Honey and its hidden health benefits

Four ways honey heals you from the inside out

Photo by Roman Odintso/Pexels

Honey is nature’s gift to the world. It’s no surprise that humans have been consuming it since the beginning of time. While it’s still one of the most desired sweeteners, honey is just as buzzworthy for its healing properties.

Antioxidant booster

Eating at least a tablespoon of honey a day can also significantly increase your immune system. Honey is known to contain a lot of disease-fighting antioxidants that target harmful cell activity. Among its antioxidants are flavonoids pinocembrin, which supports enzyme activity, and polyphenol, which reduces cancer risks. The latter also helps arteries dilate for increased flood flow.

Healing properties

Honey isn’t just good for eating but also for treating wounds. It has natural antibacterial properties that treat wounds internally and externally. You put honey directly on your wound, and it’ll work just as good as anything you buy in the drug store. Since honey is pretty thick, it also helps prevent infection, and a study by the University of Auckland found that it can significantly reduce the healing time for burn wounds.

Sleeping aid

There are two ways honey can help you sleep better. One, it keeps your liver’s glycogen supply up for your nightly fast. This will prevent your brain from waking you up because of lack of fuel. Honey will also spike your insulin levels enough to release tryptophan to the brain. This gets converted to serotonin and melatonin, which are responsible for regulating sleeping patterns.

Cough suppressant

Honey is your all-natural cough syrup. Studies even found them to be just as good as some over-the-counter cough medicines. In a 2012 study, they found that honey was one of the best remedies for night coughing among children and recommends kids over one year old to have around a teaspoon of honey before bed.