Health Benefits of Honey

Health benefits of honey include relieving cold, flu and sore throat problems, which is largely due to the presence of its antibiotic property.

People have used honey to soothe sore throats for years and it has been proven to be very effective. In fact, Italian opera singers are known to have used honey whenever they have sore throats so that they can sing well.

For common cold, honey is definitely my top choice. Drinking a warm glass of water mixed with squeezed lime juice and a teaspoon of honey provides quick relief for cold.

Do you know that raw honey that contains traces of pollen can actually help relieve pollen-related allergies? Read more about honey for allergies.

Other than that, studies and researches have also found honey to be useful for serious diseases and disorders such as diabetes, heart problems and insomnia.

For pregnant moms, honey is an excellent source of nutrition to be taken during pregnancy.

Losing weight is just one of the many health benefits of honey. One tablespoon of honey contains approximately 70 calories, while the same amount of sugar contains 45 calories. However, honey is sweeter than sugar, so you won't need to take too much of it.

Honey can supply the body with energy supply for a period of several hours. However, although it gives you energy, it does not cause you to gain weight! Why? Because you won't be hungry during the day since you have sufficient energy supply in your body. Not hungry = eat less :)

Try taking 3-4 tablespoons in the morning, and 2 more before dinner.

Energy Booster

Another health benefit of honey is that it contains natural sugars which act as energy booster for the body. The glucose contained in honey is easily absorbed by the blood to give instant energy,and the fructose will be absorbed slowly by the body to sustain energy.

This is why honey is a great source of energy for people who are active in sports and outdoor activities. Taking honey can help athletes regain their stamina. Products such as energy bars withhoney and honey milk are very popular meals among athletes.

Antibacterial Effect

Honey has a powerful antibacterial effect due to several components:

1) Osmotic effect

A high level of water and sugar contained in honey (especially fructose) causes it to have a high osmotic effect. This effect will prevent the micro organisms in the body to spread.

2) Hydrogen peroxide

The presence of sugar and water, along with free oxygen in honey, will create gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide. Both of these elements are beneficial to kill microorganisms inside the body.

3) Acidity

The acidity of honey is one of the factors that contribute to its antibacterial effect, antioxidant activities, and stability against microorganisms. The pH level of undiluted honey varies from 3.2 to 4.5 and this low acidity level inhibits the growth of bacterial pathogens, as some types of bacteria require a pH level of 7.2 to 7.4 to grow. Honey acidity is due to organic acids, especially gluconic acid which is a result of glucose oxidase in honey on glucose. This acid is produced when nectar is transformed into honey and it increases on storage.

One type of honey that is known for its antibacterial properties is Manuka Honey. A recent research has found that Active Manuka Honey has another powerful antibacterial property known as UMF (Unique Manuka Factor). The combination of both hydrogen peroxide and UMF has been proven to have an astounding healing effect, including healing wounds.

One great thing is you can still get the honey health benefits by combining it with other ingredients. For instance, the combination of honey and cinnamon is found to have an astounding effect for many diseases such as heart diseases, arthritis, hair loss, stomach upsetness, halitosis (bad breath) and many more. Another popular combination that also makes an effective home remedy is apple cider vinegar and honey.

So, knowing all these wonderful health benefits of honey, who says sweet treats cannot be healthy? ;)

Share your experience about the health benefits of honey!

From flu to weight loss, many people around the world have found honey to be effective for their health problems. If you are one of them, I would love to hear your story experiencing the health benefits of honey.

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