Honey

Honey Color and flavor:

The flavor of a particular type of honey will vary based on the types of flower from which the nectar was harvested.

• There are more number of flavors/types of honey each produced from different floral nectar visited by honeybees.
• Normally the color of honey range between colorless to dark brown.
• The flavor range between mild to bold.
• Generally the lighter the color the milder the flavor. The darker the color the stronger the flavor.

Facts about Honey:

• A honey bee produces 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey over the course of its life.
• When sealed in an airtight container, honey is one of the few foods known to have an eternal shelf life.
• In ancient Mesopotamia, honey is been prescribed as a medical treatment. Nowadays honey is used to treat dandruff, glowing skin, stomach ulcers, and even seasonal allergies.
• There are roughly 2000 spices of bee, that is divided into seven families. Only one family produce honey is Apidae.
• Honey was most and first widespread natural sweetner used by man. Because of its high value it was often used as currency, tribute and offerings.

Nutritionally, 1 tbsp of honey contains 64 calories 17 grams of sugar, including fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose.

Benefits of honey:

The Honey Diet book by Mike McInnes was published early this year (2014), following his precursors, The Hibernation Diet in 2007 and The Honey Revolution in 2009.

Ways to use honey for weight management.

• A spoonful of honey before honey helps in managing weight. Mike Mclnnes says that, “Honey burns body fat even while when you are sleeping.”
• Honey with warm water on empty stomach early in the morning.

2.Antioxidant Properties

According to PubMed “Buckwheat honey increases serum antioxidant capacity in humans”. When consumed daily can be beneficial for boosting immunity in the long run. Honey contains a number of antioxidants, including phenolic compounds like flavonoids. Helps to prevent the damage of tissue and cell that leads to a disease. Eating honey may lower down/ moderate decrease in blood pressure which is the important factor heart disease.

3.Used for healing wounds:

Honey has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant properties. Honey has an ability to nourish surrounding tissue which is why it is used for healing wounds.

According to PubMed, One study reported a 43.3% success rate with honey as a wound treatment. In another study, topical honey healed a whopping 97% of patients’ diabetic ulcers

4.Improves Sleep

Honey releases serotonin (a neurotransmitter that improves your mood), and “the body converts serotonin into melatonin (a chemical compound that regulates the length and quality of sleep”, says Dr. Manoj K. Ahuja, Sukhda Hospital.

How to add honey in kitchen?

• Drizzle honey on top of toast
• Drizzle honey on pancakes
• Spread raw honey over whole grain toast and top with peanut butter.
• Use honey to sweeten the desserts
• Stir honey in tea or coffee rather than sugar
• Use honey as dressing
• Honey lemonade
• Daily Detox Drink
• Warm milk with honey at bedtime