The Benefits of Honey
The benefits of honey. Honey is a sweet liquid made by bees using the nectar from flowers. It is graded by color, with the clear, golden amber honey often fetching a higher retail price than the darker varieties. The flavor of a particular type of honey will vary based on the types of flowers from which the nectar was harvested.
Both raw and pasteurized forms of honey are available. Raw honey is removed from the hive and bottled directly, and as such will contain trace amounts of yeast, wax, and pollen. Consuming 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, filtered, and processed to remove impurities.
Honey has high levels of monosaccharides, fructose, and glucose, and it contains about 70 to 80 percent sugar, the source of its sweetness. Honey also has antiseptic and antibacterial properties (see my previous post on making a Homemade Antibacterial Ointment).
Some Fast Facts About Honey
Modern medical science has managed to find uses for honey in chronic wound management and for combating infection. This MNT Knowledge Center article includes a brief history of honey in traditional medicine and explains some of its potential health benefits. Choosing honey over refined and processed sugar may lead to long-term health benefits. Honey is known to have antioxidant, antimicrobial, and soothing effects. It is made up of glucose, fructose, and minerals, such as iron, calcium, phosphate, sodium chloride, potassium, and magnesium.
Where honey shines is in its content of bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants. Darker types tend to be even higher in these compounds than lighter types. High-quality honey contains many important antioxidants. These include organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids. Interestingly, two studies have shown that buckwheat honey increases the antioxidant value of your blood. Antioxidants have been linked to reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer. They may also promote eye health.
- Honey is linked to wound-healing properties and antibacterial action.
- It has been used in medicine for over 5,000 years.
- Honey can replace sugar in meals, providing a healthier option.
Warning: Honey should never be given to young infants (children under 12 months old). Honey may contain botulinum endospores that cause infant botulism in very young children, a rare but serious type of food poisoning that can result in paralysis. Even pasteurized honey has a chance of containing these spores.
The History of the Use of Honey
Cave paintings show that around 8,000 years ago, honey was first being used by humans, although there was no evidence of humans keeping and cultivating colonies of bees until 2,400 BC.
Honey was a mainstay in the medical practices of many cultures for centuries. Over 4,000 years ago, honey was used in traditional Ayurvedic medicine, where it was thought to be effective in treating indigestion and imbalances in the body. Before its use by Ancient Egyptians, honey was rubbed onto the skin to treat wounds and has been found in medicinal substances from over 5,000 years ago.
The Properties of Honey
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, one tablespoon of honey contains 64 calories, 17.3 grams (g) of sugar, and 0 g of fiber, fat, and protein.
| Component | Component | Component | Component | Component | Component | Component | Component |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fructose | Glucose | Maltose | Sucrose | Water | Higher Sugars | Ash | Other |
| 38.2 percent | 31.3 percent | 7.1 percent | 1.3 percent | 17.2 percent | 1.5 percent | 0.2 percent | 3.2 percent |
Modern Medicinal Uses
1. Healing Wounds and Burns
A review published in The Cochrane Library indicated that honey might be able to help heal burns. The lead author of the study said that “topical honey is cheaper than other interventions, notably oral antibiotics, which are often used and may have other deleterious side effects.” The greatest downside to using oral antibiotics is that they destroy the healthy bacteria (flora) in your gut (colon), which is the source of the human body’s immune system.
However, there is a lack of evidence to fully support this claim. In fact, a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases concluded that applying medical-grade honey to the wounds of patients has no advantage over normal antibiotics among patients undergoing dialysis.
2. Reducing Duration of Diarrhea
According to research by the US National Library of Medicine in the National Institutes of Health, honey has been shown to decrease the severity and duration of diarrhea. Honey also promotes increased potassium and water intake, which is particularly important in combating dehydration caused by diarrhea.
A more recent study in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases showed that a certain type of honey, called Manuka honey, can help prevent the bacteria Clostridium difficile from settling in the body. C. difficile is known for causing severe diarrhea and sickness.
3. Preventing Acid Reflux
Recent research has shown that honey can reduce the upward flow of stomach acid and undigested food by lining the esophagus and stomach. Helping to reduce the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD can cause inflammation, acid reflux, and heartburn.
