Natural honey is the best gift from nature to humans. It contains various beneficial enzymes, vitamins, glucose, and fructose, making it one of the best choices for health enthusiasts. This article will specifically explain the benefits, effects, and taboos of honey.
Relieving Constipation
The fructose and glucose in honey are easily digested and absorbed by the human body. It has a good laxative effect and can be used to relieve constipation by simply drinking honey diluted in water.
Beauty and Skin Care
Honey can help with beauty and skin care. There are many methods to use honey for beauty, such as applying diluted honey on the face to help restore smooth and delicate skin; mixing honey and egg white for facial massage can effectively soothe wrinkles and tighten the skin; mixing honey, glycerin, and flour for facial mask can effectively reduce wrinkles and remove freckles.
Detoxification and Pain Relief
Honey is one of the "Four Detoxifiers" along with wood ear, pig blood, and mung bean. Honey itself is cool in nature and has good heat-clearing and fire-reducing effects. Drinking honey soaked in warm water can help moisten the lungs and detoxify. Applying honey directly to wounds can not only help inhibit bacteria and relieve pain but also accelerate wound healing.
Moistening the Lungs and Relieving Cough
Honey has the effect of moistening the lungs and relieving cough, which can help in the adjuvant treatment of diseases such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, rhinitis, and sinusitis. Drinking honey water or consuming cough syrup containing honey can both achieve good results.
Alleviating Fatigue
The glucose and fructose in honey can be quickly digested and absorbed by the body, directly converted into calories for the body to use, effectively improving the nutritional status of the blood. Taking honey when feeling fatigued can effectively help eliminate fatigue and restore energy.
Promoting Sleep
Honey can help relieve nervous tension and promote sleep. This is because honey contains rich vitamins, glucose, and various minerals, which can help regulate the nervous system, inhibit abnormal excitement of the nervous system, and promote sleep.
Protecting the Cardiovascular System
Honey can help dilate coronary arteries, nourish the myocardium, continuously improve myocardial function, regulate blood pressure, and purify the blood. Regular consumption of honey can effectively prevent cardiovascular diseases such as coronary atherosclerosis, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease.
Enhancing Immunity
Honey contains various beneficial enzymes and minerals, which can work together after entering the body to help improve the body's immunity. Drinking honey soaked in water directly can achieve this effect.
Promoting Children's Growth
Frequent consumption of honey by children who are weak and prone to illnesses can help promote physical development and enhance their immune system. However, it should be noted that infants under one year old should not consume honey.
Promoting Calcium Absorption
Honey has the effect of preventing calcium loss and osteoporosis. The boron in honey can increase the activity of estrogen, which helps prevent calcium loss. Therefore, women who want to supplement calcium and improve the body's absorption and utilization of calcium can consider consuming more honey.
Taboos of Honey Consumption
TABOO 1: Drinking on an empty stomach
Honey water contains sugars such as fructose, which do not exist in the form of water alone. These sugars can increase the secretion of gastric acid, and excessive gastric acid secretion can damage the gastric mucosa, leading to gastric ulcers or duodenal ulcers if honey water is consumed on an empty stomach for a long time.
Recommendation: Honey water should be consumed after meals, and the first glass of water in the morning should be plain water.
TABOO 2: Drinking before bedtime
It is not advisable to drink honey water before bedtime. Drinking water before bedtime is to reserve water for the body's overnight metabolism. Honey water contains a large amount of solutes and has a high density, which does not meet the purpose of drinking water before bedtime. Moreover, honey water contains a lot of sugar, which can accumulate in the body and be converted into fat, leading to obesity.
Recommendation: It is recommended to drink a glass of warm water (about 100cm) half an hour before bedtime to replenish the body's metabolism with water.
TABOO 3: Brewing with boiling water
In addition to 65% to 80% glucose and fructose, honey also contains abundant enzymes, vitamins, minerals, etc. If honey is brewed with boiling water, it will not only destroy the abundant nutrients of honey but also change its natural color, fragrance, and taste.
Recommendation: It is best to use water not exceeding 60°C to brew honey, which can retain the flavor and nutrition of honey and is also more beneficial for the body's absorption and digestion. When having a sore throat, honey can be brewed with cold water, which has the effect of reducing fire and clearing heat.
TABOO 4: Drinking in large quantities
Although honey is good, it should not be consumed in large quantities. Excessive consumption of honey due to its health benefits can cause rapid increase in blood sugar levels. Prolonged excessive consumption can lead to insufficient insulin secretion and diabetes.
Recommendation: The daily intake of honey should not exceed 100mL; drinking two cups of honey water a day, adding one spoon of honey to each cup is sufficient.
People Who Are Not Suitable for Honey Consumption
People with diabetes
People with diabetes should not consume honey. Honey contains a rich amount of monosaccharides, which can be quickly absorbed by the blood, leading to an increase in blood sugar levels. Drinking honey can worsen the condition of people with diabetes.
People with liver cirrhosis
People with liver cirrhosis should not consume honey. Drinking honey can easily worsen the fibrosis of the liver and aggravate the condition. However, general liver disease patients can drink honey to help reduce the burden on the liver.
People prone to diarrhea
People prone to diarrhea should not consume honey. Honey has a good effect of moisturizing and lubricating the intestines. If people who are prone to diarrhea consume honey, it can worsen the condition and hinder the recovery from diarrhea.
People taking cold medicine
People with cold and cough should not drink honey. Although honey can help relieve cough, if people with cold and cough take cold medicine and drink honey, it can reduce the efficacy of the medicine and also affect the cough relief effect of honey.
Infants under 1 year old
Infants under 1 year old should not consume honey. During the production and transportation process, honey is prone to contamination, and infants under 1 year old have not fully developed their body functions. Consuming honey can easily cause infection and poisoning.
