Honey And All Its Health Benefits!

Honey is a natural sweet substance produced by honey bees and is one of the most valued as well as appreciated natural substance known to mankind since ancient times. Of all the natural foods rich in carbohydrates, honey is the most wholesome and delicious. The medicinal quality, taste, texture, color and aroma of honey differs according to the geographical area and the species of plants from which it has been collected. Honey is called as Madhu in Ayurved Chemical composition of bee's honey Honey is a mixture of carbohydrates, proteins, aminoacids, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and other compounds. It contains a number of enzymes, including invertase, glucose oxidase, catalase, phosphorylase. Honey also contains eighteen free amino acids, the most abundant of which is proline. It contains trace amounts of the vitamins B 2 , B 4 , B 5 , B 6 , B 11 and vitamin C.

Minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, selenium, chromium and manganeseare also found in honey. The main group of antioxidants in honey are the flavonoids, of which, pinocembrin is unique to honey and bee propolis. Naturally darker honey has greater antioxidant properties. Acetic, butanoic, formic, citric, succinic, lactic, malic, pyroglutamic, gluconic acids, and a number of aromatic acids are found in honey. Bee's honey is free of cholesterol. 

Qualities and Properties of bee's honey according to Ayurveda 

According to Ayurved, some actions of new and old bee's honeys are very much opposite to each other. New bee's honey has Vrumhana guna (nourishing the body) but it does not eliminate vitiated Kapha Dosha much and is a laxative. Old bee honey is Grahi (anti diarrheal), reduces fat and obesity.

Properties according to modern science

Experiments and studies on honey have shown that honey is antiseptic, antimicrobial, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antiallergent, antitoxic, sedative, laxative, antianemic, antioxidant, healing and cleansing (external and internal), moisturizing and blood-purifying. It promotes rehydration, easily digestable, stimulates immunity, and is beneficial for all types of skins diseases.

Value of bee's honey in diabetes mellitus

Use of honey in medications for diabetes is mentioned in Ayurveda since ancient times. In various localities, patients suffering from diabetes mellitus use honey in place of sugar. Bee's honey is beneficial for diabetic patients in two ways. One is; honey being three times sweeter than sugar, one may need a much smaller quantity of honey as a sweetener and w/w, honey contains lesser calories than sugar. The other is, by providing vitamins B 2 , B 4 , B 5 , B 6 , B 11 and vitamin C, and minerals like calcium, iron, zinc, potassium, phosphorous, magnesium, selenium, chromium and manganese. The nutritional values of honey could be altered by feeding the bees with selective food. [10] Medicinal uses of bee's honey Bee's honey is used in treatment of various ailments and as a popular home remedy. 

Some of these uses are given below. 

1. Stress/fatigue: 15 ml of bee's honey orally to reduce stress and fatigue. 
2. Sleep disturbance: Intake of 15 ml of bee's honey leads to sound sleep. 
3. Eyesight: 10 ml of honey mixed with 10 ml of carrot juice and consumed regularly will improve eyesight. 
4. Bad breath: 5 g of powdered cinnamon bark and 5ml of bee's honey mixed with water and use as a mouth wash. 
5. Teething pain: Massage gums gently with bee's honey. Should not use in children below one year. 
6. Sore throat: 5 ml of bee's honey and 10 ml of lime juice is mixed and given. Swallow the concoction (without water) every few hours until symptoms clear up. Add a pinch of black pepper to increase blood circulation to the throat. 
7. Cold and cough: Mix 10 ml of honey with equal quantity of ginger juice and consume twice a day. 
8. Bronchial asthma: A mixture of 2.5g of black pepper powder, 5ml each of honey and juice of ginger consumed thrice daily help to relieve the symptoms of asthma. 
9. Stomach ulcers: 5 ml of new bee's honey diluted in 10 ml of sariva and musta given twice a day before meals. 
10. Dehydration: Fresh bee's honey diluted in water is given to rehydrate. 
11. Diarrhea/Dysentery: 15 ml of bee's honey mixed with 120 ml of decoction of tubers of Cyperus rotundus is given in treatment of diarrhea and dysentery. 
12. Bed-wetting: Give 5ml of old bee's honey daily just before going to bed. Obesity: Keep garlic immersed in bee's honey for one year. Then, use 1 clove of garlic daily before breakfast. This is used as a home remedy. One glass of warm water taken with 10 ml of honey and 5 ml of lemon juice in early morning reduces fat and purifies blood. 
13. Arthritis: 30 ml each of bee's honey and coconut vinegar is mixed in 100ml of water and given twice a day to reduce arthritis and arthralgia. 
14. Burns: Apply fresh bee's honey directly. 
15. Cut and wounds: Apply bee's honey on cuts and wounds. 
16. Eczema: Apply fresh bee's honey on the lesion. 
17. Dermatitis: Bee's honey is mixed with ash obtained by burning stem of Pterocarpus santalinus and applied on the lesion. 
18. Allergies due to seasons: Bee's honey should be collected from the area where the patient lives. 5ml of this honey is to be given daily before breakfast. 
19. Sub fertility due to lack of semen: Add 5 ml of bee's honey to a glass of goat's milk and drink. 
20. Morning sickness: 15 ml of bee's honey before breakfast. Relief from hangover: Mix 10ml of bee's honey with half a cup of orange juice and half a cup yogurt. Blend them together properly and drink. Cosmetic uses of bee's honey Honey and beeswax are used in the beauty industry as a skin moisturizer, softener and to heal the skin tissue. 

Some cosmetic applications of bee's honey are given below- 

1. Face wash: Mix a small quantity of lemon juice into 5ml of bee's honey and apply on face before washing. This is used as a home remedy. Facial cleansing scrub: Mix 5g of almond seed powder into 5ml of bee's honey, scrub softly and then wash. 
2. Facial to improve smoothness: A tablespoon of honey whisked together with white of an egg, 1 teaspoon of glycerin and 1/4 cup of flour makes an excellent firming mask. Just smooth on the face, leave on 15 min, and rinse off with warm water. 
3. Facial to improve softness: Mix one or two tablespoons of honey with one-third cup finely ground oatmeal. Add a teaspoonful of rose water. Clean face thoroughly. Spread facial mixture evenly over face. Relax for 10 min to 1.5 h. Remove with a soft washcloth and warm water. Rinse with cold water. 
4. Facial moisturizing pack: Mix 2 tablespoons of honey with 2 teaspoons of whole milk. Apply over the face and keep for 15 min. Rinse off with warm water, and then with cold water. 
5. Pimples: Apply bee's honey on pimples. 
6. Cracked lips: Apply bee's honey on cracked lips. Hair lustre: Mix 5ml of bee's honey into 4 cups of warm water. Use as a hair rinse. 
7. Conditioner: Mix 10 ml of olive oil into 5ml of bee's honey and apply on hair. Wash after 15 min. NOTE: Honey should heat directly on flame Honey don’t add in hot items such as coffee tea as sweetener, add after when it comes to normal temperature