In pursuit of a healthy lifestyle, we will lose a lot of money for vitamins and all kinds of supplements, completely forgetting that nature has given everything to man for proper nutrition. One of these products is honey. This beekeeping product is able not only to help cope with colds, but also to prevent the development of a number of diseases and alleviate the condition in the presence of certain pathologies.
| Calories per 100 g, (kcal): | 329 |
| Protein in 100 g, (g): | 0.8 |
| Fat in 100 g, (g): | 0.0 |
| Carbohydrates per 100 g, (g): | 81.5 |
| Glycemic index: | 50-70 |
Composition and calorie content
At 78%, honey consists of many types of sugar, in particular, sucrose, glucose, levulose and maltose. Mineral salts are present in the amount of 2%, the rest is water. In addition, it contains vitamins: B2 and B6, magnesium, iron, phosphorus, iodine and other chemical compounds.
Depending on the type, the calorie content of the product changes and starts from 300 units.
What is useful, vitamins and minerals
Honey has a pronounced antiviral effect. It helps to cope with fungal infections, heals wounds and even burns. With regular use, it can improve blood composition and remove free radicals from the body. It also helps to normalize bowel function and eliminate bad cholesterol.
Buckwheat honey is useful for low hemoglobin levels. All types of this product are natural energy “doping”, so it is advisable to use it after exercise. It improves performance and restores immunity.
Honey improves metabolic processes and soothes, is used as a remedy for insomnia.
This beekeeping product is widely used for cosmetic purposes, helping to improve the structure of hair and skin.
However, one must always remember that this is nectar with a high allergenicity and calorie content, it should be consumed in moderation, no more than 70-100 g per day.
Types of honey
Depending on the plants on which the bees collected nectar, several species are distinguished, which are conventionally divided into two groups:
- monofloral;
- polyfloral.
Species fall into the first category if bees collected nectar from one type of plant. The second category is nectars collected from different plants.
The first type is extremely rare, therefore this name is sometimes obtained from beekeeping products, in which the nectar of a certain plant predominates. They all differ from each other in their consistency, taste, aroma and chemical composition.
Benefits for women
Honey is useful for the female body due to its high content of B vitamins, which can prevent the development of cancer and deformation of the fetal tube.
Thanks to vitamin A, women who regularly consume honey have a significantly increased chance of conceiving a baby. And vitamin E stimulates the hormonal system and stabilizes the condition during the menstrual cycle.
Benefits for men
For the male body, prone to the development of diseases associated with simplicity, the heart and blood vessels, honey will be irreplaceable. It will even help to suspend the balding process and cope with disorders of the nervous system.
The zinc contained in the product stimulates the hormonal and endocrine systems. Vitamin A has a beneficial effect on sperm motility. B vitamins are involved in the synthesis of testosterone and normalize blood sugar levels.
During pregnancy and breastfeeding
If there is no individual intolerance to beekeeping products, then it is even necessary to use honey while carrying a baby. It will help improve uterine circulation and relieve unnecessary stress. This product is indispensable in the treatment of colds during gestation. It helps to cope with toxicosis and stimulates appetite.
During lactation, there are also no contraindications to use, it will help to avoid exhaustion.
Is it possible for children
Honey is also very useful for children, it strengthens the immune system, helps to recover faster and cope with the school load.
Honey helps improve brain function.
At what age can honey be given to children
Before the onset of the first year of life, and in no case should you give your child honey. It can be introduced gradually from 1 year, but it is even better to postpone this period to 2 years. This product is dangerous for two reasons:
- there is a risk of developing botulism;
- the likelihood of allergies is high.
The introduction begins with literally a few drops, which are added to drinks, gradually increasing the dose. For a schoolchild who has not yet moved into high school, literally 2 tablespoons of honey will be enough.
Is it good for weight loss
If you consume honey in small quantities, then it will not cause you to gain extra pounds. Literally one tablespoon per day will improve the condition of the liver and digestion, even remove excess fats.
With diabetes
With an insulin-dependent form, there are no restrictions on the use of honey, just do not get carried away with a large amount. If the patient does not inject himself with insulin, then this product can be used only after consulting a doctor, since the tablets are unlikely to be able to quickly stabilize the glucose level after consuming honey.
What it treats, how to take it for medicinal purposes
Honey is a product that is 100% assimilated by the human body. It has absolutely no effect on kidney function, therefore it is used in traditional medicine.
