The ancient Egyptians were among those who used honey to treat and mend wounds. Current uses include treating coughs and sore throats. Antioxidant and antibacterial compounds give it healing powers!

Discover 18 amazing facts about honey's health benefits...



Heals Wounds and Burns

Honey Heals Wounds and Burns


Firstly, honey has excellent therapeutic effects! Honey is antibacterial. Peter Charles Molan of the University of Waikato in New Zealand discovered that honey creates hydrogen peroxide when combined with bodily fluids. Honey, according to the source, may heal wounds and burns. To treat, apply honey directly to the area. 24–48 hours redressing Wear the dressing for up to 25 days. Honey can cure skin ulcers as well. Manuka honey can be used to treat wounds including leg ulcers and pressure sores, says WebMD. FDA approved Medihoney in 2007 for wound healing. “We've been using Medihoney for wound healing,” says Ann Arbor dermatologist Frank Bongiorno, MD.

 

Anti-Inflammatory

Honey is Anti-Inflammatory


Honey includes phenolic chemicals that inhibit inflammation and tumour formation. It is a defence response by cells and tissues that can be acute (like an insect bite swelling) or chronic (like swollen and stiff joints).

According to the source, honey reduces inflammation in the lungs (coughs and asthma), throat, and brain. “Honey can control the cellular turmoil created by oxidation and disease.”

 

Used as Body Wash

Honey Used as Body Wash


Not exactly a health advantage, but surely hygiene is linked to health?! Honey is a fantastic moisturiser, so it makes a great body wash that moisturises and kills acne-causing bacteria.

To make your own body wash, add 2 teaspoons honey and 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add lavender, almond, or vitamin E oil for a soothing and pleasant scent.

 

Natural Cough Suppressant

Honey as Natural Cough Suppressant


Cough syrups with dextromethorphan are as good as honey. Honey is a demulcent, forming a film in the throat to ease coughing discomfort. Take 2 teaspoons before bedtime to alleviate coughing.

In a study of 139 children, honey outperformed dextromethorphan and diphenhydramine (an antihistamine). Buckwheat honey surpassed dextromethorphan in controlling nocturnal coughs in 105 children.

Pour half cup water with 1 teaspoon grated ginger, half a lemon, and 1 teaspoon honey an have it!

 

Good for Heart Health

Honey is Good for Heart Health


Honey, like many other superfoods, is filled in antioxidants. Antioxidants in honey help lessen the risk of heart disease. “They may help dilate your heart arteries, improving blood flow. Heart attacks and strokes are caused by blood clots,”.

A rat study discovered that honey could protect the heart from oxidative stress. Since no human studies exist, we can't say for sure, but a little honey here and there wouldn't hurt!

 

Lower Blood Pressure

Honey helps Lower Blood Pressure


Similar to LDL cholesterol, high blood pressure is a risk factor for heart disease, therefore it's crucial to keep it low. “It has antioxidant compounds associated to decrease blood pressure,” It goes on to mention rat and human research that suggest honey reduces blood pressure.

 

Improve Cholesterol

Honey Improves Cholesterol


High LDL cholesterol raises the risk of heart disease, therefore anything that lowers cholesterol is helpful! High LDL cholesterol contributes to atherosclerosis, which causes heart attacks and strokes. Several studies have shown that honey can enhance cholesterol levels by reducing LDL and enhancing HDL.

A Dubai study looked at participants who took a glucose solution against those who consumed 250 ml water with 75 g natural honey. The results showed that those who consumed honey for 15 days “lowered their total and ‘bad' LDL cholesterol while increased their ‘good' HDL cholesterol,”

 

Treat Mosquito Bites

Honey Treats Mosquito Bites


An itchy, scratchy mosquito bite is the worst! While there are many ways to avoid mosquito bites, what can we do once we've been bitten? Honey is surprising more than a pleasant treat. It can be applied to the skin to reduce itching because of its anti-inflammatory effects.

It is advised to dab a little quantity immediately on the bite to ease symptoms and avoid infection.

May Help Recover From Hangovers

Honey May Help Recover From Hangovers


Honey can help cure a hangover. It helps the body break down alcohol into harmless byproducts. As an antioxidant, honey can help counteract the effects of alcohol.

Due to its high fructose and glucose content, honey is not a suggested hangover cure for most people. To “increase alcohol metabolism,” you'd need to use around 2-ounces of honey (8-tablespoons) every 25 grammes of alcohol.

Contains Antioxidants

Honey Contains Antioxidants


These foods are recognised as the healthiest foods to eat since they are loaded with antioxidants. A healthy immune system depends on antioxidants. “Polyphenols in honey have been demonstrated to lessen the risk of heart disease and cancer,”

A study fed 25 people 4 tablespoons of honey daily for 29 days and found that the honey improved their levels of disease-fighting polyphenols. It also mentions the “disease-fighting antioxidant flavonoids pinocembrin, pinostrobin, and chrysin” in honey.

