09/08/2022
11 Amazing Benefits of Honey For Weight Loss, Hair and SkinHere are 11 amazing honey benefits you need to know, from boosting immunity to treating cough, helping with weight loss to moisturizing skin.Aashna Ahuja, NDTVUpdated: December 05, 2021 17:22 ISTRead Time:7 min
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11 Amazing Benefits of Honey For Weight Loss, Hair and Skin
HighlightsHere are 11 amazing honey benefits you need to knowFrom boosting immunity to treating cough, moisturising skin and moreHoney really is nature's sweet nectar, almost liquid gold
Taking a leaf out of The Jungle Book: Baloo (singing), “The bees are buzzin' in the tree, To make some honey just for me”. Honey (known as shahad in Hindi) is a thick, sticky and sweet tasting liquid which is rich in minerals such as iron, calcium and magnesium. There is something undeniably enchanting about honey; the product of flower nectar transformed by bees, as if by alchemy. According to the National Honey Board, honey is fat-free, cholesterol-free, sodium-free and rightly called nature's sweet nectar. With desinuskas up their sleeves, our grandmothers have extolled the many virtues of honey from boosting immunity to helping with weight loss. Had I not witnessed the magic of this liquid gold first-hand, I would probably have labelled it as a hoax.
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How is Honey Made?
Did you know that it takes about 60,000 bees, collectively traveling up to 55,000 miles and visiting more than 2 million flowers, to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey? Once the nectar is gathered, the bee stores it in its extra stomach where it mixes with enzymes, and then passes it to another bee's mouth, via regurgitation. This process is repeated until the nectar becomes partially digested and is then deposited into a honeycomb. Then the honey bees fan the liquid nectar with their wings, helping the water to evaporate and create the thick substance you know as ‘honey'.
“Well," said Pooh, "what I like best," and then he had to stop and think. Because although eating honey was a very good thing to do, there was a moment just before you began to eat it which was better than when you were, but he didn't know how to explain it.” ― A.A. Milne, Winnie-the-Pooh.
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Here're 11 Honey Benefits:
1. Natural Energy BoosterNoticed how a sugar high leads to a rapid energy crash and burn more often than not? It's time to ditch the energy drinks and forget your coffee fix. Use honey instead of sugars and sweeteners in your tea, baked goodies or spread to it on a hot toast. Its natural sugars even prevent fatigue during exercise, so it is also good for improving athletic performance. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly, giving an immediate energy boost, while the fructose provides sustained energy since it is absorbed more slowly. Honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant in comparison to other types of sugar.
2. Treats Cough
According to a 2012 study published in the Journal Pediatrics (and my grandmother), just two teaspoons of honey can help cure a persistent cough. Thanks to its antimicrobial properties, honey not only soothes the throat, but also kills certain bacteria which cause the infection. If you don't wish to eat honey straight up, you can add Manuka UMF honey to warm water. What is Manuka UMF honey? Manuka Honey is produced in Australia and New Zealand from the nectar of the manuka tree, and UMF stands for Unique Manuka Factor i.e. a grading system that assures purity and quality of manuka honey.
