Honey is a substance that we all know and surely you have used it more than once as a substitute for sugar. What you may not know is that it is also an excellent natural remedy as it is antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial.
Its therapeutic and medicinal function is due to the mixture of vitamins, phenolic compounds, minerals, carbohydrates, etc., that make it up.
Also, its antihypercholesterolemic effects and in the regulation of the immune system and the glycemic response should be highlighted.
What is honey and how is it obtained?
Honey is a natural substance with a sweet taste and viscous consistency that is produced by bees (Apis mellifera). These are in charge of collecting the nectar rich in sugars from the flowers.
Then, being in the hive, they proceed to ingest it and regurgitate it several times while they enrich it with their own enzymes until it achieves the desired quality.
This semi-processed honey is stored in the honeycomb so that it can mature and dry by losing approximately 80% of its component water through evaporation. This is achieved thanks to the bees fanning their wings which creates an air current.
As the water has evaporated, the cells of the honeycomb are sealed in order to preserve the honey and prevent its fermentation.
Among the elements that give medicinal value to honey are: vitamins B, C, D, E; flavonoids and phenolic acids, minerals such as: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, potassium; amino acids, fatty acids (acetic, citric), among others.
But so that these elements do not lose their therapeutic properties, it is important that the honey is not exposed to temperatures higher than 40°C, that is, it should not be cooked.
And this is why many commercial honeys, when exposed to the pasteurization process, lose much of their healing power and effectiveness, since this produces the destruction of said elements.
Benefits of honey for your health
Honey has been used since ancient times as a natural treatment for various diseases. Its wide use is largely due to the fact that it is produced in almost the entire world and its use does not entail major complications.
Although we are sure that on more than one occasion you have taken advantage of its various properties, we have prepared for you a list of 10 benefits of honey that you should know about.
Perhaps you have already heard of one or have verified its effectiveness first hand, what we do not doubt is that they will be very useful for you and your loved ones.
1. Regulates blood sugar
Several investigations have pointed out the ability of honey to prevent hyperglycemia by generating a lower increase in blood glucose levels, postulating itself as a substitute for sugar in the diet of diabetics.
A study conducted in patients with type 1 diabetes found that honey produced a lower hyperglycemic response than glucose or sucrose.
In addition, the fructose in honey favors glucose being captured by the liver to produce glycogen which will be used as fuel by various parts of the body such as muscles or to regenerate glucose when it is necessary.
This generates a positive impact on the other organs of the body since they work better when there is no excess sugar circulating in the bloodstream.
Likewise, honey produces a decrease in the intake of sugars since it sweetens more than sucrose.
2. Stimulates the immune system
Honey enhances the action of the immune system since it favors the production of certain cells such as B and T lymphocytes and antibodies, which participate in the response process against foreign agents or pathogens.
It also promotes the release of inflammatory cytokines (interleukin-1β and interleukin-6), which are part of the immune system’s response to infections.
In laboratory studies carried out on mice, it has been verified that, in these, when ingesting honey supplements, there is an increase in their production of antibodies.
Another factor to take into account is the antibacterial and antiseptic power of topical honey in the treatment of wounds, a benefit that we will detail later.
3. Improves brain function
Thanks to its antioxidant property that produces the neutralization of free radicals generated by oxidative stress, the level of neuroinflammation (which leads to neuronal degeneration and death) is considerably reduced.
Another point to take into account is that honey bees help the absorption and fixation of calcium, which is necessary for the brain to perform its functions properly and increases the concentration of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine.
Likewise, it prevents the development of Alzheimer’s disease by avoiding chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, which is one of its triggers.
Likewise, it favors memory in the learning process since it improves the morphology of the brain areas related to it.
A review article on the effects of honey published in the Medical Sciences journal exposes several investigations that conclude that honey is an effective therapy to prevent cognitive decline and dementia.
This is thanks to its antioxidants (vitamins C and E), flavonoids (catechin, kaempferol, apigenin) and phenolic acids (gallic, sirinic, benzoic), etc.
4. Improves intestinal transit
This is possible thanks to the fact that honey is a substance that provides a type of resistant oligosaccharides that make up the fiber, and the latter increases intestinal motility and has a laxative effect.
At the same time, it increases the volume of feces since it serves as food for the intestinal flora that inhabits the colon.
5. Regulates the menstrual cycle
A study published in the scientific journal Life Science Journal concluded that the consumption of honey in women suffering from dysmenorrhea considerably reduces the intensity of pain during the menstrual period due to its anti-inflammatory power.
And by intervening in the modulation of hormonal processes since it promotes the production of omega-6 fatty acid, honey also favors a regular menstrual cycle.
6. Relieves cough and sore throat
An article in the Canadian Family Physician medical journal reports on a study conducted in children, which concludes that honey is effective in decreasing the severity and frequency of coughing.
