HONEY

Nature’s energy booster–honey, has been used as a natural remedy for centuries to treatments of several ailments. It has been an all-time favorite of nutritionists, dietitians as well as naturopathis. Honey is a rich source of natural sugars like fructose and glucose along with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Including honey in your daily diet is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to prevent various diseases. This natural, delicious golden liquid is a great alternative to white sugar.

Honey is nature’s gift. It is prepared naturally; Honey consists of about 70 different nutrients which is essential for our body. It is the main source of vitamins and minerals. The nutrients present in honey are observed very easily in by our system. Honey is used as the vehicle to transport the siddha medicines to the affected part of the body by siddars.

Honey is taken by different types of flowers, which are having high medicinal properties so honey is not only important in nutrition but also for medicine. In olden days honey is used as a medicine in siddha medicine preparation and still it is used as a medicine for various health related problems.   

• The uses of honey in ayurvedic medicines since almost 3000 years. Honey when blended together in herbal preparation, enhances the medicinal value. It is believed to improve eyesight. Honey also helps in treating urinary tract disorders, diarrhea, bronchial asthma and nausea.

• In ancient times, athletes used to consume honey to enhance the endurance level, reduce muscle fatigue and instantly boost the performance. Honey is also known to help in recovery and maintaining glycogen levels.

                                   

• Honey is also said to assist in treatment of disorders such as bacterial gastroenteritis and ulcers.

• It is a rich source of flavonoids and antioxidants which help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.

• The fusion of fructose and glucose in honey helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.

• It possesses antibacterial and anti fungal properties because of the presence of an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide.

Medicinal uses:

International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition, published in 2009 states that honey promotes healthy heart by improving blood circulation and preventing clogging of arteries.This is possible because honey reduces the level of bad cholesterol (LDL) and concurrently increases the level of good cholesterol (HDL) in blood. It helps in removal of cholesterol from the walls of blood vessels and prevents build-up of a plaque.

Honey mixed with cinnamon revitalises the arteries and veins of the heart, and reduces blood cholesterol by up to 10%.

Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey and 1/3 teaspoon of cinnamon to warm water and drink it daily. Taken on a regular basis, this concoction helps reduce the risk of heart attacks.

Drinking warm water with lemon juice and honey on an empty stomach everyday is the prime component of all weight loss and detox programs. It is an excellent way to cleanse liver, remove toxins and flush out fat from the body. For optimal benefits, you can replace your refined sugar and artificial sweeteners with honey. However, please remember that it should be used sparingly as one tablespoon of honey contains approx. 63 calories. 

Honey has great antibacterial and antioxidant properties which give your immune system a boost. It helps in keeping away several ailments such as flu, common cold, etc.

To improve your immune system, add 1-2 tablespoons of honey to warm water and take it daily on an empty stomach. For an extra boost, add fresh lemon juice and a dash of cinnamon.Honey is a wonderful antibacterial agent and is effective in healing burns, cuts and wounds when applied externally. Applied topically to scrapes, lacerations and even sore nipples, honey promotes rapid tissue repair and eases pain. Using pure honey on open wounds keeps them sterile and prevents further infections, gangrene and other complications. This is due to the presence of a bacteria-killing agent called inhibine, found only in raw honey. Unfortunately, inhibine is easily destroyed during pasteurization.

Honey is an effective cough suppressant and soothes sore throat. Adding it to tea or warm lemon water can sincerely relieve cough and throat infection. Honey is also good for children who suffer from night-time cough and upper respiratory tract infections. They should be given two teaspoons of honey before they go to bed..

Honey has been a popular home remedy for centuries to cure digestive problems. The antiseptic properties of honey relieve acidity in the stomach and improve digestion. Honey also neutralizes gas making it the ultimate stomach soother. It is also used for treating ulcers, constipation, nausea, etc. Drinking tea with honey provides relief from digestive disorders. Taking 1-2 tablespoons of honey before heavy meals is the best way to thwart off indigestion and if you have already overindulged, add honey and lemon to warm water to help move food through the digestive tract. Ancient Egyptians and Indians found out the benefit of honey as a remedy to cure eye diseases.

When applied daily, honey protects and improves eye-sight.

Honey is also beneficial in the treatment of eye infection such as redness and itching of the eyes, trachoma, conjunctivitis and other similar diseases.

Honey used both internally and externally prevents glaucoma in its initial stage. Honey is also said to be useful for prevention of cataract.

Many have found relief from Dry Eye Syndrome using honey. Dry eye syndrome is the result of drying out of liquid in the white or conjunctiva part of the eyes. Here below is explained how to use honey for eye care:Honey is beneficial in the treatment of diabetes. It is a great source of natural sugars like glucose, fructose and minerals along with essential vitamins and minerals like copper, iodine and zinc in small quantities. Honey gives you an energy boost and it’s a much healthier option than refined sugar or sweeteners. It is considered a safe alternative to white sugar for diabetics as long as their blood sugar is closely monitored and they eat it in moderation. Since the level/type of diabetes varies from one person to another, it is advisable to seek your doctor’s advice prior to consumption of honey to safely use it as an alternative.

We can add this natural raw honey in our daily food intake such as banana slices with honey, bread slices with honey,  honey with lemon, orange, pomegranate juice, with idli dosai, or with any other food or drinks. 

For most consumers, good quality honey is expected to be visually free of defect -- clean and clear. Honey which has a very high pollen content appears cloudy, and the presence of many other contaminations such as particles of wax, bees, splinters of wood, and dust certainly does make it look unappetizing and unappealing for anyone to buy and consume, and hence it appears as if it's of very low value. Unfortunately, no matter how much food value or health benefits some of these particles of pollen can offer, this kind of honey is hard to be associated with good quality honey and is immediately rejected by most consumers at the super-mart. And this explains why it's almost impossible to find unfiltered, raw honey on the shelf. Its cloudy appearance makes them commercially unattractive.

Honey is color graded into light, amber, and dark categories which do not really have any bearing on quality. Some of the most distinctively and strongly flavoured honey varieties such as basswood, are very light, while very mild and pleasant honeys such as tulip poplar can be quite dark. While it is not an indicator of honey quality and there are exceptions to the rule, generally speaking, the darker color the honey, the higher its mineral contents, the pH readings, and the aroma/flavor levels. Minerals such as potassium, chlorine, sulfur, iron, manganese, magnesium, and sodium have been found to be much higher in darker honeys. .

How to identify the pure natural honey?

There is one pretty simple method to test the purity of honey. 

Introduce a teaspoon in a honey jar and rise it, leaving the honey to flow. If it flows continuously, honey is a trustworthy and natural. But if it flows in the form of drops honey is counterfeit.

Crystallization is  not a definite sign of adulteration in honey. acacia honey never gets crystallized. But at different temperatures, honey becomes crystallized. So Do not store honey in hot places. Crystallized honey can be as rich in nutrients and can be used with confidence.

So always prefer Bio honey or go for raw honey...!