Honey, known alias with different nicknames like — ”golden elixir of nature” talking about this beauty?! It has been used around the world in hundreds of different cultures for thousands and tens of thousand years. Honey is used for both culinary and medical purposes.  What is Honey and how is it made? What is the benefits of honey?

Honey is prepared in a different way by many countries and used as an ingredient of daily dishes, or for medicinal reasons. When honey bees suck nectar from flowers, they keep it in their stomachs. The bees take the nectar and once back at the hive, regurgitate it for each other to transference gradually until honey is created. Then there is the simple process of evaporating water and adding bees’ stomach enzymes. The Hydrogen bond organometallic coordination complex naturally causes sugar in nectar to condense into chemical glucose, fructose.

The honey is deposited into some hexagonal shaped cells known as honeycomb, from where it keeps on being evaporated and dehydrates. When the honey cells are full, bees cap them with a wax cover. Honey is also a mostly simple sugars with glucose and fructose dominating. Additionally, it includes trace amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that further contribute to its health properties. Honey is a calorie-dense food, so it should also be kept in moderation despite being a natural product.

Honey, on the other hand is a natural nutrient-rich substance that can be used to cure various ailments as well as for being consumed or served with different food items and has made its way into almost every household. Honey isn’t simply an indulgent treat — it’s also a cough soother, a skin savior and the reason you should only ever shop for natural sun cream. It is a veritable powerhouse of nutrients and antioxidants, well beyond the benefits that most of us are aware of.

Although honey has been used in medicine for centuries, science is catching up on the health benefits of this golden liquid which makes it truly unique. In this article, we will discuss six interesting health benefits of honey which you may not know yet but may one day motivate you to use more in your daily life.

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1. Natural Antibacterial Quality of Honey

The last thing that probably comes to your mind when you think of honey, is its function as a natural antibacterial and antimicrobial agent. This is in spite of the fact that honey has been used for hundreds, if not thousands of years to heal wounds and prevent infection. Its composition is what the secret lies in.

Thus, the honey is antibacterial for two reasons: a low pH and high sugar content (unlike most bacteria and fungi cannot survive in these conditions). Honey also features an enzyme known as glucose oxidase. This enzyme reacts with body fluids to produce hydrogen peroxide, which is a known antiseptic substance and this helps honey kill metal microbes quite effectively.

Especially the saying of manuka honey which is known for its powerful antibacterial characteristics. This honey is sourced from the nectar of Manuka tree blossoms (a type found only in New Zealand), and contains a natural ingredient called methylglyoxal (MGO) that makes it three times more potent as an antibacterial than other similar honeys.

This type of honey is frequently applied to burns, ulcers and other hard-to-heal wounds in hospitals. And their antifungal activity without breeding new strains of antibiotic-resistant fungi certainly makes them a natural alternative to think about.

Adding honey to your first aid kit may seem a bit unorthodox, but it is an easy all natural way of healing small cuts and scratches.  Remember to use medical grade honey, it’s typically been sterilized and manufactured for medicinal use.  

2. Boosting Your Immune System

Honey also comes with antioxidants, vitamins and minerals that enhance your immunity system in a natural way as well. Antioxidants such as flavonoids and polyphenols in honey. These compounds help reduce the effect of free radicals — unstable molecules that cause oxidative stress and can damage your cells overtime and also will weaken your immune system. Honey helps your body and more importantly, the immune system to fight off infections and disease; it can help to reduce oxidative stress thus allowing the immune function of your cell walls.

Honey is also known to be prebiotic, helping feed the beneficial bacteria present in your gut. A healthy gut is crucial for a strong immune system and since nearly 70% of your immune system resides in your digestive tract this can complicate things. Honey helps in sustaining a balanced gut microbiome, which is necessary for us to remain healthy.

Honey also has other natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties aside from its antioxidant content, which allows it to fight harmful bacteria and viruses right on the spot. Unique compounds in certain types of honey, such as methylglyoxal (MGO) found in Manuka honey are exceedingly powerful. These antibacterial properties can prevent infections and bolster the healing for your body which will make honey a valuable part of our diet during flu or cold season, whenever you feel that your immune system is weak.

Additionally, the prebiotic properties of honey help a lot in maintaining gut health which has ties with our immune function. Honey: Honey helps in the growth of good bacteria present within our gut that is responsible for maintaining a balanced microbiome. The more healthy your gut, the stronger immune response and over 70% of it is located in your digestive system so having a good gut flora is essential if we are to protect ourselves against pathogens. Taking honey on a regular basis can support healthy gut function. Use the drizzle on top of your morning yogurt, in tea or even straight out of the jar! But remember it is also a sugar so don’t over eat this too.

3. A Natural Energy Booster

If you are searching for a natural way to raise your energy levels, honey could possibly be the solution. Honey: Unlike processed sugars and artificial sweeteners, natural honey contains a synergistic mix of glucose & fructose making nuts your back-and-forth quick energy supply through the day.