4. Fighting Infections
In 2010, scientists from the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam reported in FASEB Journal that honey’s ability to kill bacteria lies in a protein called defensin-1. In The Scientific World Journal, researchers provided data confirming that natural honey was as effective as a eusol antiseptic solution in reducing wound infections. The slightly acidic pH level of honey is what helps prevent the growth of bacteria, while its antioxidant elements clean up free radicals that are linked to diseases.
A review of 26 studies on honey and wound care found honey most effective at healing burns and wounds that have become infected after surgery. What’s more, it can help treat other skin conditions, including psoriasis and herpes lesions. Honey is also an effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers, which are serious complications that can lead to amputation. One study reported a 43.3% success rate with honey as a wound treatment. In another study, topical honey healed a whopping 97% of patients’ diabetic ulcers.
Some studies have revealed that Manuka honey may even be effective for the treatment of Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections. Staph bacteria are usually harmless, but they can cause serious infections that can lead to sepsis or death. MRSA is a cause of staph infection that is difficult to treat because of resistance to some antibiotics.
Manuka honey may even help reverse bacterial resistance to antibiotics, according to research presented in the journal Letters in Applied Microbiology. This type of honey showed action against Ureaplasma urealyticum, a bacteria that is resistant to many different antibiotics.
5. Relieving Cold and Cough Symptoms
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends honey as a natural cough remedy. A study published in the journal Pediatrics, which compared honey to placebo in helping children with a cough during the night, found that honey was superior. Honey may be a preferable treatment for cough and sleep difficulty associated with childhood upper respiratory infection (URI).
A 2007 study by Penn State College of Medicine suggested that honey reduced night-time coughing and improved sleep quality in children with upper respiratory infection to a greater degree than the cough medicine dextromethorphan. The American Academy of Pediatrics also recognizes honey as a treatment for a cough.
6. Replacing sugar as a Sweetener
Added sugar in any diet is a source of excess calories with no nutritional benefit. Excess calories can lead to increased body weight, and an increased risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. Honey’s sweet flavor makes it an ideal substitute for sugar. Honey can be added to food and beverages to sweeten the taste without the negative health impact of added sugars. However, since honey is still a sweetener, it is important to consume it judiciously and in minute quantities.
7. Honey and Cholesterol
High LDL cholesterol levels is a strong risk factor for heart disease. This type of cholesterol plays a major role in atherosclerosis, the fatty buildup in your arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Interestingly, several studies show that honey may improve your cholesterol levels.
It can lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammation while raising “good” HDL cholesterol. For example, one study in 55 patients compared honey to table sugar and found that honey caused a 5.8% reduction in LDL and a 3.3% increase in HDL cholesterol. It also led to modest weight loss of 1.3%.
Honey can lower triglycerides. Triglycerides are associated with insulin resistance, a major driver of type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, multiple studies have linked regular honey consumption with lower triglyceride levels, especially when it is used to replace sugar. For example, one study comparing honey and sugar found 11–19% lower triglyceride levels in the honey group.
8. Honey and Heart Health
Again, honey is a rich source of phenols and other antioxidant compounds. Many of these have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease. They may help the arteries in your heart dilate, increasing blood flow to your heart. They may also help prevent blood clot formation, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Furthermore, one study in rats showed that honey protected the heart from oxidative stress.
Alternative Medicinal Uses
Practitioners of Ayurvedic medicine have attempted to use honey by mixing it with other remedies and consumed or rubbed onto the skin as a remedy for the following: stress, insomnia, vision problems, bad breath, teething pain in children over a year old, cough and asthma, hiccups, stomach ulcers, diarrhea and dysentery, vomiting, frequent urination, high blood pressure, jaundice, arthritis, eczema and dermatitis, burns, cuts, and wounds, and as a hangover relief.
Beauty Uses
While not all uses of honey are confirmed as effective, trying it as treatment will not make conditions any worse or cause harm. Honey is sometimes touted as a cosmetic solution for cracked, dry, pimply, or clogged skin.
Nutritional Uses
As a general rule, use ¾ cup of honey for every one cup of sugar, reduce the liquid in the recipe by 2 tablespoons and lower the oven temperature by 25º Fahrenheit. Experimentation is key when substituting honey for sugar. Baking with honey can cause excess browning and moisture. When stored in an airtight container, honey has no expiration date.
A person’s overall eating pattern is most important in preventing disease and achieving good health. It is better to eat a diet with variety than to concentrate on individual foods as the key to good health. Honey is still a form of sugar, so intake should be moderate. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that women get no more than 100 calories a day from added sugars and men no more than 150 calories a day. This is equal to a little over two tablespoons for women and three tablespoons for men every 24 hours.
