The Health Promoting Values of Honey

The Health Promoting Values of Honey

Honey is one of nature's most splendid gifts to mankind. It is widely recognised for its unique nutritional, health promoting and medicinal values. Ayurveda considers honey to be a food supplement that should be taken regularly in small quantities.

 

Food Value

The sugars in honey are glucose, fructose and sucrose. Glucose is the simplest of the sugars. It is present in many fruits and vegetable juices and forms the chief immediate source of energy for most animals and man. Fructose, which is also known as levulose or grape sugar, crystallises more easily than glucose and builds up tissues. Sucrose is a combination of glucose and fructose. Dextrin is a gummy substance found in small amount in honey that helps to make honey easily digestible. Latest research indicates that the pollen in honey contains all 22 amino acids, 28 minerals, 11 enzymes, 14 fatty acids and 11 carbohydrates. Unfortunately much of honey’s nutritive quality is lost if it is heated. It is wise to assume that honey has been heated unless it is specified otherwise.

 

Natural Benefits and Curative Properties

Honey is one of the finest sources of heat and energy. Energy is generated mainly by the carbohydrate foods and honey is one of the most easily digested forms of carbohydrate. It enters directly into the bloodstream because of its dextrin content and this provides almost instantaneous energy. Honey is a boon to those with weak digestion. All organs in the body respond favourably when honey is eaten. Ayurveda considers honey to be an all-purpose medicine for almost types of disease. Ayurveda recognises that in addition to its sweetness honey has an astringent taste that makes it suitable for even those people for whom most other sweet foods are not recommended (i.e. people with a tendency to kapha imbalance). One spoon of fresh honey, mixed with the juice of half a lemon in a glass of lukewarm water and taken first thing in the morning is an effective remedy for constipation and hyperacidity. Fasting on this honey-lemon juice water is highly beneficial in the treatment of obesity without loss of energy and appetite. A mixture of honey and alcohol is believed to promote growth of hair.

 

 

Heart Diseases

Honey is easily digested and assimilated; it is the best sweet food, as it does not cause flatulence and can prevent it to a certain extent, promoting the activity of the bowels. It is recommended in cases of arteriosclerosis and weak hearts. The heart is a very hard working organ and it would be unwise to leave weak hearts without food over the long hours of the night. Consequently heart patients are often recommended to take a glass of warm water with honey and lemon juice at bedtime and at any time they awaken during the night. Honey is often found useful in cardiac pain and palpitation of the heart.

 

 

Anaemia

Honey is a valuable support for building haemoglobin in the blood, due largely to its  iron, copper and manganese content. It is beneficial in the treatment of anaemia as it helps maintain the right balance of haemoglobin and red blood corpuscles.

 

 

Pulmonary Diseases

Ayurveda says that honey balances kapha dosha due to its astringent qualities. As such it is very beneficial in the health of the lungs, the seat of kapha dosha. It is said if a jug of honey is held under the nose of an asthma patient and he inhales the air that comes into contact with the honey, he starts breathing easier and deeper. The effects last for about an hour or so. This effect is due to the 'higher' alcohols and ethereal oils that honey contains and the vapours given off by them are soothing and beneficial to the asthma patients. They usually bring relief whether inhaled or eaten with milk or water. Some authorities recommend one year-old honey for respiratory diseases.

 

 

Skin Diseases

Honey applied externally, is considered useful in the treatment of wounds and sores. Its antibacterial and antifungal qualities are well known. Honey soothes pain, acts as an antiseptic, hastens healing and is especially helpful for burns and carbuncles.

 

 

Irritating Cough

The use of honey is highly beneficial in the treatment of irritating cough. As a demulcent or soothing agent, it produces a soothing effect on the inflamed mucus membrane of the upper respiratory tract and relieves irritating cough and symptoms like difficulty in swallowing. For this reason, it is used in the manufacture of various cough mixtures. Honey gargles are also useful in irritant cough.

 

 

Insomnia

The hypnotic effect of honey helps bring sound sleep. It should be taken with water, before going to bed - two teaspoonfuls in a big cupful of warm water. Babies generally fall asleep after taking honey.

 

 

Oral Diseases

Honey is valuable in keeping the mouth healthy. Applied daily over the teeth and gums, it cleans and gives sparkle to the teeth. It helps prevents deposit of tarter at the base of the teeth and decay and early falling of the teeth. Being a mild antiseptic it helps prevents the growth of harmful micro-organisms. In cases of ulcers in the oral cavity, honey helps early healing and in preventing further sepsis. In addition gargling with honey water is very useful in gingivitis due to inflammation of the gums.

 

 

Eye Diseases

Honey is an excellent remedy for various eye ailments. Applied daily in the eyes, it helps improves the eyesight. It is very useful in the treatment of itching of the eyes, trachoma, conjunctivitis and other similar diseases. Regularly taking honey internally and external applications help prevent glaucoma at its initial stage. Honey is valuable in the prevention of cataract formation: mix together equal quantities of onion juice and honey and apply it to the eyes with a clean glass rod; keep the mixture in a clean glass jar and refrigerate. This has been found to be a very effective remedy for immature cataracts. It resolves the already coagulated protein fibres and helps prevents further coagulation. (N.B. cleanliness is important).

 

 

Diseases of Stomach

Honey is useful in maintaining the health of the stomach. It tones up the stomach, helps proper digestion and prevents stomach diseases. It also decreases the over production of hydrochloric acid thereby preventing symptoms like nausea, vomiting and heartburn. When putrefied faecal matter and undigested foods are present in the alimentary canal, honey acts as a laxative and helps clears the digestive canal of the waste matter.

 

 

Old Age

Honey is especially useful in providing energy and heat to the body in old age. It dries up the phlegm and clears the system of mucus to which a person generally falls victim to in old age. One or two teaspoonful of honey in a cupful of boiled water that has been cooled to lukewarm is a refreshing and strengthening drink.

 

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* Warning: Ayurveda warns that one should never heat honey above body temperature. The higher it is heated above 40C the more its health values are reduced and harmful qualities increase.

 

 

Honey is one of nature's most splendid gifts to mankind. It is widely recognised for its unique nutritional, health promoting and medicinal values. Ayurveda considers honey to be a food supplement that should be taken regularly in small quantities.

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