Honey is considered one of the gifts that bees give us, as they make it from the nectar of flowering plants. In addition to serving as a sweetener, it is considered a nutritious, healthy, and natural food.
This food is produced on five continents. There are approximately 320 different types of honey, which vary in color, flavor, and aroma.
“Honey can be monofloral if a predetermined percentage of nectar and pollen from a specific plant predominates, or plurifloral, if it contains an unspecified mixture of different nectars and pollens,” explains the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
The variety of honey will depend on the flowers and the type of hive, but most types offer more than 60 substances that are beneficial to the body. For example, sugars, organic acids, vitamins, folic acid, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, silicon, iron, manganese, iodine, zinc, essential amino acids, flavonoids, and enzymes, among others.
The beneficial properties of honey go beyond its sweetening use, as it is rich in mineral salts, enzymes, vitamins, and proteins that give it unique nutritional and organoleptic properties.
“The curious thing about honey is that it has healing qualities that are supported by science and others by the practice of our ancestors, which is why studies on this food continue and its healing properties are increasingly being demonstrated, such as preventing heart disease and helping the skin after a burn,” says Álvaro Hernández, naturopath.
It is said that Hippocrates, considered the father of medicine, used it to cure skin diseases. The Egyptians also used it to heal wounds and burns, and it was one of the foods placed next to the deceased because it was believed that this was what they took with them to the other world.
What is honey used for?
Due to the substances that honey contains, it has been explored for its medicinal properties. These are some of the most common uses and benefits of honey:
- Regulates blood pressure: Due to the antioxidants contained in honey, such as flavonoids, phenols, enzymes, and similar organic acids, it is said that its constant consumption could reduce the risk of suffering from some cardiovascular diseases, for example, arrhythmias, hypertension or stroke, among others.
- It regulates bad cholesterol: its correct name is LDL cholesterol. Honey increases HDL cholesterol, considered good, and prevents heart attacks and strokes.
- Regulates triglycerides: scientific studies have shown that honey reduces triglyceride levels, compared to sugar, which increases them.
- Helps with bites and wounds: ancestors used honey to treat wounds, bites, and burns, due to its minerals and antioxidants. These help the skin regenerate, making it useful for partial skin lesions. It is also useful in the therapy against diabetic foot ulcers.
- It regulates gastrointestinal diseases: due to the enzymes that it contains and the antioxidant flavonoids, phytochemicals, and minerals, honey is beneficial for digestion. Due to its bacterial properties, it prevents the appearance of microorganisms that damage the digestive system.
- Protects against gastritis: The nutrients in honey also protect against irritation and inflammation of the stomach wall lining.
- Prevents neurological diseases: Honey may have antidepressant, anticonvulsant, and anti-anxiety benefits.
It’s important to emphasize that honey, even a small amount, should be avoided in infants younger than 1 year old. Honey can cause a rare but serious gastrointestinal condition (infant botulism) caused by exposure to the spores of the bacteria Clostridium botulinum, the Mayo Clinic says. Additionally, some people are sensitive or allergic to specific components of honey, specifically bee pollen.
What is ginger with lemon and honey good for?
Some scientific studies have shown that honey when combined with citrus fruits such as lemon, can act as a cough suppressant. For this reason, it is recommended in cases of respiratory tract conditions or when one has a persistent cough, says Juan Carlos Solís, naturopath.
According to the specialist, this combination decongests the respiratory tract and strengthens the immune system. Lemon acts as a toxin purifier, honey eliminates viruses and bacteria, and ginger is an expectorant.