Honey: Health Benefits and Uses

As sweet as honey you might have heard, Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. Bees first convert the nectar into honey by a process of regurgitation and evaporation, and then store it as a primary food source in wax honeycombs inside the beehive. Honey can then be harvested from the hives for human consumption.

Honey is graded by color, with the clear, golden amber honey often at a higher retail price than darker varieties. Honey flavor will vary based on the types of flower from which the nectar was harvested.

Raw and pasteurized forms of honey are both available. The raw honey is removed from the hive and bottled directly, and as such will contain trace amounts of yeast, wax and pollen. Consumption of local raw honey is believed to help with seasonal allergies due to repeated exposure to the pollen in the area. Pasteurized honey has been heated and processed to remove impurities.

The Nutritional breakdown

One tablespoon of honey (approximately 21 grams) contains 64 calories, 17.3 grams of carbohydrate (17.3 grams of sugar no fiber), 0 grams of fat and 0 grams of protein.

Honey contains negligible amounts of vitamins and minerals.

Choosing honey over sugar results in a more gradual rise in blood sugar levels that is believed to help with hunger levels. Honey is also known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial and soothing effects.

Its possible benefits

Cold Relief
The World Health Organization (WHO) and American Academy of Pediatrics recommend honey as a natural cough remedy.
According to numerous studies and research, honey has been known to reduce nighttime coughing and improved sleep quality in children with upper respiratory infection better than the cough medicine dextromethorphan or no treatment

Antibacterial Agent
Honey contains the protein defensin-1, which has the ability to kill bacteria. Raw, unpasteurized honey can be used as a topical agent for wounds but should not be used in place of a prescribed topical agent.

All-Natural Energy Drink
Honey is an excellent source of all natural energy. Honey, when taken, directly enters the bloodstream and delivers a quick boost of energy.

Memory Booster
The sweet nectar is loaded in antioxidants that may help prevent cellular damage and loss within the brain. Honey’s ability to help the body absorb calcium helps aid brain health. The brain needs calcium in order to process thought and make decisions.

Treatment of Dandruff
A big thanks to honey’s antibacterial and anti fungal properties, it can also treat seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff, which are often caused by an overgrowth of fungus. It brings temporary relief to the scalp by targeting dandruff.

Culled from: mercola.com