Another study published in the National Journal of Physiology Pharmacy and Pharmacology in 2017, carried out on 200 patients with sore throat due to infectious and inflammatory diseases, had the following parameters and results:
100 patients in the study group were given a tablespoon of honey twice a day accompanied by anti-inflammatories and antibiotics, the remaining 100 patients in the control group were only given pharmacological treatment.
Patients who underwent the honey treatment had faster sore throat relief and reported greater satisfaction than those who were treated with the drugs alone.
Therefore, they determined that honey is an effective treatment for the rapid recovery of symptoms thanks to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory capacity.
In the treatment of a sore throat, it is indicated to ingest a tablespoon of honey with a few drops of lemon until the symptom of irritation and pain disappears.
To reduce coughs and colds, you can mix a tablespoon of honey in a cup of ginger tea and consume it twice a day.
Another option to reduce coughing is to make a mixture with the pulp of an aloe leaf and half a cup of honey. This is processed in the blender and a syrup is obtained that can be taken up to 5 times a day.
7. Fights infections from wounds and burns
Antibacterial and anti-inflammatory property in wounds prone to infections or already infected, which reduces painful symptoms, edema and exudate. It also has bactericidal activity against antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
This is due to the action of its glucose-oxidase enzyme, which breaks down glucose into hydrogen peroxide, which is an inhibin, along with flavonoids.
This decomposition is produced by the enzymatic activity in the bees when collecting the nectar from the flowers.
Honey stimulates the formation of healthy tissue, and accelerates the healing process of wounds as it stimulates their contraction and closure.
Another factor that favors the rapid healing of burns is the high humidity that honey has, which helps the development of epithelial cells.
Being very acidic (PH 3 – 4.5) it is not an ideal environment for bacteria to develop, and it stimulates the action of lymphocytes and keratinocytes.
In addition to this, it reduces free radicals due to oxidative stress that occurs in burn injuries.
8. Fight acne and other skin problems
It is given thanks to its antiseptic and antimicrobial property that prevents the growth of bacteria and fungi, as is the case with Cutibacterium acnes, one of the microorganisms responsible for acne.
It also inhibits the growth of the Candida albicans fungus that causes skin candidiasis.
Likewise, it has antibacterial power against the S. aureus bacterium, involved in the development of boils, styes and impetigo, and its superinfection is common in atopic dermatitis.
Studies published in the European journal of medical research (2001) and the Complementary therapies in medicine (2003) gave favorable results to the topical use of honey to treat the symptoms of seborrheic and atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis.
The use of bee honey is also recommended to help heal surgical wounds.
Being a natural product, the probability of it producing adverse or irritating effects on the skin, as can be produced by other chemical agents, is reduced.
Its ability to treat acne is mediated by the same mechanisms used in the treatment of wounds and burns: its high acidity and the hydrogen peroxide released that is responsible for breaking down the cell walls of bacteria.
9. Reduces inflammation and muscle pain
The anti-inflammatory activity of bee honey is mediated by the action of its antioxidants: flavonoids, tannins, vitamin C and B complex, catalases, superoxide dismutase, peptides, amino acids, selenium, among others.
Its antioxidant power is greater in those darker colored honeys since they have a greater amount of antioxidants, which reduce the concentrations of free radicals produced in the inflammatory stages of wounds and injuries.
Among the organic processes that develop anti-inflammatory activity are: leukocyte infiltration, decreased wound exudate, and inhibition of cyclooxygenase action.
The latter, in turn, inhibits the action of prostaglandins, which are responsible for inducing inflammation. This activity has a positive impact on the suppression of pain, since as inflammation decreases, the pain response also decreases.
10. Promotes sleep and reduces stress
Another of the therapeutic benefits that honey provides us is its ability to induce a state of relaxation and stimulate sleep.
This is because one of its sugars promotes, through various mechanisms (where tryptophan is also involved), the secretion of melatonin, which is a hormone that is responsible for regulating the sleep cycle.
For this reason, there are those who recommend drinking a cup of warm milk (which has tryptophan) sweetened with honey before going to sleep.
In a study that aimed to assess the quality of sleep in patients with acute coronary disease, participants were told to drink a mixture of milk and honey before bed.
Subsequently, they concluded that this was an effective and easily accessible option to improve their sleep quality.
It is extremely important to note that honey may contain small amounts of spores of the Clostridium botulinum bacteria, and for this reason it should not be consumed by children under 12 months of age.
At that age, as there is little immune activity, the body’s response to the neurotoxin released by said bacteria is reduced, and there is a risk that the infant will develop botulism.
Botulism is a disease that causes poisoning accompanied by paralysis as it affects the peripheral nerves, there is difficulty swallowing, and if not treated with antitoxin injection and blood transfusions it can be fatal.
University Professional in the area of Human Resources, Postgraduate in Occupational Health and Hygiene of the Work Environment, 14 years of experience in the area of health. Interested in topics of Psychology, Occupational Health, and General Medicine.