“The bees are buzzin’ in the tree, To make some honey just for me”.

What is Honey

Honey is a thick, sticky and sweet-tasting liquid, loaded with therapeutic properties, honey has been used for skincare and well-being since ages. Its benefits vary from lowering blood sugar levels to aiding in weight-loss. This is the reason instead of sugar, weight-watchers foods that contain raw honey.

A few other benefits include:

1. It may help beat hangovers

It’s a familiar feeling… a heavy head, raging thirst, waves of nausea, over sensitivity to light and noise? Yes, it’s the dreaded hangover! Fret not, honey is here to rescue you. Just a few tablespoons of honey will help speed up your body’s metabolism and help you combat that hangover since fructose helps speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver.

Honey is roughly equal parts of glucose and fructose, so it has the potential to cause this reaction. However, studies that looked at honey’s ability to increase alcohol metabolism are using about 2 ounces of honey (8 tablespoons) per 25 grams of alcohol, which would be about 480 calories worth of honey. I wouldn’t recommend consuming that many calories worth of honey in one day.

2. It contains antioxidants

Honey is loaded with humectant compounds (a compound that helps in retaining moisture). It helps in retaining the moisture content in the skin. It also helps in restoring the elasticity of the skin and makes it glowing and supple.

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Some types of honey have been found to contain antioxidants (the darker the honey the more antioxidants it typically contains), which can help fight cell damage that may increase the risk for diseases like cancer, heart disease, etc. However, in order to really pack an antioxidant punch, you’d have to consume more than a teaspoon or two of honey.

While a teaspoon used here and there can provide a small antioxidant bonus, I’d recommend getting antioxidants from more nutritious sources, like fruits and veggies.

3. It may help heal your cuts and burns

Enriched with antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, using honey prevents the growth of bacteria. Hence, applying honey on wounds, cuts, abrasions and burns can help in the faster healing process.

Apart from healing wounds and cuts, honey helps in healing pus, lessens pain and promotes speedy recovery. Since it has anti-fungal properties, it can also cure infections such as jock itch, athlete foot and fungal infection on foot.

4. Honey Improves Your Scalp

According to a 2001 study published in the European Journal of Medical Research, honey can bring temporary relief to the scalp by targeting dandruff. The study found that applying honey diluted with 10 per cent warm water to problem areas and leaving it on for three hours before rinsing, led to itch relief and no scaling within a week. Skin lesions healed within two weeks and patients even showed an improvement in hair loss.

5. It’s sweeter than sugar

Honey contains glucose, fructose and minerals such as magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate. Per teaspoon, honey contains 20 calories, 5 grams of sugar and no fat. Granulated sugar has 15 calories, 4 grams of sugar and no fat per teaspoon. Honey is slightly sweeter, so you can use a bit less.

Thus, replacing it with sugar provides the number of health benefits and keep blood sugar level under control. Honey also contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3. These vitamins may vary according to the quality of nectar and pollen. Also, a small amount of copper, iodine, and zinc also exist in honey. And all these nutrients are essential for our well-being.

Also read: Facts about Stevia

6. It may help with weight control

It’s almost always recommended that people buy the plain version of foods and sweeten them themselves using a natural sweetener, so they’re able to control the amount of added sugar. But be sure to consume no more than 6 teaspoons (2 tablespoons) of honey per day, and that’s if it’s the ONLY added sugar you’re eating. If you’re getting sugar from other sources, make sure your total sugar intake does not top 6 teaspoons.

According to a 2010 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition, honey helps control your appetite. If you consume honey before bed, the body begins to burn more fat during those early hours of sleep. You can even take a step further and replace all refined sugar in your diet with honey in order to rebalance the brain signal that compels you to consume more sweet stuff.

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7.Detox, Detox, Detox!

It is believed that drinking warm water with honey and a splash of lime first thing in the morning is an effective anti-cellulite treatment, as it helps to increase body metabolism. Honey and warm water help to flush out the toxins from your body. By helping you to get regular, it helps you to regularly rid your body of toxins that can build up and cause disease.

Adding lemon to the mix increases the benefits, as lemons help to increase urination, dispelling toxins more frequently and keeping your urinary tract healthy. Lemon contains citric acid, which helps to maximize enzyme function and in turn stimulate the liver and help with detoxification.

8.Improves Sleep

Do you lie awake all night staring at the ceiling, tossing and turning? Use the famous milk and honey remedy to fall asleep quickly. All you need to do is add a teaspoon of honey to a glass of hot milk.

Honey releases serotonin (a neurotransmitter that improves your mood), and the body converts serotonin into melatonin (a chemical compound that regulates the length and quality of sleep. You can also add a teaspoon (or two) of honey to a cup of chamomile tea if you’d prefer.

Also read: Calming drinks to Relieve Stress and Anxiety

9. Honey for Silky Hair

Honey acts as a natural agent for moisturising hair and cleansing the scalp, leaving you with silk smoothly hair without stripping away any natural oils. Add a teaspoonful of honey to your usual shampoo or mix with olive oil for a deep conditioning treatment for 20 minutes, before washing your hair with shampoo.

10.Immunity Boost

Honey’s antioxidant and antibacterial properties help improve the digestive system and boost immunity. It is also a powerhouse of antioxidants, which are very effective for the removal of free radicals from the body.

Here is the Low Carb Foods That Will Instantly Boost Your Immunity

BONUS:

5 Facts About Honey Nutrition

Honey is quite useful in a lot of other things as well. Here are 5 amazing honey facts that you didn’t know about.

• Honey Makes Excellent Cough “Medicine” by treating respiratory tract infections. and prevents the recurrence of infections.

• Feeling Gassy? Honey helps to neutralize the gas

• Honey increases polyphonic antioxidants in the blood which helps prevent heart diseases

• Honey contains glucose, fructose, carbohydrates in these forms supply energy to the body, boost endurance and reduce muscle fatigue

• Reduce Allergy Symptoms

Also, read natural home remedies for constipation

By Priyanshi Bhatnagar