Honey Benefits
Honey, Honey, Honey…Why use Honey…
Did you know you can substitute honey in most recipes and the end results provide you not only less granulated raw sugar, which we all know isn’t good for your body, but items you make come out more moist and taste so yummy. You’ll find it hard to believe you didn’t cook with honey before. And the added benefits of the vitamins and nutrients in honey are a real bonus to your body.
Honey is more than just a natural sweetener. It is a “purposeful food”, which
means it’s a natural food with health benefits. It contains natural antioxidants,
enzymes and minerals including iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and selenium. Vitamins found in honey include vitamin B6, thiamin,
riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin. In addition, the nutraceuticals
contained in honey help neutralize damaging free radical activity.
In fact, did you know that one tablespoon of honey contains only 64 calories, yet it has a healthy glycemic load of around 10 for 1 tablespoon, which is a little less than a banana, and does not cause a sugar spike and elevated insulin release like white sugar. Although honey is an affordable food, bees spend thousands of hours collecting pollen from around two million flowers to make one pound of pure honey.
Naturally Suppresses Coughs
If you're stuck with a cough that won't go away, studies show that honey works as well or better than many over-the-counter cough syrups in soothing it. Honey's thick consistency coats your throat and the sweet taste is thought to trigger certain nerves that make your throat less sensitive to the cough impulse. Try ingesting a teaspoon of honey before bed. You will find you fall asleep faster and have less coughing. It can be given to children over 1 year of age.
Soothes Burns
Applying a thin layer of honey to a minor burn can help quell the stinging sensation and have an anti-inflammatory effect. The antibacterial qualities of honey may also prevent the burn from becoming infected, which could result in a quicker healing time.
Aids Sleep
One of the many soothing properties of raw honey is its ability to help provide sleep relief. Honey may help facilitate the action of tryptophan, which helps make people sleepy. Plus, if you are suffering from a cough that keeps you up at night, a teaspoon of honey could help soothe your throat while you sleep.
Helps Heal Wounds
Applying a thin layer of raw honey to a minor wound may actually help sterilize the cut and help it heal more smoothly, with less scabbing. The application of honey to the site of the wound will help keep it moist, and exposure to oxygen helps to activate an enzyme in honey that forms hydrogen peroxide, which has anti-bacterial capabilities. Gently apply with a cotton swab, and cover loosely. However, honey is only appropriate for minor cuts that you would otherwise simply apply antibiotic ointment to – any deep cuts or cuts that appear infected should be evaluated by a medical professional.
Boosts Immunity
The phytonutrients in raw honey have antibacterial and antiviral properties that may help boost your immune system and fight sickness. If you're feeling a little under the weather, try making a “Hot Honeybee Toddy" by combining 1 tablespoon of honey and 2 teaspoons of lemon juice, preferably the juice from a fresh lemon, in a 1/2 cup of hot, but not boiling, water.
Best of all, honey does not need special storage or refrigeration – use it by the spoonful straight from the jar. All natural raw honey will crystalize over time, no worries, just place it in a hot, not boiling, pan of water and it quickly comes back to its liquid gold state. Never heat honey in the microwave, it breaks down the vitamins and nutrients making it as effective as white sugar.