If you suffer from insomnia, you need to drink a glass of warm water or milk with a tablespoon of honey before going to bed. And if you are worried about pain in the teeth, then first chamomile (a couple of spoons) is steamed in 400 ml of boiling water, boiled in a water bath for about 15 minutes. Add 1-2 tablespoons of honey to this broth and rinse the mouth cavity with the mixture.
For bronchitis, the following composition is prepared:
- 15 g cocoa;
- 15 ml of aloe juice;
and 100 g each of the following components:
- honey;
- lard;
- butter.
All components are mixed and heated, but not brought to a boil. Drink the mixture 2 times a day, a glass of milk, with the addition of 1 tablespoon of the mixture.
You can prepare a mixture if a woman is worried about heavy and painful periods. The remedy will require a tablespoon of mint and valerian roots, which are boiled in 500 ml of boiling water in a water bath for about 30 minutes. After cooling, add 2 tablespoons of honey to the tincture and take 200 ml 2 times throughout the day.
Honey for ulcers
In the presence of an ulcer, honey is included in the complex treatment of the disease. To do this, honey (a tablespoon) is diluted in warm water and drunk 1.5 hours before a meal 3-4 times throughout the day. The course of treatment should not be less than 1.5 months.
If the ulcer is accompanied by low acidity of the stomach, then they are treated in the same way as described above, only honey is diluted in cold water.
It is recommended to completely abandon any sweets for the duration of treatment.
Honey for the heart
If the heart is “weak”, then it is recommended to first steam the rose hips (1 tablespoon) in 500 ml of water and add 1 tablespoon of honey to the mixture. You need to drink such a medicine throughout the day, in equal parts.
If atherosclerosis appears, then rub a glass of horseradish and insist for 1-2 days. Add 1.5 tablespoons of honey and the same amount of carrot juice to the mixture, with the addition of juice of 1 lemon. The mixture is consumed 2 times throughout the day, 1 hour before meals.
Application in cosmetology
Honey allows you to open pores and cleanse your skin. It is often used as an ingredient in homemade scrubs. And if the product is sugared, then it can be applied to the skin of the face in its pure form. It will help get rid of dead particles and moisturize the skin.
If you find liquid honey at home, then for use as a scrub it is better to mix it with salt, you can sea or with coffee that was previously brewed. The proportion in this case is 1: 1. The mixture with coffee will also help to cope with cellulite; it is applied to problem areas of the skin with massage movements.
And if you mix a spoonful of honey with an aspirin tablet, you can get a great cleansing face mask. Apply it on the face for no longer than 10 minutes.
Milk with honey
This mixture is often used to relieve sore throats and before bed to help you fall asleep faster. Milk in combination with honey removes phlegm and mucus well, allowing you to recover faster.
Nuts with honey
A mixture of a beekeeping product with nuts is a medicine that is recommended for use in heart disease, anemia and migraines. This is a real natural energy composition that improves immunity and metabolic processes, and the work of the gastrointestinal tract.
To prevent the occurrence of a cold, they consume 1 tablespoon of the mixture per day, and if it is necessary to solve a problem with the heart, then the dose is doubled. The duration of treatment and prophylaxis should be at least a month; it is not recommended to increase the dose.
Honey harm and contraindications
Do not forget that honey is an allergenic product; it should also be used with great care in non-insulin-dependent diabetes. It is better to refuse to use it if the body temperature is elevated, regardless of the reason.
It is best to rinse your mouth after consuming honey to prevent damage to your tooth enamel. And of course, you do not need to exceed the permissible dose per day – 70-100 g, so as not to gain excess weight.
What to do if honey is candied
Heather and acacia honey should not be sugared, other types lend themselves to this process after about 1 year storage. But this does not mean that the product has lost its healing properties. To return to its previous consistency, it should be heated to 40 degrees, after it has cooled down, it will disappear from the sugariness.
How to choose and store
If the honey leaks and is very runny, this is a sure sign of its unnaturalness. Honey should have aroma, herbs and flowers. The natural product should not have a caramel aftertaste, but there should be a slight burning sensation on the tongue.
Honey is subject to long-term storage, however, after a year, its antibacterial properties disappear, but the amount of sucrose increases. Store it in a closed container, at temperatures from 0 to + 10 degrees, with low humidity.
Natural honey is a natural, healthy and nutritious product that can be consumed every day, but in limited quantities so as not to gain excess weight.