Benefits and Side Effects of Raw Honey
1. Boost immunity:
Honey boosts one’s immunity by giving you the essential nutrients needed to fight against harmful bacteria, viruses, and other types of infections. This is mainly due to its antimicrobial properties. According to research published in the “Journal of Nutrition,” raw honey helped increase blood levels of antibodies to E. coli and salmonella.
2. Reduce inflammation:
According to a recent study, honey was successful in treating chronic wounds caused by diabetes, burns, and bedsores. Honey is effective in reducing inflammation due to its anti-inflammatory properties.
In a research published in “Advances In Experimental Medicine And Biology,” it was found that honey stimulates the production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) which has an antimicrobial effect on bacterial cells causing them to burst open.
3. Cough Suppressant:
Honey can help fight against coughs because it coats your throat when you have a sore throat or laryngitis due to its soothing effects which helps ease the pain during sleep at night time when one wakes up with a sore throat.
4. Antioxidant:
Honey is high in antioxidants due to the fact that it contains Vitamin C & E, Beta Carotene, and Zinc which help fight or prevent cancer. It’s also effective in fighting asthma due to its anti-inflammatory properties. Furthermore, raw honey provides you with energy by supplying your body with vitamins and minerals needed for everyday functions of the body thus preventing fatigue.
This is especially important for athletes who need more energy than others during workout sessions or sports activities which helps them sustain their health and stamina on a daily basis. Also, it prevents hair loss through healthy hair growth by providing essential nutrients like copper; iron; magnesium; niacin (vitamin B3); phosphorus; protein; riboflavin (vitamin B2); Vitamin A; and zinc.
5. Reduce weight:
Raw honey has more nutrients than processed honey which makes it more nutritious, healthier, and beneficial to the body than normally processed sugar which makes it effective in treating obesity by preventing one from eating too much thus reducing your daily caloric intake.
According to research published in “American Journal of Clinical Nutrition,” regular consumption of monosaccharides reduces the risk of obesity in older age groups due to their antioxidant properties which help prevent lifestyle diseases or illnesses caused by high levels of cholesterol in the bloodstream.
6. Fight against allergies:
An Indian study conducted on patients suffering from allergic rhinitis showed that patients who consumed raw honey for 60 days had a 30% improvement in terms of their symptoms. The study further showed that patients who consumed raw honey orally daily for 45 days saw a 10% improvement in their symptoms.
7. Acne:
Raw honey is effective against acne or pimples due to its antimicrobial properties which help fight bacteria on the skin thus preventing breakouts caused by bacterial infections or stress. According to “The Journal Of Alternative And Complementary Medicine,” topical application of raw honey helped clear 16 out of 20 patients suffering from acne vulgaris due to its anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties.
8. Reduce blood sugar level:
Honey can help reduce your blood sugar levels because it contains healthy complex sugars like fructose; glucose; maltose; sucrose; and maltulose which is a slow-burning sugar that helps the body to burn slowly over a period of time thus reducing blood sugar levels. In one study published in “Journal Of Medicinal Food,” honey was able to reduce blood glucose levels by 33% in diabetic patients due to its antioxidant properties.
9. Fight against cancer:
Honey has been effective in treating leukemia or lymphoma because it contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase which produces hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) when mixed with enzymes present in saliva during chewing thus killing cancer cells as this enzyme continues working inside your body.
According to “Advances In Experimental Medicine And Biology,” honey is very effective at inhibiting cell growth which makes it an ideal anti-cancer agent. In addition, it also contains a compound called methylglyoxal which is an effective agent in killing cancer cells by arresting the cell cycle thus restricting uncontrolled cellular proliferation inside the body.
10. Fight against arthritis:
Honey has anti-inflammatory properties which help prevent or treat arthritis because it’s high in antioxidant levels like Vitamin C & E; Beta Carotene; Zinc; Manganese; Selenium; and copper which helps reduce inflammation of joints thus providing relief for people suffering from arthritis.
11. Improve memory:
Honey has long been known to improve cognitive function hence boosting memory according to “The Cochrane Database Of Systematic Reviews.” It contains high levels of antioxidants like selenium, Vitamin E, and zinc which help improve memory, especially in elderly people.
12. Cough suppressant:
Honey has long been known to soothe coughs due to its sedative properties which help suppress dry irritable coughs by coating the throat thus providing temporary relief from coughing.
13. Hair treatment:
Raw honey helps treat hair loss, dandruff and provides essential nutrients for hair health because it’s high in amino acids like cysteine; phenylalanine; glutamic acid; methionine; leucine & valine which are vital for healthy skin and shiny hair.
It also contains antioxidant levels like Vitamin E which helps maintain youthful skin elasticity while fighting free radical damage that causes wrinkles on the skin around the eyes thus preventing signs of premature aging.