High-quality honey contains “organic acids and phenolic components like flavonoids.” Scientists believe the combination of these chemicals gives it antioxidant properties.

Help Treat Pollen Allergies

Honey Help Treat Pollen Allergies


Raw honey, which contains bee pollen, is said to be able to fight illnesses as well as allergies. This is immunotherapy. Because honey contains local pollen, it helps allergy sufferers gradually desensitise to the pollen that produces their reaction. It helps seasonal allergy sufferers desensitise to the fauna that triggers their allergic reaction.

A recent study in the Annals of Saudi Medicine indicated that consuming a high quantity of honey everyday for eight weeks can help relieve symptoms. Allergic rhinitis is an allergic reaction that causes itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, and other related symptoms.

This cure only works with raw honey because processed honey lacks pollen.

Boost Energy

Honey Boosts Energy


Raw honey has 80% sugar, 18% water, and the remaining vitamins, minerals, pollen, and protein. In the form of liver glycogen, it is great for an enthusiastic early start and as a pre- and post-exercise energy source.

 

University of Memphis Exercise and Sports Nutrition Laboratory study that revealed honey to be one of the best carbs to eat before exercising. Known as “the perfect running fuel.” Honey, according to some research, “performs on par with glucose, the sugar utilised in most commercial energy gels.”

 

Promote Healthy Skin

Honey Promotes Healthy Skin


According to dermatologist Patricia Farris, MD, “the sugar molecules keep water in the skin.” According to dermatologist Zoe Diana Draelos, MD, honey leaves a layer on the skin that locks in water. She suggests utilising products with honey extract instead of just honey. For those on a budget, there are many DIY cures available.

 

Honey's antibacterial characteristics help it treat acne in addition to moisturising the skin. It reduces inflammation, according to Joy Green, author of Joey Green's Magic Health Remedies. Apply honey and nutmeg to the pimple to develop your own home treatment. Leave it on for 20 minutes before rinsing.

 

Aid Digestion

Honey Aids Digestion


Honey also helps digestion by preventing constipation and bloating. It also contains friendly bacteria that act as probiotics and help keep the digestive and immune systems healthy. Try making your own cure at home using honey and lemon as a remedy

Honey can be used to cure ulcers by reducing discomfort and speeding up the healing process. Take 1 to 2 tablespoons three times day on an empty stomach.

Treat Dandruff

Honey Treats Dandruff


Itchy dandruff is a nuisance. Dry, itchy scalp is the worst! The good news is that honey can soothe irritation and prevent flaking. Patients with seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff benefitted from using honey wash. In the winter when the air is dry, it can aid people who only get it sometimes.

Before showering, dilute honey with warm water. Rinse it off after 2–3 minutes of scalp moisturisation.

Boost Immunity

Honey Boosts Immunity

The benefits of honey as a cure-all when we're sick have been highlighted, but did you know that it may also be used to increase immunity? Polyphenols, a type of antioxidant that aids in cell protection from free radical damage, abound in honey. As an added benefit, it has been shown to reduce the risk of cancer and heart disease."


Promotes Sleep

Honey Promotes Sleep

Do you have difficulties falling asleep or staying asleep long enough to wake up refreshed? “Restock the liver's glycogen supply and prevent the brain from starting a crisis search for fuel, which can wake you up,” raw honey before bedtime. “A little surge in [the hormone that regulates the amount of glucose in the blood] levels, stimulates the release of tryptophan in the brain,” it says. Tryptophan helps us sleep by converting to serotonin, which subsequently transforms to melatonin.

Melatonin also helps develop tissue during sleep and boosts immunity. Hemorrhagic thrombocytopenia (HF) is a kind of thrombocytopenia that occurs in Since honey is a natural sleep aid, it reduces the risk of all of these health issues.

 

Weight Management

Honey Helps in Weight Management


It's hard to believe that something so sweet would help you lose weight, yet studies have connected honey consumption to weight loss. First, a San Diego State University study revealed that substituting honey for sugar can “prevent weight gain and reduce blood sugar.”

A University of Wyoming study discovered that raw honey helps curb appetite. A breakfast of honey or sugar was given to 14 healthy non-obese women. Overall, researchers concluded that honey eating may help prevent obesity.

The finest advantages of any food come from buying it in its natural state. So's always preferable to sweeten food yourself than to rely on companies to do it with additional sugars. This is honey's truth. 6 teaspoons of honey per day is recommended if it is the only added sugar you consume. You want to consume even less sugar than that in a day. Never over 6 teaspoons of sugar per day.