Is a Spoonful of Honey a Day Good For You?
Honey is the sweet substance produced by bees from the nectar of plants and flowers. There are various different types of honey, but you may be the most familiar with the honey that you would often find in a supermarket. This type of honey has normally gone through a process of pasteurisation, resulting in a product with significantly reduced properties to that of raw honey. Raw honey contains far more nutrients and results in a larger array of health benefits. But, is a spoonful of raw honey a day good for you?
Consuming a spoonful of honey everyday can have numerous health benefits. Due to its antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal properties, raw honey in particular has been proven to lower cholesterol, strengthen the heart, improve sleep quality, heal small wounds, promote a healthy weight, and even improve brain health.
Read on to find out more about the potential health benefits of eating just a spoonful of honey everyday.
What is in a spoonful of honey?
A spoonful of honey contains energy, carbohydrates, fructose, glucose, protein and water. Raw honey is especially nutritious when compared to pasteurised honey, and contains micronutrients such as:
- Calcium
- Magnesium
- Manganese
- Niacin
- Pantothenic acid
- Phosphorus
While there are more calories in a spoonful of honey than sugar, honey is naturally sweeter than sugar, so you need less of it in your diet. Of course, if you regularly exceed the recommended amount of calories per day, then honey can contribute to weight gain and other health concerns. In moderation however, a spoonful of honey everyday can provide a number of benefits.
The health benefits of eating a spoonful of raw honey everyday
Even just a spoonful of raw honey a day can have numerous positive effects on your health. Featuring in numerous studies, these effects include:
Lowers cholesterol
Raw honey will not contribute to cholesterol. In fact, the components of raw honey may actually help to reduce cholesterol. Consuming raw honey everyday may boost the level of antioxidants that are in your body, which helps to fight any excess cholesterol.
Strengthens the heart
Polyphenols, the antioxidant compound in raw honey, may help to prevent arteries from narrowing. When arteries narrow due to a build-up of cholesterol or plaque, it can lead to a heart attack and other serious health problems. A spoonful of raw honey everyday may increase the strength of your heart, and reduce the risk of such health concerns.
Improves sleep quality
Tryptophan is a naturally occurring nutrient found in raw honey which is then converted to serotonin in the body. The serotonin in your body is then converted to melatonin, which promotes quality sleep.
Heals small wounds
Raw honey has strong antiseptic properties, which means that it fights germs and even has the ability to heal small wounds that are found in the digestive system.
Promotes a healthy weight
Due to the natural sugar that is in honey, you require less of it than artificial sweeteners. Fructose has a lower GI (Glycaemic Index) than artificial sweeteners, and is the same natural sugar that is found in fruit and vegetables. Raw honey can also boost your metabolism.
Improves brain health
There have been a number of studies to suggest that honey can have a positive impact on your psychological health. For example, the polyphenol antioxidant that is found in raw honey may reduce inflammation of the hippocampus, helping to improve your memory.
What is the best time to eat honey?
It is often said that having a spoonful of honey on an empty stomach will help you to feel energised, more so than if you were to consume it on a full stomach. Whether this be in the morning before breakfast, or at night before you go to bed try consuming it on an empty stomach to gain more benefits.
Where should I purchase honey?
When you are considering the benefits of eating honey, you want to be sure that you are purchasing only the best-quality “raw” honey from trustworthy suppliers. This will ensure that you are going to receive the purest product and most benefits from the honey that you possibly can.
Take a look at the Balqees website to see the full range of raw honey available for purchase.
