HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY

An-Nahl: 68-69
HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

And your Lord inspired the bee, saying: "Take you habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they erect.[16:68]
"Then, eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy (for you)." There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying colour wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think. [16:69]

The Prophet (PBUH) said:
'Honey is a remedy for every illness and the Qur'an is a remedy for all illness of the mind, therefore I recommend to you both remedies, the Qur'an and honey.'(Bukhari)

Honey has many beneficial health qualities. The Quran and Hadith has considered honey as a healer of disease. Prophet Muhammad was reported to have drank an infusion of water sweetened with honey on an empty stomach, and such a custom holds ample benefits and subtle secrets.

Honey has also been considered as beneficial to the health by ancient civilizations from the Ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Chinese, Greeks to the Romans.Honey has been used to heal diseases, treat wounds and stomach problems.

Natural honey has been used by mankind since the past 2,500 years, all over the world. While the numerous health benefits of honey have made it an important aspect of traditional medicines such as Ayurveda, scientists are also researching the benefits of honey in modern medicine, especially in healing wounds.

What makes honey so popular? It is the ease with which it can be consumed. One can eat honey directly, put it on bread like a jam, mix it with juice or any drink instead of sugar, or mix it with warm water, lime juice, cinnamon and other herbs to make a medicine. It is savoured by all due to its taste as well as health benefits.

THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:

Sweetener: Sugar can be substituted with honey in many food and drinks. Honey contains about 69% glucose and fructose enabling it to be used as a sweetener.

Energy Source: Honey is also used by many as a source of energy as it provides about 64 calories per tablespoon. One tablespoon of sugar will give you about 50 calories. Further the sugars in honey can be easily converted into glucose by even the most sensitive stomachs. Hence it is very easy to digest honey.

Weight Loss: Though honey has more calories than sugar, honey when consumed with warm water helps in digesting the fat stored in your body. Similarly honey and lemon juice and honey and cinnamon help in reducing weight.

Improving Athletic Performance: Recent research has shown that honey is an excellent ergogenic aid and helps in boosting the performance of athletes. Honey facilitates in maintaining blood sugar levels, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration after a workout.
Source of Vitamins and Minerals: Honey contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. The vitamin and mineral content of honey depends on the type of flowers used for apiculture.

Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties: Honey has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and hence it can be used as a natural antiseptic.

Antioxidants: Honey contains nutraceuticals, which are effective in removing free radicals from our body. As a result, our body immunity is improved.

Skin Care with Milk and Honey: Milk and honey are often served together as both these ingredients help in getting a smooth soothing skin. Hence consuming milk and honey daily in the morning is a common practice in many countries.

Honey in Wound Management
Significant research is being carried out to study the benefits of honey in treating wounds. Nursing Standard provides some of these benefits in the document - The benefits of honey in wound management. These have been given below:

• Honey possesses antimicrobial properties.
• It helps in promoting autolytic debridement.
• It deodorizes malodorous wounds.
• It speeds up the healing process by stimulating wound tissues.
• It helps in initiating the healing process in dormant wounds.
• Honey also helps in promoting moist wound healing.

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www.benefits-of-honey.com/health-benefits-of-honey.html

Benefits :

1. Honey is sedative, anti-fungal and nourishing
2. Soothes tissues and help retain calcium in the body
3. Antibacterial – great for both internal or external problem
4. Considered to be a swiss army knife in the world of alternative medicine.
5. Honey can boost the immune system

The use :
1. Mixture of equal quantities of honey and ginger juice is a good expectorant. It helps in colds, cough, sore throat and runny nose.

2. For asthma, mix half a gram of black pepper powder with honey and ginger juice mixture. Drink this mixture a few times a day.

3. Honey can soothe and encourage the healing of sores in the mouth or vagina.

4. A bowl of oats porridge with a spoonful of honey will calm the nerve. Ideal to be taken before an exam.

5. Honey is a great moisturizer and can be used on the skin as a natural revitalizing mask

6. Eating a little local honey will make you “immune’ to pollens in the area.

7. To improve eyesight, mix honey with carrot juice. Take one hour before meals in the morning.

8. To purify the blood, mix one glass of warm water with 1-2 teaspoonful of honey and one teaspoonful of lemon juice. Take this preparation daily before you go to the toilet. It will also reduce fat and cleans your bowel.


9. Natural honey causes a lower rise in blood sugar than that of refined sugars in people with Type 2 diabetes. A little unprocessed honey may be added in their drinks when they crave some sweetness in their diet. Just use raw honey to benefit from this goodness.