Are Honey Benefits Real?

Many people think that using honey as a medicine is an old wives tale but the truth is that for anyone who is over the age of twelve months can benefit from the many honey benefits that nature provides.

Even medical research backs up these reports of honey being a great and natural way to sooth many skin problems because of the presence of hydrogen peroxide which is part of honey’s natural biological components. This makes it a wonderful dressing for incisions made during surgery and for skin ulcers resulting from radiation treatments.

Another one of the honey benefits that many are fond of using is honey and lemon juice drank as a treatment for sore throats, mild coughs from colds and as a sleeping aid. Some people like to drink hot tea with a few drops of honey at bedtime to relax for a good night’s sleep.

This list of honey benefits is far from done. If you have red and itchy mosquito bites, try rubbing some honey on them. The itching will stop and the redness will vanish. Honey also contain polyphenols which act as both antioxidants and as an anti-cancer agent. It also helps to prevent heart conditions. This is a natural immune system booster too.

Honey is also a perfect sweetening substance as well and is not as harmful to the body as sugar is. This means that honey also aids in digesting food too. Honeys can vary in composition depending on which flowers the bees have visited and since flowers vary from country to country, this has an impact on the nutrients in the honey. For instance, two honeys in particular, Manuka and Kanuka, are very good for treating acne in the face, back, and neck areas.

A Very Serious Warning About Honey

Because honey has a history of containing botulism spores, it is vital that you know not to give honey to a child under the age of 1 yr. old. There have been thousands of cases reported of infants younger than 1 yr. old contracting botulism after being given honey.

Honey is graded by how clear the honey is and how free of debris it is. Honey can either be a light color or very dark and the darker honey has much more healing ingredients. From the American Indians to the Sumerians, honey has gained quite the reputation for multiple uses.

Honey has even been known to be used as a weight loss component since it contains many minerals that the body needs to function correctly. Honey, however, does not contain many vitamins. Yet, it is the levels of antioxidants contained in honey which make it so important as a food.

Yes, honey benefits are many, but never substitute home remedies for medical treatment if the condition is serious or worsens. If necessary, seek medical help. For instance, if a skin ulcer from radiation treatments does not respond to the honey poultice, then there is the possibility of infection and this requires medical treatment.