Is honey good for you? The answer depends on what kind you buy and how much you eat, but the natural sweetener offers several potential health benefits for adults.
How It’s Made and Processed
Bees make honey by collecting nectar from flowers and mixing it with enzymes to create a sweet substance. Manufacturing processes can change the nutritional value of the honey, so finding out what kind is more beneficial can help. Many people consume processed honey after it goes through heat and filtration, which reduces its nutritional content. Even if the label says “pure honey,” it may have been pasteurized. Processing also removes bee pollen and propolis, two components that contribute to its health benefits.
Raw honey is generally considered more beneficial than processed versions because it retains these natural compounds. The darker the honey, the more antioxidants it contains. Experts suggest choosing local, raw honey whenever possible to maximize the potential health effects.
Internal Health Benefits
One of honey’s most popular uses is for upper respiratory infections, and it is useful in many cough medicines to help soothe the throat and reduce coughing. The substance has antiviral properties and can also reduce inflammation related to asthma. It contains phenolic acids that promote anti-inflammatory effects and has been noted to have anti-cancer activity against different tumors. An enzyme in honey creates hydrogen peroxide, which provides antibacterial benefits.
Related: Study Confirms Milk’s Substantial Health Benefits
Honey may help prevent heart disease by helping to improve cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. It contains carbohydrates primarily in the form of glucose and fructose. According to the USDA, one tablespoon of raw honey brings about 64 calories and 17 grams of carbohydrates. It also contains small amounts of vitamins and minerals like calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, niacin, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc.
Switching from sugar to honey can be helpful if you are on a weight loss journey, managing blood sugar levels, or have allergy symptoms. For one, honey can be sweeter than sugar, so you don’t have to use as much to curb your sweet tooth. White sugar, or table sugar, can raise blood sugar levels; but honey comes in with a relatively low glycemic load, and you’re less likely to experience blood sugar spikes when the honey you consume is in moderation. Blood sugar control can be helpful if you have or are at risk for liver disease. Honey is good for the liver because its phenolic compounds help protect it from damage caused by free radicals.
Honey may be the answer if you’re looking for an energy boost. It is a healthy source of carbohydrate fuel that Olympians in ancient Greece would consume for the energy to run. The vitamins, minerals, and antimicrobial properties also promote good gut microbiome balance needed for rest and a good night’s sleep that prepares you for a productive day ahead.
Topical Uses and Skin Health
Many people use honey topically as a traditional medicine to heal wounds. Studies show that it has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties that increase the healing abilities of the skin. Since wound treatment with topical honey can fight against harmful bacteria, it can be successful at helping to heal skin injuries like leg ulcerations and burns. Honey also has an antifungal activity that works to heal Candida infections.
Related: Custom Basket Settings for Lab Created Diamonds UK
The substance helps to reduce inflammation and bacteria, which is helpful with acne. Yeast rashes, eczema, scarring, and psoriasis may also benefit from honey by applying it to the area for several minutes. Honey is a natural humectant that draws moisture into the area it’s on. It is good for the lips because it can provide soothing relief for chapped lips and help heal any open areas with its wound-healing abilities.
Types of Honey and Safety
Manuka honey comes from one plant, the manuka tree, and costs much more than regular honey. While it may not be as good for your pocket, Manuka honey has higher antiviral activity than regular honey. It boasts antibacterial properties that have people consuming it for health benefits relating to digestive issues and gum disease or using it for wound healing for partial thickness burns. Clover honey specifically comes from the bees collecting nectar from clovers. Clover honey generally has the same health benefits as honey that comes from flowers, and it is essential to find raw clover honey instead of processed honey for the highest nutrition profile.
Honeycombs are the bees’ warehouses. They make little compartments out of beeswax and use them to store their larvae and pollen and make their honey inside the comb. You can eat honeycomb, which may contain not only honey but royal jelly, bee pollen, and propolis which can provide many benefits for your health.
Honey is generally safe to consume, but if it’s not eaten in moderation, it may promote weight gain like any other food. However, the potential benefits of honey, like its anti-inflammatory properties, outweigh the risk for most. You may have heard that babies under 12 months should not have honey. Infant botulism is a condition that affects children younger than one year old who may ingest honey that is contaminated with a microorganism called Clostridium botulinum. While this isn’t in every honey, as a baby, their gut is not developed enough to fight this off and can cause serious illness.
Related: Indonesian Pharmacy Change and Innovation
Other toxins like 5-HMF have been found in processed, pasteurized honey, likely due to the heating and storing environments. High amounts of this have the potential to promote cancer. There are flowers that you would not want honey from. The nectar of Azalea pontica and Rhododendron ponticum flowers contain toxins that produce mad honey and may cause harmful health issues like heart problems.
Consuming honey in moderation is key. Honey usually has a long shelf life, but you may notice crystallized honey if it sits around for long enough. The crystals are still fine to consume, but gently warming them up will melt them into a smooth honey texture again. You don’t have to keep honey in the fridge, but you’ll want to make sure it’s in an airtight container to maintain its high quality and avoid contamination. With honey’s sweet taste, there are many ways to add it to your diet, including honey mustard and honey vinaigrette dressing or drizzling it over waffles and pancakes.
If you have the choice between honey and regular sugar, choose raw honey. Honey is generally safe for consumption and can have beneficial effects, except for children younger than 12 months who need to avoid it.
