What is Honey? Honey is a sweet, viscous food substance made by honey bees and some related insects, such as stingless bees. Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants or from secretions of other insects, by regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation.
Honey has been used as both food and honey since the ancient times. It’s particularly beneficial when used instead of refined sugar. Honey has been proven to drastically reduce coughs and cold.
Checkout these surprising benefits of honey according to healthline.com:
1. Honey Contains Some Nutrients: Nutritionally, 1 tablespoon of honey (21 grams) contains 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar, including fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose. It contains virtually no fiber, fat or protein. It also contains trace amounts — under 1% of the RDI — of several vitamins and minerals, but you would have to eat many pounds to fulfill your daily requirements. Where honey shines is in its content of bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants. Darker types tend to be even higher in these compounds than lighter types.
2. High-Quality Honey Is Rich in Antioxidants: High-quality honey contains many important antioxidants. These include organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids. Scientists believe that the combination of these compounds gives honey its antioxidant power. Interestingly, two studies have shown that buckwheat honey increases the antioxidant value of your blood. Antioxidants have been linked to reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer. They may also promote eye health.
3. Honey Is “Less Bad” Than Sugar for Diabetics: The evidence on honey and diabetes is mixed. On one hand, it can reduce several risk factors for heart disease common in people with type 2 diabetes. For example, it may lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammation while raising “good” HDL cholesterol. However, some studies have found that it can also increase blood sugar levels — just not as much as refined sugar. While honey may be slightly better than refined sugar for people with diabetes, it should still be consumed with caution. In fact, people with diabetes may do best by minimizing all high-carb foods. Keep in mind, too, that certain types of honey may be adulterated with plain syrup. Although honey adulteration is illegal in most countries, it remains a widespread problem
4. The Antioxidants in It Can Help Lower Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is an important risk factor for heart disease, and honey may help lower it. This is because it contains antioxidant compounds that have been linked to lower blood pressure. Studies in both rats and humans have shown modest reductions in blood pressure from consuming honey
5. Honey Also Helps Improve Cholesterol: High LDL cholesterol levels is a strong risk factor for heart disease. This type of cholesterol plays a major role in atherosclerosis, the fatty buildup in your arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Interestingly, several studies show that honey may improve your cholesterol levels. It reduces total and “bad” LDL cholesterol while significantly raising “good” HDL cholesterol. For example, one study in 55 patients compared honey to table sugar and found that honey caused a 5.8% reduction in LDL and a 3.3% increase in HDL cholesterol. It also led to modest weight loss of 1.3%.
6. The Antioxidants in It Are Linked to Other Beneficial Effects on Heart Health: Again, honey is a rich source of phenols and other antioxidant compounds. Many of these have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. They may help the arteries in your heart dilate, increasing blood flow to your heart. They may also help prevent blood clot formation, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Furthermore, one study in rats showed that honey protected the heart from oxidative stress. All told, there is no long-term human study available on honey and heart health. Take these results with a grain of salt.
Want to know about others? Then checkout this out 10 Surprising Health Benefits of Honey
