Why Eat Honey?

Honey is an amazing, complex, natural food that is reported to contain over 180 different substances. These substances vary from honey to honey, and a lot of this variation is dependant on the flower source. Of the many substances that make up honey are antioxidants, vitamins and minerals, and all lend to the many nutritional benefits of honey. Honey can be used in wound healing and is naturally antibacterial. Because of its antioxidant properties, it is helpful in preventing disease, and honey also has benefits for blood sugar and gut health. Let’s unpack this a little bit.

Antioxidants

This is a new area of research just coming out in the world of honey. It has been discovered that honey is a great source of antioxidants. Honey is a rich source of polyphenols, an antioxidant that is beneficial in reducing inflammation and neutralizing harmful free radicals in the body, that would otherwise cause disease. These polyphenols and other antioxidants found in honey have been shown to prevent and fight against depression, cardiovascular disease and cancer. An interesting fact to note, is that darker honey, particularly buckwheat honey, is said to have higher amounts of antioxidants than lighter honey.

Wound Healing

Honey has many properties that make it helpful for healing wounds. It offers antibacterial activity, maintains a moist wound condition, and its high viscosity helps to provide a protective barrier to prevent infection. In all these ways, honey helps to heal wounds and fight off infection. Honey’s antibacterial properties have been shown to be effective against strong strains of bacteria such as Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE), two pathogens that can be difficult to treat. Honey is also thought to be effective at treating and healing stomach ulcers caused by H. Pylori.          

                   

Blood Sugar

Honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, meaning it will have a better effect on blood sugar than processed white sugar. Several studies have been conducted on people with diabetes, and it appears that honey is a better choice for these individuals than sugar. More research needs to be done, but it has also been suggested that honey stimulates a greater insulin response than sugar and may even prevent diabetes, but again, more research needs to be done to verify these studies. Honey is also sweeter than sugar, meaning you won’t need as much to make something sweet. Ultimately, this will have a better effect on blood sugar as well.

Gut Health

Honey can be a part of a healthy diet and even contribute to good gut health. Honey is considered a strong prebiotic, nourishing the good bacteria in our digestive tracts, which can help support good gut health. The sugar in honey is also easily broken down in our bodies since bees have already broken it down with enzymes as they make honey. Honey also doesn’t ferment in the stomach the way many other sugars do, so it doesn’t aggravate the digestive tract.

Honey is an amazing natural product that has many benefits for us – these are just a few of them! Making honey a part of your diet, and swapping it in for table sugar, will benefit your body in many ways.