Honey is full of sugar and calories, but doesn't that mean it's just another tasty unhealthy food to eat?, absolutely not. Surprisingly honey is more than just a tasty treat which is good for me to know as I like the stuff. If you was to eat it in huge quantities I'm sure that it would have some negative drawbacks. This post is based on having quantities of a spoonful or two a day.
1. Medicinal Properties
Scientific research is revealing that honey is remarkable for its healing properties and is much better for people than is generally thought of. Honey has often been used for centuries for its medicinal benefits, but has sort of become a thing previous generations did as they didn't have the medical advances that we have now, or was because of something that's been in the family. Well, actually, it does have its uses.
Some of honey's medicinal properties include: healing properties (e.g cuts, eye conjunctivitis, and much more), natural antiseptic, is an antioxidant, helps fight infection, helps with tissue healing, helps with inflammation and scarring - though only to a certain point, helps with diarrhoea and indigestion.
Studies have shown that as an antibacterial and healing agent it is better than over-the-counter remedies for coughs, colds and sore throats.
2. Weight Loss
This may at first sound strange as honey contains lots of sugar, something that normally puts on the pounds - not help to lose them. Bear with me a moment. Basically when you have sugar, your body will use nutrients to be metabolised and so the more sugar and fatty foods you have, the more nutrients your body will have to draw upon, and there is a limit. Once that limit has been reached, metabolising fat and cholesterol will be put on hold.
What's different about honey is that it contains the amino acids to help metabolise itself and a number of minerals that are great for metabolism in general.
Of course I wouldn't advise going on a honey-only diet and only eating jars of the stuff. It would be best to incorporate it into a healthy diet to see the best results.
3. Energy
The natural source of carbohydrates makes honey brilliant at providing energy for our bodies, which we need. In fact, honey is used by a number of athletes for the purpose of helping performance and endurance in events, helping them to reduce the effects of muscle fatigue.
4. Helps with Hayfever
Summer is one of the nicest times of the year (in my opinion anyway), but is dreaded by many hayfever sufferers because of the higher pollen count it usually brings. I myself am a hayfever sufferer, and my eyes are actually running right now as I write this. It's only just come back on recently - actions will need to be taken. :)
A lot of people say that a spoonful a day (providing it's in plenty of time before pollen season) can work wonders for helping with hayfever. It doesn't work for everybody, but it seems that local unfertilised honey is the best. This is as this is the pollen you are in closest proximity to, and so when the bees do their work with the plants and flowers that are near you, and you consume that honey, slowly over time it will help your body to build up an immunity towards it. Like I said though, it doesn't work for everybody.