Honey – Both a Food and a Medicine

Honey derived from the honeybees is the main ingredient for home medicines. It has
a universal appeal. It is used by the people all over the world at any given point of
time. All experiments, researches conducted for the past few decades have proved
the medicinal value of honey. Honey is a food item with more of calories. One kilo
(16 OZ) of Honey contains 3150 to 3350 calories, based on water content in the
honey.
Till recently honey was compared to sugar. Everybody knows sugar is nothing but
carbohydrates that provides calories to the body.
About 70% of the energy required by the body is provided by sugar that comes from
the food one eats. Sugar is the most easily digested foodstuff.
The body digests sugar and glucose (this is more in honey) separately. Glucose
reaches as it is into blood from intestines. Sugar undergoes hydrolycis first. Then it
splits into glucose and levulage. Glucose is absorbed from intestines into blood in
portal vein. From there it reaches liver and from there flows into cells all over the
body.

Honey has 80% of different ingredients that are required for the growth and
functioning of the body. Many of them are very useful in curing diseases. plenty of
enzymes in it. They can hasten the chemical reactions in the body by million times. If
you take out the list of items containing more of enzymes
Besides plenty of enzymes honey contains Calcium, Sodium, Potassium, Magnesium,
Iron, Chlorine, Phosphorous, Sculpture and Iodine salts. Some types of honey
contain even radium. And also salts like Manganese, Aluminum, Boron, Chromium,
Copper, Lithium, Nickel, Lead, Elemental tin, Titanium, Zinc and Osmium.
Man needs plenty of mineral salts. The microelements and mineral salts, the
minutest items in the body play a vital role in the metabolism. Due to the inter
reactions they play with enzymes, vitamins and hormones, our nervous system,
cellular respiration, blood circulation etc are accelerated. As we grow old, and as the
metabolism changes relatively there is a change in the contents of blood. As per
biological science even the percentage of most important microelements (copper,
manganese, cobalt, nickel, zinc etc) also changes. So, it is very essential to feed
these microelements through food, especially with honey, into the body.
Researches have found that the percentage of acids is proportionate to the formic
acid in it. Honeybees, before they close the beehive, fill them with honey and formic
acid. Honey contains mainly organic acids, malic, citric, tartaric and oxalic acids. The
honey produced by honeybees has B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, E.C.K. and kerotin
vitamins. In addition to these, the honey has acitile colin, harmones, antibiotics,
phyton sides, and many valuable elements required for our body. Vitamins may be in
very minute quantity but they are mixed with very important items for the body
(carbohydrates, mineral salts, micro elements, organic acids, enzymes etc). They all
get digested very easily.
Vitamins in one 1 kg (16OZ) of honey
Vitamins mg
B2 (Riboflavin) 1.5
B1 (Enurin) 0.1
B5 (Nikotic acid) 1.0
B3 (Pantothinic acid) 2
B6 (Piredoxin) 5
C (Ascorbic acid) 30-54
The vitamins in honey vary based on the combination of pollen grains. Due to the
presence of dextrin in honey, honey gets digested easily and it joins the blood
quickly from the intestines.
Honey – Its Medicinal Values
1.There is huge number of molts spores of fungus in the air around us. They develop
fast over food material in favorable conditions like appropriate temperature and
moisture. It was found that honey has not only destructive capacity of bacteria, but
also has anti micotic capacity.
2. Any food is not complete without alkaline mineral salts. They are helpful in
nullifying the sour material that arises in the process of digestion (If these sour
products are not contained, they become harmful to the body). Another special
feature of honey is it is a strong alkaline.
3. Honey is one of the very few items provided by Nature. That’s why honey can be
compared to milk. Milk has a special place in our food. So if you drink milk with
honey drops in it, you can have the double benefit of two good things put together.
4. Children will grow up healthily if you substitute sugar with honey in their food.
Experienced doctors and scientists have found out long back that the sugar, left out
in the mouth gets split up into acids (especially lactic acid) by the bacterial action.
Slowly these acids help in the decalcination of the teeth. Unlike sugar, honey has
antibiotic qualities. Also it has Alkaline too. As a result, honey clears the gaps in the
teeth free from bacteria.
5. Everybody knows very well that glucose is the best nutritious food for the cells
and parts of the body. Not only that glucose is stored as Glycogen in liver. This
Glycogen provides the energy required for the body. Glucose improves the utility
value of the cells. It also activates the heart and blood vessels if the sugar counts
falls down in the blood. Glucose also increases resistance power against contagious
diseases. It is greatly used to speed up the activity in the liver.
6. Hypocrites successfully used honey to cure many diseases and injuries. If you
apply honey with wheat flour (without water) as a layer over an injury, it will heal
very quickly. When honey is kept over the injury, the percentage of Glutathione
around the injury increases greatly. It helps in healing the injury quickly.
