Honey For Health - Sweet Goodness

Honey gives you more than just sweetness. Here are some health benefits you'll get from using this amazing substance.

Honey has been used since the dawn of time as a food by both animals and humans. It has a number of unique qualities that give it some special benefits not shared with other foods.
Honey as Food

Honey is composed of water, the sugars levulose and dextrose, protein, vitamins, minerals, pollen, propolis (used by the bees to seal and protect the hive), various phytonutrients, and (when raw) digestive enzymes.

Unlike most common sweeteners, honey comes “predigested” by the bees themselves so it is assimilated into the body quicker. This is especially useful for people with weaker digestion and those who lack the digestive enzymes invertase and amylase. These enzymes, along with catalase, are produced in large quantities by the worker bees, and are used by them in this predigestion process. The enzymes remain in the honey (if left in its raw state) and are beneficial when consumed by humans.

The nutritional value of the particular honey you eat depends on the pollen collected from the plants the bees visited. There are numerous plants, such as wildflower, orange blossom, goldenrod, clover, buckwheat, and bamboo, that bees use to create honey. Different regions produce variations even within a particular type of honey because of differences in the soil and variations within the regional genetic strains of the specific plants.

The key factor that determines honey’s nutritional value is whether it is raw or processed. Commercial honey found in typical supermarkets is heated to around 160 degrees, which destroys the beneficial enzymes. It is then filtered, which removes pollen, beeswax, propolis, and other nutritious elements. Some processors even add corn syrup for appearance.

Raw honey, either in bottles or still on the comb, is minimally processed and packed with all of the natural components that not only provide more nutrients, but also a more balanced range of healthful ingredients. Raw honey is available in numerous varieties in most natural or health food stores, and from many producers online. Generally, dark honey has more nutrients than light honey.
Honey as Medicine

Studies have shown that some of the phytonutrients found in honey and propolis contain anti-tumor and cancer-preventing elements. Honey also has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties. This is one reason why honey does not “go bad” in the usual sense. It does not allow bacteria to grow and alter it the way milk, for example, does.

One of the most intriguing uses for honey has actually been known for centuries, but is now finding its way into routine use in modern medicine. This is honey’s usefulness as a topical treatment for wounds, burns, and ulcers. Honey has a natural ability to kill bacteria, even when pharmaceutical treatments have failed, due to a couple of key attributes.

One is its osmotic properties due to the high concentration of sugars, which cause it to draw water away from the wound and into the honey, thus depriving bacteria of the liquid necessary to survive and propagate.

The other is honey’s ability to produce hydrogen peroxide when it comes into contact with liquids produced by wounds. This hydrogen peroxide is slowly released, killing bacteria but not harming tissues.

Some medical supply companies are now producing bandages and wound care products that incorporate honey in their design. Other products include pre-packaged medical-grade honey that can be easily applied to areas needing treatment.

Although any kind of honey will work in a pinch for wound treatment, certain types have greater anti-bacterial activity. One of the most effective is manuka honey, which is gathered from the manuka tree native to New Zealand. Of course, it is best to use sterilized, laboratory-grade honey specificially used for medicinal purposes, when possible, rather than just slathering on whatever comes out of the honey pot. But this should not stop lay people from applying honey on burns or other minor wounds if it is not possible to see a doctor in a reasonable time.

Although honey has natural anti-bacterial properties, recent scientific research papers show certain varieties of honey contain a large amount of friendly bacteria, as reported at the First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health, held in Sacramento, CA, January 8, 2008. This may explain some of the healing properties inherent in honey.

Honey has also been credited with helping to promote better blood sugar balance due to its balance of fructose to glucose. And honey—especially buckwheat honey—can also be an effective cough suppressant for children ages 2 through 18.
A Big Warning

Honey should never be given to babies under one year old. This is because honey can carry C. botulinum spores that cannot be handled by babies’ under-developed immune systems. This is normally a benign strain of bacteria that older children and adults can handle, but it can be harmful and even fatal to an infant. Baby food manufacturers do not put honey into foods meant for babies under one year of age.
 

Conclusion
Honey is truly a unique and surprising substance. This is due both to the unusual way it is made by bees, and also due to its special health characteristics. For most people, regularly including honey in their diet will bring many benefits. Just make sure you select high-quality raw honey with minimal processing. There are so many varieties available from different places that you should be able to find at least one you really like.