Honey- a golden brown sweet liquid that is used as food and medicine since ancient times is actually made by bees. Bees collect nectar from the flowers and stored it in their beehive. There the bees repeatedly consume, digest and regurgitate the nectar and finally produce the honey.
Honey is useful in every form whether it is raw or processed. You will get raw honey with some traces of yeast, wax, and pollen as it is removed from the hive and bottled directly whereas processed honey is firstly heated to remove the impurities like yeast, to enhance its color and texture and then bottled. Processed honey has a high shelf life.
Now you wonder why there is a difference lies in the flavor of honey when the makers are the same and the process is the same. The flavor of honey depends on the variety of flowers from which the nectar has been taken.
The nutritional profile of Honey
Honey is sweet because of the presence of fructose in it. Honey is used as a natural sweetener as it gives more energy than artificial sugar. The other main components of honey are vitamins and minerals, Honey is rich in amino acids, antibiotic-rich inhibin, proteins, phenol antioxidants, and micronutrients.
Honey can be used as food and medicine. It can treat many problems related to skin, hair, heart, cough, cold, wounds, bones and so many.
Let’s discuss the 10 benefits of honey on skin, hair and Health
1. Honey for wounds: Honey acts as a medicine for healing wounds and injuries. Honey can be used on any part of the body. Honey has antioxidant, antibacterial, and healing power that helps in preventing infection.
How to use:
First of all, wash the area of injury or wound with clean water and wipe it well with a cloth. Now apply honey well on the wound and tie the bandage. Apply honey again after some hours. If it seems, that the wound is really deep, then you must consult a doctor.
2. Honey for Diabetic patient: the use of honey in diabetes has mixed reviews. Some research says that it lower “bad” LDL cholesterol and triglycerides level while raising “good” HDL cholesterol whereas, some found that it can also increase blood sugar levels but not as much like refined sugar. So, it is recommended to use honey with caution during diabetes.
3. Honey for cold and cough: The antibiotic property of honey removes the throat infection during cold and cough. It is believed that this is a natural cure especially for children and more effective than modern cough medicines.
How to use:
You can take honey in the morning or at night when you have a cold. It can be taken with two teaspoons of honey in one glass lukewarm water.
4. Honey for Digestion: Honey is sometimes used to treat digestive issues like diarrhea, acid reflux, and gastric problem. It nourishes the good bacteria in the gut.
5. Honey for losing weight: Increased body weight is the most common problem people suffer from nowadays. There are no fats present in honey and that’s why it is good for reducing fat from the body.
How to use:
In the morning, a teaspoon of honey with half lemon juice in a glass of warm water can be taken daily for better results. Lemon will also help in making the digestive system fine along with weight loss.
6. Honey for skin: Honey is also used to enhance the beauty of the skin. Pimples, black spots, and cracked lips greatly affect the beauty of the face. In such a situation, honey can help you a lot. Honey is antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant in nature. It removes impurities from the skin pores and also acts as a natural antiseptic. Honey can also increase the glow of your face. You can use honey as a skin lightening mask. The antioxidant properties of honey keep the skin young.
How to use:
There are plenty of ways in which honey can be used on the face. It can be mixed with anyone curd, lemon, Papaya, milk, or any other fruit and can be used as a mask on the face.
7. Honey for hair: The antioxidant properties present in honey prevent hair breakage and keep hair healthy. Honey also has antibacterial and antiseptic properties, which prevents scalp infection. It conditioned the rough hair as Honey is an effective natural conditioner and moisturizer.
How to use:
For long and beautiful hair, you can use honey on your hair. It can be used directly, with oil, or can be diluted in water before applying. Rinse it properly after washing with a mild shampoo.
8. Honey lowers the Blood pressure: Honey lowers the Blood Pressure: High blood pressure is a major risk factor in heart diseases. Honey may help lower it because it comprises antioxidant compounds that have been associated with lower blood pressure.
9. Honey as an immunity booster: Honey’s antioxidant and antibacterial properties help improve the digestive system and enhance immunity. It is a great source of antioxidants, which helps in removing toxins from the body.
10. Honey for bones: With age, bones start degenerating. To save bones from degeneration, the anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant properties of Honey help. The regular use of honey prevents the bones from getting weak.
Apart from all these benefits, honey has side effects too if taken raw. Raw honey shouldn’t be given to infants as it may contain bacteria called Clostridium botulinum which can cause botulism poisoning in infants. Symptoms may include constipation, slow breathing, sagging eyelids, improper feeding, lethargy, and weak cry, etc.
In adults too, symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and fatigue followed by constipation and in more severe cases, blurred vision and muscle weakness can be seen.
Honey is a natural food having medicinal properties. Honey can be used in various physical and health problems, but it is advisable that before using it in any serious health problem, please consult a doctor or health nutritionist to avoid any side effects.