“Honey should be treated like all added sugars, something to include in your diet carefully and kept to a minimum,” Keating says. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than nine teaspoons (36 grams) per day; women and children, no more than six teaspoons (24 grams) daily.
Daily consumption of honey has a beneficial effect on the level of antioxidant compounds in the body that can fight excess cholesterol. Research shows that the antioxidants contained in honey can prevent arteries from narrowing.
Honey is still a form of sugar and intake should be moderate. The American Heart Association recommends that women get no more than 100 calories a day from added sugars; men no more than 150 calories a day. This is a little over two tablespoons for women and three tablespoons for men.
“Although honey has advantages over refined sugar, it is still a sugar and should be used judiciously. Too much honey can lead to an increased risk of weight gain as well as type 2 diabetes and heart disease.”
That being said, a general rule of thumb is to start with 1-2 teaspoons of local honey per day and gradually increase the amount over time. It's important to note that consuming too much honey at once can actually make your symptoms worse, so it's best to start small and gradually increase your intake over a few weeks.
Morning is the best time to eat honey for boosting energy levels and staying all charged up. Having honey in the morning is not just good for your skin but has ample health benefits including: Helps you shed those extra kilos. Improves your digestive system.
Usually the doctors recommend honey to be taken empty stomach early in the morning as it gives an instant kick and energy boost which is enough to counter an entire day. Also, while going to bed, a spoonful of honey not only gives a good night's sleep but also helps in digestion and relaxation of mind and body.
“Honey should be treated like all added sugars, something to include in your diet carefully and kept to a minimum,” Keating says. The American Heart Association recommends that men consume no more than nine teaspoons (36 grams) per day; women and children, no more than six teaspoons (24 grams) daily.
Keep in mind that honey is denser than sugar and that it will also cook differently in your recipes. Botulism is a direct risk if a baby consumes honey. Babies just don't have the digestive systems to handle honey, so please keep your young children away from it.
Therefore, honey, as it has anti-inflammatory activity, may contribute positively to the prevention of metabolic and cardiovascular diseases particularly in case honey mixed with other healthy foods.
Thanks to its antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, manuka honey can be used to help treat wounds, improve your oral health, soothe a sore throat and treat ulcers and acne.
Honey has been shown to lower LDL (bad) cholesterol levels by 6%, triglyceride levels by 11%, and potentially boost HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
A common concern when adding honey to hot water is that it might become poisonous. However, this is not the case! The temperatures reached when boiling water are not high enough to change the chemical structure of honey. So rest assured, your honey tea will be perfectly safe to drink.
From a calorie and sugar content perspective, the differences between sugar and honey are minimal, however, overall, honey contains slightly more health benefits than table sugar from its potential antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, and anti-inflammatory properties.
Using Honey In Your Tea
One teaspoon of honey per cup of tea is a good rule of thumb. Make sure to add the honey after the leaves have had a chance to steep and the water has cooled slightly.
Overconsumption of honey may lead to weight gain, allergies, infant botulism (a serious gastrointestinal condition that occurs in infants up to age 12 months), high blood sugar levels, diarrhea, food poisoning, bleeding, and tooth decay. Hence, take it in moderation to avoid any reactions.
Research says that, men should not consume more than nine teaspoons per day. While, women and children should not eat honey more than six teaspoons daily.
1. Honey helps sleep better. This is because honey contains tryptophan which is a hormone that helps relax and send sleep signals to the body. Because tryptophan is an essential amino acid but cannot be produced naturally in the body, supplementing through honey before bed brings many benefits to the body.
Honey helps your brain release melatonin, the hormone that your body uses to restore itself during sleep. This happens through a series of transformations in your brain: honey's sugars spike your insulin levels, releasing tryptophan, which becomes serotonin, which becomes melatonin.
Manuka Honey can help you get a sweet night sleep. Consumed just before bed, there are two ways that honey can assist your sleep. Honey can provide your brain with an easily accessed fuel source during the night. More specifically it replenishes your liver's glycogen levels.
Honey is a natural humectant and moisturizer that adds plumpness and hydration to the skin. It is also rich in natural enzymes that allow moisture to penetrate into the deeper layers of the skin, so you'll wake up with a natural, radiant glow.
What Makes Honey the Most Natural Superfood? Honey contains all of the nutrients that bees collect from flowers. It contains fructose, glucose, vitamins, minerals, amino acids, enzymes, and antioxidants. This combination makes honey a powerful natural medicine with many health benefits.