Honey is a soft and thick substance made by bees. Not only is it used as a natural sweetener, but it also has a long history of advantages. For centuriespeople have used honey for several medicinal purposes in Ayurveda.
Bees honey By sipping flower nectar and bringing it back to their hive for treatment. Other bees eat the nectar at the hive, mixing it with an enzyme that partially digests the honey nectar. The flavor of honey depends on flowers – wild flowers, avocado or orange flower – the bees visited.
Here is what you need to know about honey, how it can register in your diet and its advantages.
Honey vs sugar
Honey is a natural sweetener, but it is not a low alternative in calories with sugar. It is nutritionally similar to natural sugar:
A tablespoon of Honey contains:
- 61 Calories
- 16 grams of sugar
A tablespoon of sugar contains:
- 48 calories
- 12 grams of sugar
If you like honey, you can use it instead of sugar because it contains more beneficial nutrients (more about it below). But if you want a sugar substitute with a lower nutritional impact, you can try non -nutritious sweeteners, such as Stevia or monk fruit extractwhich contain zero calories and zero sugar.
Benefits of honey
Honey mainly contains sugar and water. But unlike natural sugar, it would contain About 200 substancesincluding:
These substances are the reason why honey has additional advantages.
1. It contains antioxidants
Natural honey contains Antioxidant type compounds such as Flavonoids and phenolic acids. Antioxidants Can help protect cells from damaged free radicals.
Warnings: You should get most of your antioxidants from fruits and vegetables. But, if your current diet is rich in sweeteners, the transition to honey could help Add to your antioxidant intake.
2. It can support the immune system
A handful of studies on small animals and cell culture studies have discovered that honey can help support the activity of immune cells. In short, honey is not guaranteed to stimulate immunity, but it is promising. We have to see more evidence.
3. He can support digestion
Honey has been used for a long time in Ayurvedic medicine To help support the digestive tract. However, modern evidence is unequal. If you think you suffer from a digestive condition, talk to your doctor.
4. He can soothe sore throat
A spoonful of honey is widely known for potentially help A sore throat. Try to add honey to hot tea with a pinch of lemon – not only is it comfortable and comforting, but honey also coats the throat for soothe irritation.
Possible risks of honey
Ordinary honey is generally safe for people over a year. Microbes cannot push in honey, but honey can contain Botulinum spores which germinate once eaten. The infant’s immune system is still in development and may not be ready to infect the infection. Sensitive or allergic people with bee pollen should also be careful.
You can also wonder: “Is it sure to eat raw honey?” Probably, but he can always contain botulic spores (identical that ordinary honey), so do not feed him with a young child. Those who suffer from specific allergies should be on guard because raw honey will contain traces of yeast, wax and pollen.
Raw honey is not filtered or heated, and the potential profit for the health of raw honey is that it can keep more the precious substances that we have discussed above.
