Honey is a natural sweetener. The texture of honey is syrup-like. And it is collected from the beehive. We must thank bees because of their labor and dedication to making honey
Honey has tremendous health benefits in Ayurveda. Before reading about those health benefits, let us know how bees make honey.
Do you know 12 worker bees can make one teaspoon of honey in their entire lifetime?
- Worker bees travel miles away in search of nectar in flowers.
- After collecting nectar, honey bees put it into their “pollen basket” or corbicula.
- Then, bees bring back into hives.
- The nectar is chewed up and deposited into hexagon cells.
- Next, they fan the honey with their wings to dry out. So, when water concentration of 70-80 reduces to 18 percent, honey bees cover it with bee wax.
- The high concentration of sugar ensures no growth of fungi or bacteria.
Nutritional Benefits of Honey:
A high concentration of sugar means high energy. One teaspoon of sugar contains 21 calories. It has carbohydrates and sugar. And it has small amount of
- Iron
- Zinc
- Potassium
Health Benefits of Honey:
- Honey has anti-inflammatory benefits. Inflammation causes many diseases including, heart diseases, auto-immune diseases, and cancer. An antioxidant in honey protects the body from inflammation.
- It is superb in common cold and coughs relief. The anti-microbial property of honey is invincible for cough. A study has proven that daily intake of two teaspoons of honey reduces the symptoms of common cold and cough. It is also effective reduction coughs in children.
- Honey is a wound healer. It has antiseptic properties that inhibit the growth of certain kinds of bacteria. It naturally reduces swelling, cut, or burn. A study says that the use of honey gives a 43.3% success rate to people with diabetes-related foot ulcers. Additionally, a foot ulcer is an open sore that occurs in approximately 15% of patients with diabetes.
4. Honey is a perfect immunity booster for all. The effective antibacterial and antioxidant properties remove free radicals from the body. Thus, many people detox the body with honey. It is also recommended to lose weight.
5. It works fabulously on the skin. It moisturizes and helps to remove dark patches. You can apply honey and rub it to soften elbow or knee skin. Also, you can create a scrub or use a face pack with it.
6. Honey also treats dandruff well. Applying it three hours before rinsing, relieve your itch and make your scalp flaky skin free within 1-2 week. Some people find improvement in hair loss. But dilute the honey with 10% warm water before using it. Additionally, honey gives you silky hair with its high moisturizing property.
Important Note:
Honey, has always been preferred in Ayurvedic medicine. It cures hiccups, phlegm, diabetes, obesity, vomiting, leprosy, diarrhea, and many other diseases. However, cold honey is always preferred. It should not be heated or consumed with warm water, as heating increases toxicity.
