The Many Health Benefits of Honey

“The Many Benefits of Honey” and nutritional information provided on this page provided by www.honey.com.

Honey Health Benefits In addition to being a great natural sweetener, honey has a multitude of benefits that many people don’t know about. Have you ever had an unrelenting sore throat? Honey has been proven to be a natural throat soother! Are you an athlete looking for a natural energy boost before the big game? Honey’s unique blend of natural sweeteners gives it the ability to provide quick energy in any circumstance. This section of the Web site will allow you to further explore these and other benefits of honey, and will also be a source for nutrition facts on this pure, natural sweetener.

Nutritional Facts of Honey

Honey’s Nutrition Facts

Honey is composed primarily of carbohydrates (natural sugars) and water, as well as trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids. Providing 17 grams of carbohydrates and 64 calories per tablespoon, honey is an all-natural sweetener without any added ingredients.

Generally, darker honeys have higher antioxidant content than lighter honeys.

For a complete nutrient listing, please visit USDA’s National Nutrient Database, http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/.

Natural Cough Suppressant

Honey has been used for centuries to help alleviate some of the symptoms associated with a common cold. According to the American Academy of Family Physicians, many things can cause a sore throat. These include infections with viruses, such as colds and flu; sinus drainage; allergies; or cigarette smoking, among others. Sore throats caused by bacteria such as streptococci, are usually treated with antibiotics. Always check with your doctor if you have a fever, or if symptoms continue for more than a few days.

Time is the most important healer of sore throats caused by viruses, but for relief of the irritating symptoms, try a spoonful of honey to soothe and coat your throat. Take a spoonful straight, as often as you need, to relieve the irritation. In between, keep up your liquids with a steaming cup of tea sweetened with honey. For added vitamin C, try mixing in orange, grapefruit or lemon juice. Follow this link for a Honey-Citrus Soother recipe.

A 2007 study by a Penn State College of Medicine research team found that honey may offer parents an effective and safe alternative to over-the-counter cough medicine. The study found that a small dose of buckwheat honey given before bedtime provided better relief of nighttime cough and sleep difficulty in children than no treatment or dextromethorphan (DM), a cough suppressant found in many over-the-counter cold medications.

Read the full story here on Penn State’s website.

Be aware, of course, that honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age. Honey is a safe and wholesome food for older children and adults.

Natural Energy

Honey… Natural Energy

Honey is also a rich source of carbohydrates, providing 17 grams per tablespoon, which makes it ideal for your working muscles since carbohydrates are the primary fuel the body uses for energy. Carbohydrates are necessary in the diet to help maintain muscle glycogen, also known as stored carbohydrates, which are the most important fuel source for athletes to help them keep going.

Whether you’re looking for an energy boost or just a sweet reward after a long workout, honey is a quick, easy, and delicious all-natural energy source!

Honey as an Athletic Aid

Pre-exercise: For years, sports nutritionists have recommended eating carbohydrates before an athletic activity for an added energy boost. As with many carbohydrates, pure honey may be an effective form to ingest just prior to exercise. When honey is eaten before a workout or athletic activity, it is released into the system at a steady rate throughout the event.

During Exercise: Consuming carbohydrates, such as honey, during a workout helps your muscles stay nourished longer and delays fatigue, versus not using any aid or supplement. Next time you reach for a simple bottle of water, add some honey to it – it might give you that much-needed athletic boost!

Post-exercise: An optimal recovery plan is essential for any athlete. Research shows that ingesting a combination of carbohydrates and protein immediately following exercise (within 30 minutes) is ideal to refuel and decrease delayed-onset muscle soreness. Therefore, honey is a great source of carbohydrate to combine with post-workout protein supplements. In addition to promoting muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration, carb-protein combinations sustain favorable blood sugar concentrations after training.

Usage Tips

When planning your athletic training program, remember that honey is a rich source of carbohydrates, providing 17 grams at just 64 calories per tablespoon. Combining honey with fruits, vegetables, lean meats, whole grains and other healthful foods can add to your total nutrition and give you a great natural energy boost. Try these tips to fuel your diet with the sweet goodness of honey!

Staying hydrated is one of the most important tools for an athlete. Simply add honey to your bottle of water for an energy boost during your next workout.
Snacks are a great way to add extra fruits and vegetables to your diet. Try mixing peanut butter and honey, or honey and light cream cheese, as a dip for fresh fruits or vegetables.
Peanut butter and honey sandwiches on whole wheat bread are a great, high-energy snack to provide a good combination of carbohydrates, protein and fat.
Since honey is a convenient, portable source of energy, take it with you for tournaments and long periods of activity to help sustain your energy levels.

Beauty

Honey Is A Sweet Treat For Skin

Manufacturers have used honey in everything from hand lotions and moisturizers to bar soaps and bubble baths. One reason they use honey is for its wholesome, all-natural image; more and more consumers are demanding cosmetics and personal care products made from natural ingredients. In the case of honey, however, image is just the beginning.

First, honey is a humectant, which means it attracts and retains moisture. This makes honey a natural fit in a variety of moisturizing products including cleansers, creams, shampoos and conditioners.

Look for honey in store-bought beauty products or simply add a squeeze of honey to your moisturizer, shampoo or soap at home. For some extra pampering, try whipping up a simple beauty recipe yourself.

Using honey, a natural humectant with antimicrobial properties, we have created a series of recipes that will help hydrate skin while relaxing the soul.

Here are a few of Honey.com’s most popular skin treatments:

They also recommend the following tips for keeping skin at its pure and natural best.

Protect Skin from the Sun: Use sunblock every day – not just when it’s sunny. Apply sunscreen 30 to 40 minutes before exposure to allow active ingredients to begin working.
Cleanse Twice Daily: Cleansing in the morning removes waste excreted during the skin’s nocturnal self-cleansing process. In the evening, it ensures removal dirt, oil and makeup.
Get Adequate Sleep: Your skin will tell you if you’re sleep deprived. Without adequate sleep, your body can’t restore and repair itself. Not only will you live longer, your skin will look better, too!
Reduce Stress: Stress ages body tissue – especially skin tissue. Exercise, massage therapy, yoga, aromatherapy and meditation are highly effective against stress.

Honey.com has a large variety of beauty recipes and formulations on their Recipe page.