Glucose is used by the body with a rapid effect and delivers an instant energy spike while fructose can be absorbed in slow fashion, leading to extended release of sugars for further supply of energy. These two make honey the perfect energy if you want a jolt before hopping on your bike.

But honey has medicinal purposes beyond mere lubrication in energy production. Rich in vitamins and minerals, honey like B-vitamins, calcium among others helps your body more effectively metabolize food.  So it is not just a sugar rush — you have balanced your energy supply more effectively, and hopefully maybe will reduce crashes later.

Slathered on whole-grain toast, mixed into your morning smoothie or combined with a spoonful of peanut butter for a quick snack — honey is an energy all-star.

4. Improving Digestive Health

This not only helps to promote functioning of the digestive system, but it can also relieve those annoyances and pains from an upset stomach as well. A little-known fact about honey is that it heals the digestive tract, and offers potential to help with a wide range of gastrointestinal issues.

When consumed, honey can smooth the esophagus and stomach lining to reduce acid reflux symptoms from backflow of stomach acid. It can also soothe an inflamed gut, decreasing discomfort and ultimately healing the stomach.

It may be especially useful for people suffering from ulcers. Studies indicate that honey can inhibit the growth of Helicobacter pylori – the bacterium which promotes development of gastric and duodenal ulcers. This means that honey has the ability to stop ulcers from forming and heal existing ones.

Additionally, honey is a choice food for good gut bacteria because it contains prebiotics that support digestion. Honey sustains your health by feeding the good bacteria in your gut, which is key to proper digestion and overall well-being.

If you are having digestive problems, consume honey by mixing it in herbal tea or yogurt, as well as enjoy a couple of spoons on its own.

5. Supporting Heart Health

The hidden benefits of honey are pretty amazing especially when it comes to your heart health. The antioxidants in honey, especially the polyphenols may help reduce risk factors for heart disease such as raised blood pressure or cholesterol.

Honey has also been shown to reduce blood pressure, which is important for heart health. Honey contains antioxidants that help relax the blood vessels to reduce circulation and pressure on your heart. Honey has anti-inflammatory properties that help reduce such chronic inflammations, necessarily keeping the cardiovascular system in good form.

Honey also benefits the heart by reducing LDL (bad) cholesterol and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol. High levels of the LDL form are considered to be a risk factor for heart disease because it can cause plaque buildup in arteries, increasing chances of strokes and heart attacks. Honey also helps in maintaining a healthy cholesterol ratio, making it an effective supporter for your cardiovascular system.

In order to benefit your heart with honey, you can include it in place of refined sugars and artificial sweeteners. Whether it be drizzled over your oatmeal in the morning or stirred into a cup of tea, baby steps can yield big health results.

6. Improve Cognitive Function and Memory

Not only can honey support your cognitive function and memory, but it is also good for one’s physical health. This is mainly owing to the high content of antioxidants in honey, especially flavonoids. These molecules protect the brain cells from oxidative stress, which is responsible for conditions like dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Honey helps support brain cells to remain healthy by mitigating the impact of oxidative stress thereby promoting improved cognitive function through life.

Beyond its antioxidant properties, honey may also help improve your memory. Several reports indicate that in those who take honey, the brain improves memory and information retention processes. For one, this is because natural sugars in honey – such as glucose — serve as a key energy source that keeps the brain turned on. As a source of energy, glucose fuels the brain so that it can carry out operations such as memory formation and recall in an optimal way. Honey can be an effective natural method for maintaining your memory efficiency and keeping brain activity in the pink — that is especially important as you get older.

Further, the anti-inflammatory effects of honey may be beneficial for brain health too. Chronic inflammation has been shown to be harmful in the brain and have negative consequences on memory, cognitive functioning among other problems. Thus, by working as a powerful anti-inflammatory agent honey can protect the brain from inflammation-related damage which ultimately helps us save our cognitive abilities even when we get old.

Finally, honey also helps us to sleep well and this is important in healthy cognitive function and memory retention. You need to get a good night’s sleep in order for your brain to properly process and store information, plus the naturally occurring sugars found in honey are known to stimulate the release of melatonin hormone which regulates our sleeping schedule. Honey, by helping with sleep, is also contributing to increased cognitive performance and improved memory retention.

Conclusion

Having read the 6 hidden benefits of honey to your health, I hope you will be able to appreciate more types of honey and not just Acacia vs Manuka. More than just a natural sweetener to add in your drinks or food, it gives you the good thing about healthiness that could be great for our bodies. Adding them up, and these are warding off infections to improve digestion and offering antibacterial benefits- not to mention great for the heart or boosting energy levels as well lending support for cognitive functions. Each of these health benefits highlight how honey can offer betterment to your overall well-being.

One of the best things to include in your daily diet schedule for a healthy lifestyle. Honey is a natural store of antioxidants and essential vitamins to your diet as it is. But there are many other hidden benefits of honey, it is a real superfood. When it comes to honey, you can gain these too-health benefits and sweeten your life in a natural way by adding this Honey into your daily routine.

That little bear is more than just a tasty snack; it’s actually an elixir that many consider to be one of the most powerful and useful substances in all of nature.