Top 9 Benefits of Honey
Raw honey is a syrupy liquid rich in antioxidants & nutrients. Honeybees make it from the plant nectar. Honey is famous for its sweetness, smell, and many health benefits.
In Ayurveda, we come across recipes that use honey as a health booster, wound healer, and its digestive properties. Don’t worry as honey is not only for medicinal properties. The Indian subcontinent has been using it for thousands of years in its cuisine. Anyone can consume it freely. In this blog of ‘Ayurveda Sahi Hai,’ we will discuss the amazing benefits of Honey that you must know.
Nutritional Value of Honey:
For thousands of years, Honey has been used in culinary arts on several continents. It seems that our ancestors loved honey for its sweetness and smell. But the context becomes amazing when we find out that they knew the very healing properties and benefits & uses of Honey for skin & overall health. Here is what modern science says about the nutritional value of Honey. It is high in calories but null in & fat. It has high calories, carbs, Riboflavin, copper, sugar, calcium, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. It is moderately rich in protein & Vitamin C. Honey is beneficial for health. However, people need to use a high amount of it to gain enough vitamins & minerals.
Benefits of Honey:
1. An Overall Skin Treatment:
Honey is high in antiseptic properties. It works as a natural moisturizer that nourishes your skin cells deeply & offers a natural glow. There are many other uses of Honey for skin as follows.
– It has antioxidant properties that cleanse the pores of dirt from it, and tightens your skin to have a natural glowing tone.
– Use honey as your natural exfoliator. Mix two spoons of honey with one spoon of baking soda and apply it on your face in a circular motion.
– The nutrition present in honey lightens the scar, repairs your skin, and minimizes your inflammation.
– It fights acne & pimples on your face with its antioxidant nature.
– It is good for anti-aging processes as it reduces wrinkles, blemishes, and scars.
2. An Alternative for Sugar:
People with Type-2 diabetes can take Honey as their alternative for regular sugar intake. Although honey increases the natural sugar level, it also has antioxidants that provide you protection against metabolic syndrome. It increases the levels of Adiponectin hormone which helps in reducing inflammation.
Note that honey may be more beneficial than sugar, but it still will show its effect. Consume it in moderation if you are thinking about it.
3. Manages Your Weight:
Honey has a secret of weight management. Many nutritionists suggest adding honey for weight loss. Honey improves your metabolism and helps your body to burn fat. Note that honey can help you burn extra calories even when you sleep. Eat one spoonful of honey before you go to bed and let the honey work. If you are not a night person, do it. Take one spoonful of honey with warm water and drink it empty stomach in the morning. It will boost your metabolism, and energize you which in return will give you results.
4. Good for Heart Health:
Honey contains Propolis resin. This resin improves cholesterol levels in the body. Several studies show that honey is beneficial for heart health, blood pressure, heartbeat, and healing cells. It also reduces blood fat & improves the functioning of the heart. Honey also protects the heart from oxidative stress. Although researchers are looking for more prominent pieces of evidence for the benefits of honey for the heart.
5. Improves Respiratory Symptoms in Children:
If your children often suffer from cough & cold, give them honey instead of common cough medication. Cough syrup or medication often brings side effects too. But honey has no side effects and results amazingly. Consuming a spoon of honey reduces irritation, boosts your energy, and improves breathing. It works for both dry & wet throats. Ayurveda has mentioned the uses of honey in coughs in detail. You can directly consume it or take it with milk or warm water. Although it benefits children more, adults can also consume it for coughs & colds.
Note- Don’t give honey to infants under 1 year of age.
Read More-Top Benefits Of Rice Water For Skin & Hair
6. Boosts Immune System:
Honey is rich in antioxidant, antiseptic, and antibacterial properties. Being rich in so many medicinal properties, it offers a strong immune system to all. Daily consumption of honey helps your body to fight against infections, bacteria, viruses, and fungi. In the long run, honey becomes your best friend in boosting immunity. You can take it in the morning or night to improve your immunity.
7. Honey- A Memory booster:
You are wrong to think that honey has only physical healing properties. Several experiments show that people who consume honey on a daily basis have a sharp memory, better decision-making abilities, and a calm mind. The nutrients present in honey soothe your brain functioning and prevent metabolic stress. Antioxidants & therapeutic properties of honey also boost your brain’s circulation, improve the conditions of receding cells, and cholinergic system to improve the high-efficiency human brain memory.
8. Natural Remedy for Dandruff:
Honey adds sweetness to your hair. Sounds poetic but truly honey has several important nutrients that are good for hair health. It nourishes your hair & makes them soft, frizzes free, and smooth. It washes off dandruff from your scalp & makes the follicles strong from within.
– Use 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and apply it on your hair as a mask.
– Consume honey, lavender, and green tea to stop hair fall.
9. Helps in Sleeping:
Ayurveda mentions honey as a sleeping agent for our body. We all know how difficult it is to sleep in our fast-paced lifestyle. Often we welcome several health challenges in our life by not having a good tight sleep. There are many pills out there to help you sleep but they have side effects too. Instead, you can go with honey and warm milk. This quick beverage is ideal for improving your sleep cycle. Take a glass of warm milk. Add 2 tablespoons of honey to it and take a sweet sip.
Conclusion:
The above article deal with the benefits & uses of Honey for skin, sleep, immunity, respiratory system, weight management, and heart health. Modern medical science has recognized the several health benefits of it that Ayurveda has been saying for thousands of years. The world now knows that Ayurveda Sahi Hai. Check out our previous articles to get more valuable Ayurvedic information.