7. Even diabetes patients can take honey. There is more of Fructose sugar in honey
than Glucose. Insulin is required to carry glucose from blood to the cells whereas the
Pancreas gland for sugar patients cannot produce sufficient insulin. But since honey
has fructose that doesn’t require insulin, it reaches the cells without the help of
insulin. The food doesn’t require insulin, reduces sugar count in the blood. The
glucose in the honey reaches blood quickly from the intestines. Temporarily sugar
count may appear to shoot up but it comes down to normal (within an hour) once
the glucose reaches the cells. The Fructose sugar in honey takes a longer time to
reach the blood. So sugar patients don’t feel weak suddenly. In fact if they take 4
spoons of honey, it gives them energy for 2-3 hours. Diabetics should remember that
honey doesn’t increase the sugar count as it has fructose.
9. M.L. Khotkin analyzed in 1953, 302 patients suffering form ordinary health
complaints have ulcers in the stomach. His findings were as follows. 76 people had
hyper acidity (34.3%), 67 had ordinary acidity (30.2%), 54 had low acidity (24.7%)
and 24 had very little acidity (10.8%). When they were given ordinary food and
medicines 61% of them became normal but 18% of patients still suffered. When they
were treated with honey 79.7 – 84.2% patients became healthy. By the time he
completed the treatment only 5.9% were left still suffering. When normal treatment
was given 29% patients were cured completely of ulcer. Whereas when honey was
given 59.2% were cured completely. The patients did not have to stay for long in
hospital after the treatment with honey was given. He proved that the patients’
condition improved in every aspect. He proved that honey brings down the hyper
acidity and the release of gastric juices to normal levels.
10. Honey works in two ways in ulcer patients. It heals the outer layer of gastric
mucus. It keeps the body strong. Especially it strengthens the nervous system.
Actually, gastric or duodenal ulcers are caused when the receptors of the nervous
system stop functioning. So ulcer patients should take honey one and a half hours to
two hours before lunch and three hours after dinner. They should mix honey in water
that is boiled and brought down to lukewarm condition. If honey is taken thus it
dilutes gastric of mucus and reduces the gastric problem. On the contrary if you take
honey with cold water it increases the acid content and reduces the digestive
capacity of the stomach. It stimulates the intestines.
11. Honey not only supplies glucose to the cells of the liver but it also increases the
storage of glycogen and helps in the formation of new cells. Liver works as a filterto-
filter out all the toxins and harmful bacteria. Glycogen helps in the effective
functioning of the liver. Thus the glycogen gives the required resistance power from
contagious diseases.
12. The impact of honey is more on nervous system. Researchers have proved that
if you provide liquids that have glucose (honey) as hypertonic for some nervous
disorders, it gives good results. Those who have nervous weakness or those who
feel very weak, if they drink honey mixed in water and limejuice or if they take two
tablespoonfuls of honey before going to sleep they will get energy.
13. The elders have proclaimed that a glassful of water mixed with honey provides
you sound sleep. The honey water cools down the body and gives it energy.
14. Skin protects us from our surroundings. Honey is very good as a medicine for
skin. You can say it is a special cosmetic. Honey can also protect the skin from
bacteria.
15. If you apply honey for burns, it prevents the formation of bubbles and cures
quickly. It also prevents scars of the burns.
16. Honey works wonderfully in reducing weight. The energy from honey gets
exhausted into hours, but it does not convert into fats. Sugar and fats get burnt up
in the body with oxygen and release energy. Sugar gets burnt quickly and gives
energy quickly whereas fats cannot give energy that fast
16. Honey increases the percentage of hemoglobin in blood, which prevents anemia.
17. If you feel nausea or vomiting sensation and when you don’t feel like eating any
thing, take 4 spoonfuls of honey slowly drop by drop. You will gain energy in just 10
minutes.
18. Honey reduces arthritis because of the malic acid in it.
More about honey
1. The color, taste and quality of honey depend upon the flowers of the trees.
2. If it is of a pure quality it doesn’t get spoiled even for 100 years.
3. Honey should never be heated; it should be kept in the sun.
4. Honey can be stored for a long time. So you don’t have to use any
preservative.
5. It is better to preserve honey in glass bottle. Otherwise, you can preserve it
in steel container.
6. Now and then you should expose it to the sun.
7. Should never keep in fridge.
8. Some types of honey get solidified in cold weather. Of course they melt again,
if kept in the sun.
9. If the honey you buy contains unnatural glucose or any medicine or if it is
processed, it doesn’t give you the energy or required results.
10. Honey has a tendency to absorb the dampness in the air (Hygroscopic). It
becomes sore by absorption.