Not all sugars are unhealthy and some of them can actually bring health benefits if consumed in moderation. Honey has been used as a natural sweetener as well as for medicinal use since time immemorial. In Ayurveda, honey is called as Madhu and is both used for internal and external applications. Apart from fructose and glucose, honey also contains antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals like magnesium and potassium. It also is lower on glycaemic index (GI) than sugar which means it raises your blood sugar levels slowly as compared to refined sugar. (Also read: Can you consume honey? Nutritionist speaks of benefits and adverse effects)
Honey has a variety of benefits for everyone. It is good for heart health, skin issues, helps in detoxification, helps with kapha and also aids in healing of injury. Ayurveda however cautions against heating honey as it destroys enzymes and produces ama (acid) and disrupts digestive process. If you are used to having honey water in the morning, but make sure to keep the water lukewarm.
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Ayurveda expert Dr Dixa Bhavsar in her recent Instagram post talked about the benefits of honey, the best ways to consume it and precautions.
- It initiates growth of healthy granulation tissue.
QUALITIES OF HONEY AS PER AYURVEDA
Dr Bhavsar says honey which is newly collected from bee hive increases body weight and is a mild laxative while honey which is stored and is old helps in the metabolism of fat and scrapes Kapha.
Honey is a popular choice for medicinal formulations as it helps in enhacing qualities of these medicines. Here's how.
"Ayurveda explains another special quality of honey. Honey is called as "Yogavahi". The substance which has a quality of penetrating the deepest tissue is called as Yogavahi. When honey is used with other herbal preparations it enhances the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues," says Dr Bhavsar.
DOs AND DON'Ts OF CONSUMING HONEY
The Ayurvedic sage Charaka wrote over 500 years ago that “nothing is so troublesome as ama caused by the improper intake of honey.” In Ayurvedic medicine, ama, or undigested matter in the body, is considered to be the root cause of almost all diseases. Heating honey destroys the enzymes that support the digestive process, hence produces ama (toxins) in the body when consumed, says Dr Bhavsar.
Here are the precautions one must consider when using honey:
- Honey should not be mixed with hot foods or water.
- Honey should not be consumed when you are working in a hot environment.
- Honey should never be combined with ghee or mixed with hot, spicy foods; fermented beverages (e.g., whiskey, rum, brandy); or mustard.
BEST WAYS OF CONSUMING HONEY
- 1 tsp with a glass of room temperature water (for obesity).
- 1 tsp honey with a tsp of turmeric and 1 black pepper (for cough, cold, sinusitis, immunity).
Consumption of raw, unprocessed honey is promoted in the morning and with an empty stomach. Avoid heating honey, but it can be taken with warm water, not boiled water, as heating leads to the formation of toxic substances in the body.
In Ayurveda, it is called as “Perfection of Sweet”. Honey is one of the best known home remedies for dry and wet cough. It can be taken along with some ginger juice and black pepper to help relieve cough and throat irritation. Having Honey in lukewarm water every morning improves digestion and helps manage weight.
- Honey should not be mixed with hot foods or water. - Honey should not be consumed when you are working in a hot environment. - Honey should never be combined with ghee or mixed with hot, spicy foods; fermented beverages (e.g., whiskey, rum, brandy); or mustard.
It should come as no surprise that honey is advised to be eaten before going to sleep by health experts. Consuming honey with a glass of warm milk ensures a good night's sleep. Your body absorbs all the goodness from this superfood at night to keep you healthy.
Drinking 1 teaspoon of honey before going to bed can add antioxidant compounds to help reduce blood pressure, prevent high blood pressure to limit cardiovascular risk. A glass of warm water mixed with honey before bed is enough to provide a preventive effect for this cardiovascular complication.
As per experts, adding honey to warm water does not significantly reduce its efficacy, but it is advisable to keep the water temperature around 37-43°C for the best results. It's best to use warm, not hot, water. Extremely hot water can destroy some of the beneficial enzymes and nutrients in honey.
Do not use honey in infants under 12 months old. Botulism poisoning is a risk at this age. But this is not a danger for older children or adults. Diabetes: Using large amounts of honey might increase blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes.
Babies younger than 1 year old should not be given honey. That's because a type of bacteria (called Clostridium) that causes infant botulism can be found in honey. Infant botulism can cause muscle weakness, with signs like poor sucking, a weak cry, constipation, and decreased muscle tone (floppiness).
Take a tablespoon of honey and mix it in a glass of water. If the honey is pure, it will lump together and settle at the bottom without readily dissolving. On the other hand, if it dissolves easily and blends uniformly with the water, it may indicate adulteration, possibly containing added moisture or syrups. 2.
Consuming two tablespoons of honey a day can offer health benefits such as antioxidants, better wound healing, and anti-inflammatory properties. A spoonful of honey (about 21 grams) has the following nutritional content: Energy: 64 kcal. Fructose (a type of carbohydrate): 8.6 grams.
Eating the right food at the right time is crucial for your body to function properly and to stay healthy and fit. There are certain foods that are better to be avoided at night. For example, Ayurveda doesn't recommend eating curd, rice and non-vegetarian food during dinner time.
Since honey naturally contains about 17 percent water, it dissolves easily. Just add some honey to water for a budget-friendly sports drink. Mix a nut butter and honey, or honey and light cream cheese, as a dip for fresh fruits or vegetables for a wholesome energy snack.
Honey boosts your metabolism, which is essential for weight loss. Honey is an excellent antioxidant, which means its regular consumption will cleanse your body of various toxins. In addition, its antibacterial properties will considerably improve the condition of your skin. Honey has no cholesterol at all.
Hence, if a person requires 2,000 calories a day, no more than 120 calories should come from sugar, honey, and other added or natural sugars combined. This is roughly two tablespoons (about 40 grams) of honey. Honey in any form must, however, not be given to children younger than a year old.
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