Honey
Honey is one of the nutritious products that can be used as an energy source, and as a natural sweetener, in addition to being used as a folk remedy for many cases, this food is also used in the manufacture of cosmetics and skin care, and bees make honey from flower nectar, and honey has many types that vary according to the type of flowers from which the nectar was taken, and the different climatic conditions from one place to another, and the types of honey are light-colored, such as : Shamrock honey tastes moderate, while dark-colored varieties such as buckwheat honey are strong.
The benefits of honey for the eye
There are no scientific studies that confirm the benefits of honey for the eye, but it can be used by placing it in a sterile saline solution and placing it on the skin to reduce wrinkles around the eyes, and it is used in many cosmetic treatments for the skin, as it can moisturize the skin, increase its smoothness, in addition to helping to reduce the signs of aging, and it should be noted that most anti-aging preparations are unsafe to use in the area around the eyes, so honey can be used to reduce wrinkles This area is tightened by mixing it with brine, water, and vegetable oils, such as jojoba or coconut oil.
Honey also promotes skin health by raising the moisture of dry skin and can help remove skin spots, its use may be useful for treating acne because it has antibacterial properties, and it can be used to reduce irritation and itching caused by mosquito bites, in addition to helping to prevent skin infection, and on the other hand, honey is used as a disinfectant for wounds, to inhibit the growth of bacteria, to reduce puffiness and pain in these wounds, and to promote their healing.
Other benefits of honey
Honey offers many health benefits to the human body, and the most important of these benefits are as follows :
- Reduce the risk of infections : one study showed that honey can kill bacteria in the so-called Defensin-1 protein, and another study showed that Manuka honey can contribute to the prevention of the stability of Clostridium difficile bacteria (English : Clostridioides difficile) inside the body, and these bacteria usually cause severe diarrhea and disease, and in addition, some studies have revealed that this type of honey may be effective in treating aureus infection Methicillin resistance, on the other hand, may help fight antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
- Cough treatment : one study indicated that the use of honey reduced the symptoms associated with coughing during the night in children with upper respiratory tract infections.
- Alternative to sugar : natural honey can be used as an alternative to sugar added to the diet to reduce the damage caused by it, as it is known that this type of sugar contains a large number of calories, and does not have any nutritional benefits, and eating it may lead to weight gain, which may increase the risk of diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Enhancing the body’s immunity : studies have indicated that honey is one of the good remedies to improve immunity against asthma and allergies, because it contains flavonoids, which lead to an increase in antioxidant levels in cells when ingested, and it also reduces the fragility and permeability of capillaries, in addition to having anti-cancer and anti-tumor properties.
- Improving endurance : eating honey helps to enhance endurance (English : Stamina) in athletes, as eating it before and after exercise compensates for the minerals and carbohydrates lost during exercise.
- Treatment of diarrhea : one study found that honey reduced the duration of diarrhea in cases of bacterial gastroenteritis better than the use of sugar in alternative fluids, as honey increases the amounts of potassium and water intake without increasing the amounts of sodium, and this food helps to repair damage to the mucous tissues in the intestine and stimulates the growth of new tissues, in addition to being considered an anti-inflammatory agent.
Nutritional value of honey
The following table shows the nutrient content of one tablespoon, equivalent to 21 grams of honey :
Nutritional element | Qty |
Calories | 64 Calories |
Water | 3.59 milliliters |
Protein | 0.06 g |
Carbohydrates | 17.30 grams |
Sugars | 17.25 grams |
Calcium | 1 milligram |
Iron | 0.09 milligrams |
Phosphorus | 1 milligram |
Potassium | 11 milligrams |
Sodium | 1 milligram |
Zinc | 0.05 milligrams |
Vitamin C | 0.1 milligrams |
Honey Harm
Honey is safe when consumed by most adults, as well as children over the age of one year, when consumed orally or placed on the skin for adults, but it is unsafe when consumed by infants and young children and is recommended to be completely avoided by infants under the age of 12 months for the risk of botulism, and it should be noted that honey extracted from the nectar of the plant Randera is not safe for oral consumption because it contains Toxins that may lead to low blood pressure, chest pain, and other severe heart disorders and people with pollen allergy are advised to avoid consuming honey because it may lead to an allergic reaction to them, as for breastfeeding and pregnant women, it is considered safe if consumed in the quantities in food, and there is not enough information about its use for therapeutic purposes, so it is recommended to consume these quantities in this period.
Read also : The benefits of honey for diabetics
One Comment