Posted on December 9, 2011 in Food & Nutrition
Ask your granny a cure for sore throat and most likely she will recommend you honey. The medicinal benefits of honey are known for a long time. Honey has been used for different therapeutic purposes in ancient Indian Ayurveda medicine. Honey is probably one miracle product that Mother Nature has in store for us! Honey is produced by honeybees by collecting nectar from flowers. From healing wounds to boosting immunity level, the benefits of honey are enormous. Mull through the article below to discover the different health benefits of honey.
Honey is a thick sweet liquid composed of simple sugar, complex carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, and antioxidants. A teaspoon of honey contains approximately 22 calories of energy and is loaded with essential vitamins like Vitamin A, D, C, E, K, and B-complex. Although honey has a golden amber hue, however, the color, taste, and texture of honey varies greatly depending upon the nature of flower the bees have visited to gather the nectar.
Health Benefits of Honey
Below are some of the top and effective benefits of honey -
- Honey is known as a natural sweetener and an excellent source of energy. The unique composition of honey not only boosts the energy level and stamina but also helps to control diabetes
- Honey has a lot of beneficial bacteria including lactobacilli and bifidobacteria and thus acts as an excellent prebiotics. For this, honey helps and supports digestion. These friendly bacteria help maintain the natural environment of the gut and thus provide a favorable condition for the digestive juices to act optimally
- Honey has antibacterial, anti inflammatory and antiseptic property and thus works as a great healing agent
- Like fruits and vegetables, honey is also an important source of antioxidants. These essential chemical compounds help to neutralize the free radicals in the body. As a result, the process of aging is slowed down and also the risk of developing different types of cancers is minimized
- Topical application of honey helps in fast recovery of wounds. The anti-inflammatory property of honey helps to heal wound faster. Honey has osmotic properties which mean it can extract water. When applied on wounds, it extracts the water. Since most bacteria grow on water medium, this osmotic property of honey helps the wound to stay clean and heals up quickly
- Honey mixed with lemon is used as a common household remedy for sore throat and common cold
- Honey mixed with cinnamon tea also gives quick relief to cold. It also soothes the digestive tract and helps digestion
- Some specific scientific studies have revealed that honey has the ability to treat certain types of cancer and its side effects. The study has further shown that honey can even prevent the growth of certain tumors if applied intravenously. Raw honey is a great source of phytonutrients that include caffeic acid, methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate and phenylethyl dimethylfaffeate. These chemicals have the potential to prevent cancer
It is strongly recommended to consult your physician if your symptoms persist or if you plan to use honey as a remedy to your illness.
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