Major Health Benefits Of Honey

According to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, one tablespoon of raw honey which is approximately 21 grams, contains 64 calories, 17.3 grams of carbohydrate (sugar, no fiber), 0 grams of fat, 0 grams of protein and cholesterol. There are several types of honey and their benefits differ based on several factors depending on which flower the nectar was gotten from.

Antioxidants

Raw honey contains antioxidants such as polyphenols (flavonoids, phenolic acids, catechins, and cinnamic acid derivative), vitamins C and E, enzymes like catalase, peroxidase and glucose oxidase; carotenoids, organic acids, amino acids and proteins and in pasteurized honeys, products of the Maillard reaction. These compounds work to protect your body by halting free radicals – unstable compounds that can damage healthy cells, compromise their function and lead to potentially dangerous disease processes in the body. By consuming antioxidant rich foods, we ensure our body is protected. Some types of honey, buckwheat for example, have as many antioxidants as fruits and vegetables. Dark colored honey typically contains more anti-oxidants than do lighter varieties. Other factors that influence anti-oxidant content, particularly within a species, are climate, soil, processing, handling and storage. Thus, sweet clover honey is also rich in antioxidants. Honey is definitely a pleasant way to supplement your diet with anti-oxidants. Try the AmishHoney local raw Buckwheat honey, Clover honey or Strawberry honey!

Antimicrobial 

For thousands of years before the discovery of bacteria as a cause of infection, honey has been used to treat infected wounds. The broad-spectrum antimicrobial (antiseptic, antibiotic, antibacterial, antifungal) properties of honey may be attributed to the acidity, osmotic effect, high sugar concentration, presence of antibiotic factors (hydrogen peroxide, antioxidants, lysozyme, polyphenols, flavonoids, reactive methylglyoxal, and bee peptides), and increase in cytokine release, and to immune modulating and anti-inflammatory properties of honey. It has been reported to have an inhibitory effect on around 60 species of bacteria, including aerobes and anaerobes, gram-positives and gram-negatives. This antimicrobial activity of most honey stems primarily from the generation of hydrogen peroxide-an antiseptic from glucose oxidation by activated glucose oxidase, a bee-derived enzyme.

Consequently, Honey has been proven beneficial for the following purposes:

For infected wounds, burns, ulcers and abrasions – a study issued in the Journal of the American Medical Association, reports "Applied topically every 2 to 3 days under a dry dressing, honey promotes healing of ulcers and burns better than any other local application”. Another research carried out showed that honey provided significantly better treatment results than antiviral drugs for herpes sores.

For fresh, well-nourished skin – Use raw honey straight from the jar! Apply as nightly skin care regime and see the facial blemishes and acne caused by cosmetics or allergy clear up. Try the wildflower honey.

For hair and scalp treatment – Gently massage microwaved AmishHoney (with or without olive oil) to hair as deep conditioning treatment for 2-3 minutes then leave for one hour before washing-you'll be amazed at the result. Honey is a great humectant which helps to retain moisture, soften and smoothens the hair. It works well for dry, damaged hair as well as helps resolve chronic dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis.

For Gastroenteritis and Diarrhea - Take 1-2 teaspoons in the morning on an empty stomach to soothe pain and help with the healing process. In treating diarrhea, honey promotes the rehydration and speeds up recovery. It can also be taken with ginger tea or lemon for added flavor.

For cold, cough and sorethroat - Try a spoonful of honey in lukewarm water. The World Health Organization (WHO) lists honey as a demulcent. Use buckwheat or linden honey especially. You can add it to hot tea with lemon.

For Energy – Take honey with cinnamon tea regularly for that quick boost of energy, physical strength and mental alertness. This has now been verified with modern studies, showing that it is superior in maintaining glycogen levels and improving recovery time naturally than other sweeteners.

Check out the varieties of honey products provided by AmishHoney on their website.