14. Prevents anemia:
Honey is high in iron which helps maintain red blood cells thus preventing fatigue and allowing the body to produce energy efficiently without feeling lethargic and weak. It’s also high in Vitamin C which is essential for the absorption of non-heme iron (plant-based) thus preventing Anaemia according to “The British Journal Of Nutrition.”
15. Fight against sunburns:
Honey has been used as a traditional alternative medicine for treating sunburn because it contains anti-inflammatory properties that help soothe skin redness, burning or itching caused by sunburn due to its antimicrobial properties that prevent bacterial infections on the skin & natural antibiotic properties which fight inflammation according to “British Medical Journal.”
16. Soothe skin:
Honey is an effective treatment for skin rashes because it contains antibacterial properties that help fight inflammation caused by an infection on the skin. It also works as a moisturizing agent that helps retain the natural moisture of the skin while soothing irritation, redness, and dryness.
In addition to this, it has germicidal properties which prevent further damage & prevent scarring thus making it a good after-care product when treating damaged or diseased skin.
17. Prevents premature aging:
Honey is high in antioxidants like Vitamin E, A & C which work together to provide anti-aging benefits by protecting the body from free radicals which cause signs of aging like fine lines, wrinkles & dark spots according to “The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.”
18. Treats cuts and burns:
Honey has been used since ancient times to treat minor cuts, wounds, and burns because it has antimicrobial properties that help prevent infections & protect the affected area from dust, debris & germs according to “The New England Journal Of Medicine.”
19. Fights snoring:
A drizzle of raw honey onto a slice of organic ginger root and swallowed 30 minutes before going to bed helps cure chronic & acute cases of Snoring.
The combination of these two natural remedies reduces inflammation in the throat allowing air passage thus eliminating snoring. It also relaxes contracted muscles around the neck which result from stress or fatigue thus keeping the air passage unrestricted while you sleep.
20. Helps with weight loss:
Honey is high in calories (almost as much as pure sugar) but these calories don’t affect blood sugar levels because it doesn’t contain fructose thus preventing fluctuations according to “The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.”
raw honey vs pure honey:-
Honey is made up of 80% sugars and 20% water according to “The New England Journal Of Medicine.”
It’s also high in calories (almost as much as pure sugar) but these calories don’t affect blood sugar levels because it doesn’t contain fructose thus preventing fluctuations according to “The American Journal Of Clinical Nutrition.”
Honey contains antibacterial, anti-inflammatory properties that help fight infection on the skin & reduce redness, burning, or itching caused by sunburn.
Raw honey is better than processed honey because it retains all its nutritive properties & has not been exposed to heat or high-frequency radiation which may destroy some vital enzymes & vitamins. It tastes much better because it hasn’t been filtered or pasteurized thus retaining natural flavor & aroma.
Raw honey is unfiltered, unpasteurized & unprocessed honey that contains high levels of nutrients, enzymes, vitamins & antioxidants according to “The British Journal Of Nutrition.”
It has not been exposed to heat or high-frequency radiation which may destroy some vital enzymes & vitamins.
Pure honey does not contain any added sugars or artificial sweeteners or preservatives like white sugar or corn syrup solids which are used in most commercial brands. It is 100% natural, unheated, untreated, unprocessed honey collected straight from the beehive without using any machinery thus retaining all its nutritive properties.
However these commercially produced branded honey products sold in supermarkets contain mostly processed honey diluted with corn syrup or high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, white sugar which is thought to be bad for your health because it contains added sugars & preservatives that can destroy beneficial enzymes & vitamins.
Raw honey on the other hand is unheated, untreated, unprocessed thus retaining all its nutritive properties including natural enzymes, vitamins & antioxidants. It has not been exposed to heat, ultraviolet light, or high-frequency radiation thus maintaining natural flavor & aroma. Raw honey has more nutrients than processed commercial honey so you get maximum health benefits by eating raw honey.
Side effects of raw honey:
Raw honey is 100% natural with no added preservatives or sugars, so it’s safe to eat. It has antiseptic & anti-inflammatory properties that may help fight infection on the skin & reduce redness, burning, or itching caused by sunburn.
However raw honey should not be given to children under one year of age because their digestive system is still developing & can’t cope with it. Also, pregnant women who are prone to allergies should avoid eating raw honey in case they develop an allergy to bees after eating which can trigger anaphylactic shock during pregnancy
Bee pollen does not contain any enzymes thus making it difficult for the body to break down bee pollen granules into absorbable substances like amino acids (protein building blocks).
Also, it may cause an allergic reaction to people who are sensitive to pollen or bee dander as it contains traces of these substances.