengthen your immune system and prevent allergies. However, the pollen from distant locations will not be as effective in treating allergies. Thus, always inspect your honey jar or bottle carefully to ensure that it is locally sourced.
In addition to honey being raw and local, it it also wise to choose organic honey. Some honeycombs are sprayed with pesticides and you do not want these in your body.
Raw honey is always darker and thicker than processed honey. This is because processed honey is usually filtered with lots of water to increase its container size. Thus, always avoid honey that is light and watery.
Raw honey may also contain crystals. This is perfectly natural and no reason to be afraid. The sugars in honey naturally crystallize with time.
The best places to purchase raw, local honey are the farmer’s market the natural health food stores. These places carry fresh, raw honey that is teeming with nutrients. Most of the honey at supermarkets is fake, highly processed and should be avoided at all costs.
There are literally thousands of different kinds of honey around the world. The healthiest kind of honey to consume is manuka honey. Manuka honey contains far more nutrients than any other kind of honey. Just remember that even manuka honey should always be raw and preferably organic.
Here are some cautions to heed when consuming honey:
1. Always consume raw honey, and preferably local and organic.
I have already stated the importance of consuming raw honey in it’s natural state. Raw honey contains the pollen and other nutrients and is free from harmful chemicals.
2. Consume honey in moderation.
Even though though honey is very nutritious, it still contains a decent amount of sugar. Thus, honey should be consumed in moderation. It is best to consume no more than a teaspoon of honey per day.
3. Do not mix equal parts of honey and ghee.
Honey and ghee can be used together, just not in equal parts. Mixing honey and ghee together in equal measures has been shown to be toxic to human health.
4. Never heat honey.
Raw honey should never be heated. When honey is heated, it can produce toxic chemicals such as hydroxymethol furfuraldehyde. These toxins can cause cancer and other diseases. Thus, do not use honey when cooking or even in coffee and tea.
5. Do not give honey to infants under one year old.
Honey should not be consumed by infants under a year old. Infants do not have the ability to detoxify certain compounds in honey. Honey is safe for older children and teenagers, just not for young infants.
Now that you know the many benefits of raw honey, give it a try. Spread some honey on your toast in the morning instead of jelly. Grab some honey and an apple before going for your afternoon run. Or drizzle some honey over a banana for a bedtime snack at night. Explore the wonders and many uses of honey today!
