Honey is a sweet and natural substance, created as we well know by the species of bee Apis mellifera mainly , thanks to the nectar of the flowers that feed these animals and that are stored in honeycombs.
In this sense, honey is considered a very primitive food created by man , its nutritional value being truly incredible. Therefore, in the following article we will share 10 of the most outstanding benefits of honey for health, which have been proven by science.
What is honey?
Bee honey is the substance with the most uses throughout history, both the Egyptians and the Chinese and Romans took advantage of its composition to nourish themselves , as well as combining it with other herbs for medicinal uses of various diseases, as in ancient Greece that was an ointment.
Today honey is considered a food with anti- inflammatory properties, antibacterial properties, antioxidants and is a great natural sweetener, since it contains glucose and fructose itself , even serving as a replacement for refined sugar that can cause illnesses in the long run.
Note: A card mentions that: “Honey is composed of water, fructose and glucose, in addition to other substances in a very low proportion such as acids, minerals. amino acids and proteins, enzymes, aromas, etc.” (1)
What are the health benefits of honey?
Honey has various health benefits, since its properties make it useful for treatments or to strengthen the body, so we will show you the 10 best benefits of honey:
1. Strengthens the immune system
Honey is an ideal food to strengthen the immune system , it has even been used for stages of influenza.
Honey contains flavonoids and antioxidant elements necessary for the body’s defenses, since it stimulates leukocytes or white blood cells , but apart from that, it also helps the production of hemoglobin and its oxygenation.
To highlight: A study mentions that: “Honey has a direct anti-inflammatory activity and it is well documented, with several mechanisms, among which are the inhibition of the complement, the infiltration of leukocytes, the production of inflammatory cytokines and the inhibition of the production of nitric oxide ”. (two)
2. Protects cardiovascular health
Honey is also an essential food that protects the heart, for several specific reasons.
Mainly it levels blood lipids, this includes lowering LDL cholesterol, which protects the heart organ against oxidative damage from free radicals .
You should know: Honey is very efficient to stimulate blood circulation , reduce blood clots and also allows hemoglobin to absorb enough iron to prevent anemia.
3. Controls blood sugar
Honey can efficiently control blood sugar or glucose, beyond just lowering cholesterol.
Honey can be considered a quite nutritious natural carbohydrate, being a sweetening food that is easily digested by the body to be transformed into energy, apart from containing fructose that produces enough glucose for the blood.
Important: Honey is not recommended as a treatment food for people with diabetes, since it would generate insulin resistance, so it cannot be abused.
4. Promotes cognitive functions
Honey is an essential food for stimulating cognitive functions in the nervous system, thanks to its ideal compounds.
In this sense, honey has three flavonoids as neuroprotective properties, such as apigenin, catechin and kaempferol , which protect against stress or oxidative damage from free radicals, in addition to increasing the levels of coenzymes for the nervous system and brain functions.
5. Improves digestive health
Honey is a natural substance that helps in digestive health , since its properties are prebiotic , which increase healthy intestinal bacteria.
With this, we can affirm that it is a food that reinforces the intestinal flora of the organism, being also an easy-to-digest laxative , reducing inflammation of the intestinal walls, eliminating toxins and preventing the symptoms of gastritis or irritation of the intestine.
6. Relieves allergies and respiratory conditions
Honey is very good for relieving allergies, especially if it is consumed in a traditional and natural way.
This is due to the fact that it is a food capable of reducing respiratory conditions , since its antioxidants and antimicrobial actions are essential to dilate the respiratory tract, as well as relieve coughing and eliminate the bacteria that cause colds, being very efficient. in adults.
7. Decreases inflammation and muscle pain
Honey is a food that reduces muscle inflammation, even relieves pain symptoms in muscle tissue.
To highlight: It becomes special for people who have rheumatoid arthritis , since its antioxidants and anti-inflammatories are combined with spices such as cinnamon, enhancing the flavor and its effects on the joints of the human body, this is achieved through an infusion.
8. Contributes to weight loss
Honey is a food that can contribute very well to weight loss , accompanied by a healthy diet and adequate exercise.
It mainly eliminates waxy substances such as triglycerides or cholesterol, it also increases digestion and manages to increase the metabolism of glucose or lipids , which generates enough energy and calories for the body, which even leads to a satiating sensation in the stomach.
9. Improves skin health
Honey is good for improving skin health , especially if used in the form of face masks. Honey has a specific enzyme that is capable of releasing hydrogen peroxide (hydrogen peroxide), which is capable of exfoliating the skin, eliminating wrinkles, increasing collagen, moisturizing the epidermis, reducing the development of acne, relieving wounds, burns and eliminate toxic bacteria that lodge in the walls of the skin.
Note: A data sheet mentions that: “Honey has dermatological properties, being used topically against burns and skin ulcers . It acts as a vasodilator, diuretic and laxative due to its high fructose content . (3)
10. Promotes sleep and reduces stress
Finally, the consumption of natural honey is very favorable to reduce stress and improve the quality of sleep in people.
This is because honey has the ability to increase the production of serotonin , commonly called the happiness neurotransmitter hormone, which is ideal for providing a pleasant sensation in the nervous system, apart from providing melatonin to reduce insomnia. control anxiety and grant full rest.
Nutritional properties of honey
Taking into account the various benefits of honey, we can review the nutritional properties that are achieved in honey specifically:
1. Vitamins
Natural honey is high in vitamin E, vitamin K , vitamin C , vitamin A , vitamin D , and B complex vitamins, specifically B1.
2. Minerals
Bee honey also contains a significant content of minerals such as iron, calcium , potassium , phosphorus, selenium, zinc , sulfur, magnesium and aluminum.
3. Other compounds
Natural honey has a high water content, enzymes, flavonoids such as rutin , abundant protein , natural carbohydrates such as glucose or fructose , as well as essential amino acids and organic acids.
You should know: A study mentions that: “ Natural honey contains approximately 0.5% protein, mainly as enzymes and amino acids. Some of them have their origin in bees and others in the nectar of the plant”. (4)
How can you consume honey?
Honey can be consumed in various ways, as it is a natural sweetener, a tablespoon of honey can be used for hot infusions such as green tea , horsetail, ginger , lemon water , cinnamon and even for coffee .
On the other hand, it can also be used not only as food, but also as an aesthetic treatment, for example , honey masks are used to be applied directly to the skin combined with ground coffee, which serves as a natural exfoliant.
To highlight: The recommended amount for honey consumption is between 10 to 12 grams a day, to maintain a dietary balance.
What contraindications does honey have?
Natural honey, despite being a fairly healthy food, has certain contraindications, since it can have side effects such as dizziness , vomiting, diarrhea and fainting as allergy symptoms.
Important: Bee honey is contraindicated for children under 1 year of age , as it would cause botulism (a rare disease that affects the nerves), as well as for pregnant women , patients with diabetes and those with certain strong allergies to honey. pollen.
Key Findings
- Bee honey is a liquid of natural origin from the secretions of bee pollen.
- Honey provides high nutritional values and antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties .
- Consuming bee honey has several health benefits for the heart , digestive tract, and nervous system.
- Honey is high in vitamins and minerals , apart from amino acids and flavonoids.
- Honey can be used and consumed as a sweetener in infusions and aesthetic treatments, but it is contraindicated for children under 1 year of age and allergy sufferers.