Choose Local and Raw Honey
Shopping locally has tremendous environmental benefits, no matter what you’re looking to buy. When it comes to honey, not only are you helping the planet (and community businesses), you’re helping yourself too.
Not all honey is equal. Some benefits are same or similar between commercially, mass produced honey and local (raised within a 50-mile radius), organic, raw honey. However, local, raw honey is known to be a powerful antioxidant and contains bee pollen and propolis, substances produced by bees that have been used medicinally for thousands of years.
The Benefits of Local Honey
In addition to potentially fighting allergies, by trace-exposure to allergens in order to desensitize patients to food allergies, one of the great benefits of local honey is that it’s unprocessed and pure. The stuff you find in the grocery stores is often filtered, a process that removes the trace amounts of pollen it might contain. The purer the honey, the stronger its medicinal benefits, like potential anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
Did you know? There are more than 300 varieties of honey. Below is a table of recipes that use honey in a variety of ways. For best results, use raw, unfiltered, unheated, unprocessed honey raised within a 50-mile radius or less of your home.
| Make your own healthy, hydrating sports drink | Add a spoonful of raw honey and protein powder, and a pinch of Himalayan sea salt to a glass of spring water, stir vigorously, and drink to replace electrolytes, increase energy, and athletic performance. |
| Soothe a minor sunburn | Try this relieving remedy. Mix ½ cup of honey and 1 cup of milk. Apply the mixture to the sunburned area. Leave on as long as possible to ease the pain and to prevent skin from peeling. Reapply as needed to ease discomfort and to promote healing. Severe sunburn can produce swelling, blisters, nausea, fever, and chills. Seek professional medical attention if these symptoms arise. |
| Healing salve for minor burns, cuts, or scrapes | Applied topically, honey is a natural antiseptic, containing 3 powerful wound-healing components: sugar, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and propolis. The nectar-based compound propolis kills bacteria, while hydrogen peroxide disinfects. The sugar absorbs moisture, creating an environment in which bacteria cannot survive. Another plus, as the honey dries, it forms a natural bandage. |
| Eating local, unfiltered, unheated, raw honey is a natural anti-allergy shot | Quercetin, a component of honey, has been found in studies to reduce inflammation and pollen allergy symptoms. It stabilizes the cell membranes that release histamine, which triggers allergic reactions. Raw honey also contains bee pollen and bee propolis, both of which boost the immune system, and build immunity to environmental allergens. |
| Cough suppressant | Mix apple cider vinegar and honey to taste in a small glass jar. Take a tablespoon as often as needed to relieve minor coughs, colds, and sore throats. |
| Promote relaxation and restful sleep | Take a spoonful of raw honey at bedtime. |
The Environmental Benefits
Releasing the farm-raised bees into select local plant life not only creates some incredible honey flavors, but it also helps pollinate the plants, which is beneficial to all local wildlife.
Besides benefiting the plant life, supporting local honey helps the bee population as well. Since bees are now endangered, it’s more vital than ever to support local bee farmers who are helping raise and maintain healthy bees.
Sources:
Does honey have medicinal properties?
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/264667
Feb 14, 2018
Does local honey boost immune system?
https://www.farmersalmanac.com/local-raw-honey-22439
by Deborah Tukua | Posted In: Healthy Living
Is honey an antibiotic?
https://www.healthline.com/health/natural-antibiotics
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/10-benefits-of-honey
Penn Medicine, The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania
Does honey kill bacteria in throat?
https://www.pennmedicine.org/updates/blogs/health-and-wellness/2018/february/sore-throat
Charlotte Smith MD, January 08, 2018
10 Surprising Health Benefits of Honey
Why should you use local honey?
The Amazing Benefits of Local Honey
https://www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/natural-products/the-amazing-benefits-of-local-honey
By Sher Warkentin in Natural Products
What’s local honey?
by Bruce Boynton, Apr 23, 2012
National Honey Board—Local Honey & Allergies
Will eating local honey help with my allergies?
http://www.burlesons-honey.com/about-honey/facts-about-honey/local-honey—what-is-it-
By Daniel More, MD, Updated March 05, 2010
What’s local honey?
by Bruce Boynton, Apr 23, 2012