Honey is a natural sweetener made from the nectars collected by bees. The taste of honey varies depending on where the bees gathered nectar from. In Hawaii, there are many types of flowers blooming year-round which produces an abundant variety of fresh floral honey each month. Honeybees fly from flower to flower gathering tiny amounts of fragrant nectar and pollen grains as food for themselves and their hives.
Honey is a superfood with a large number of properties beneficial for one's health because it contains a group of substances called bioactive factors including enzymes, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, bioflavonoids and phytochemicals that have been recently discovered. These nutrients provide antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria, help ease gastric distress and can even help to lower glucose levels for people with diabetes.
Honey is also known as nature's medicine that has been used by many cultures throughout history to treat various ailments.
Here are the top 5 ways honey benefits your health:
1. Boosts immunity
Honey contains vitamins B6, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and vitamin C which are antioxidants that prevents infections caused by bacteria or viruses in many parts of the body including bones, respiratory tract and skin. Vitamin C helps to produce connective tissue found in blood vessels to prevent easy bruising while vitamin B6 is necessary for making antibodies against infectious agents to boost immune system response against infections.
2. Tones skin and hair
Proteins, enzymes and amino acids contained in raw honey are beneficial for toning sagging skin by rejuvenating the cells of the epidermis to promote new cell regeneration. Vitamin C found most abundantly in fresh organic flowers helps heal scars while minerals zinc, potassium, magnesium, calcium and iron are responsible for maintaining strong bones and teeth as well as reducing the risk of osteoporosis. Antioxidants are also effective against free radicals that can cause damaging effects on our skin cells resulting in premature aging signs like wrinkles or age spots. Furthermore, honey boosts circulation which is beneficial for nourishing dry brittle hair to make it healthy again by increasing shine. Honey with cinnamon mask is good for scalp problems such as dandruff and hair loss.
3. Eases digestion
Raw honey can be used as a natural treatment for digestive problems such as constipation, diarrhea and ulcers. Honey stimulates the secretion of gastric juices responsible for breaking down food into smaller components that can be easily digested and absorbed by the intestines. Furthermore, raw honey contains bicarbonate which neutralizes excess stomach acidity resulting in settling upset stomach or indigestion caused by ulcer-inducing factors like caffeine and alcohol intake. Gastrointestinal disorders can cause serious health complications so always remember to stay on a regular diet with frequent small meals throughout the day rather than binge eating large amounts at once if you suffer from chronic bowel irregularity issues.
4. Relieves allergies and colds
Raw honey is a natural antihistamine thanks to the abundance of antioxidants which reduces inflammation, swelling as well as narrowing blood vessels in the nasal passages to help ease colds, sinus congestion and other allergy symptoms. Remember that pollen levels are typically high during spring so taking a spoonful of local raw honey from Hawaii every day helps develop immunity against those allergens so you won't suffer from seasonal allergies like hay fever or asthma later on in life. Although raw honey is not a suitable substitution for prescribed allergy medications, it can greatly reduce allergic reactions caused by environmental factors such as pollen, dust particles and mold spores.
5. Prevents cancer formation
Antioxidants found in raw honey include phenolic acids, catechins, lignans and other flavonoids that protect cells from damage caused by free radicals or substances called carcinogens that cause cancer. The antioxidants in honey also prevent the DNA mutations responsible for triggering uncontrolled cell growth which is a precursor to many types of cancers such as bladder cancer, colon cancer and breast tumors. Furthermore, phenolic compounds found in raw honey help control oxidative stress on body organs including liver and kidneys which are sensitive to high levels of toxins resulting from metabolic activities of normal daily functions.
