The thick, sweet, golden liquid, honey has probably been a big part of your life for a long time.
Everyone knows its sweet flavor. Whether you add it to your tea, oatmeal, granola bowls, or biscuits. It’s a great alternative to other sugars and sweeteners and tastes great in a variety of meals and desserts.
But it doesn’t just add sweetness to your food – honey actually has many healing properties.
Today, you’re going to learn all about this jewel of cuisine and medicine, and its different varieties. Plus, some of the top health benefits you get from this substance that bees work so hard to produce.
How is Honey Made?
You can thank the bees for such a miracle of nature! Honeybees work hard to produce this elixir by extracting nectar from certain flowers, then storing it in honeycombs.
These are the wax structures inside the beehive. Humans will then take these honeycombs to extract the honey from them. Then, they return the honeycombs to their original place while bees continue working.
Not only do both bees and humans enjoy this sweet liquid, but so do bears and many other animals.
Here are some benefits you can get from this delicious nature’s treat:
Best Types of Honey For Women’s Health
There are many different forms of honey.
If you’re like most people, you most likely get yours from a supermarket.
Do you usually grab whatever you see without giving it a thought?
Well, although honey, in general, is good for you, it’s worth making an informed choice.
Why is it important to understand the difference between the varieties?
Because each of them is made differently and has different medicinal properties.
Here is a look at the most common types. But these are definitely not all there is to choose from.
Manuka
We are going to start with manuka honey. This type comes specifically from Manuka bushes, which grow in New Zealand.
The reason why it is so popular is that the manuka plant has high concentrations of antibacterial properties.
In addition to consuming this delicious treat, you can apply it directly onto wounds and speed up the healing process. Though you should not replace medical treatment without speaking to a doctor.
And if you are interested in eating Manuka honey, it has a lot of other nutrients as well. Including calcium, magnesium, all the B vitamins, zinc, and potassium.
Acacia
The next type you might want to know more about is acacia honey. Again, it is from a specific type of plant – the acacia flower.
This kind is a paler color than other types, almost like a glass. Vitamins include flavonoids, fatty acids, amino acids, vitamin C, and vitamin A.
It also has some healing properties that are good for the kidney and liver, as well as being useful for tissue and wound healing. Like many types of honey, it naturally contains anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Clover
Clover honey is one of the most common varieties and likely one you have had before.
This sort is very high in natural antibacterial properties. This trait makes it similar in its healing properties to manuka. However, manuka honey contains some extra compounds that clover one doesn’t.
On the other hand, clover honey does contain antimicrobial peptides thanks to the bees that make it.
Lavender
Lavender honey is a wonderful, rich, healing. If you ever find it, get one in its pure form without added ingredients.
Honey from lavender is often used as a natural treatment for candida because it has strong antifungal properties.
It also contains nutrients, vitamin C, enzymes, and amino acids. It serves well as a topical treatment for fungal infections.
Other Types
There are many other varieties you can get, including:
- Eucalyptus
- Coffee
- Blueberry
- Blackberry
- Alfalfa
- Buckwheat
- Wildflower
- Sage
- Linden
- Orange Blossom
What Does Honey Do To a Woman’s Body?
Now that you understand a little more about the varieties, let’s discuss the health benefits you get from these different varieties.
This is not a comprehensive list. Rather, it gives you the most common healing benefits this natural product can offer to your holistic lifestyle.
High in Antioxidants
When you get really high-quality honey, without added sugar or preservatives, it is often high in antioxidants.
As you know, antioxidants can help your body fight illness, disease, and chronic conditions. They also enable you to maintain your youthfulness. So this feature helps to improve your overall health, wellbeing, and beauty.
Among the general benefits, studies have shown that people with more antioxidants in their blood have a lower risk of heart disease and stroke.
Can Improve Your Cholesterol
LDL cholesterol, known as the “bad” cholesterol, is closely linked to heart disease and other cardiovascular problems.
The good news is there are plenty of healthy lifestyle changes you can make that can improve your LDL levels. And this includes adding healthy foods like honey to your diet.
Alternative to Sugar and Sweeteners
While honey does have some sugar in it, it is a completely natural sugar that comes from flowers or plants.
This type of natural sugar has many other health benefits. Also, the sweetness originates from a natural source. Therefore, it isn’t as detrimental to health as table sugar or artificial sweeteners.
If you want to sweeten your coffee, tea, baked goods, or oatmeal, consider using a little raw honey instead of sugar.
Contains Antibacterial Properties
The antibacterial properties are what make this such a good natural treatment for skin irritations and wounds.
It can actually kill fungus and bacteria, similar to using hydrogen peroxide or an antiseptic.
In addition to being a natural antibacterial, honey can also contain antifungal properties.
Difference Between Raw Honey and Regular Honey
Whenever the topic of honey and its healing properties come up, a common question is about the type you should get.
Particularly, whether you need raw or not, what is raw honey, how is it different, and are the healing properties better?
We are going to answer these common questions for you so that you can decide for yourself whether or not raw is the way to go.
The main difference between raw and “regular” is that raw form is unpasteurized, while regular honey is pasteurized.
The product you get in the supermarket that you have probably been using for years might taste like honey. But it doesn’t have as many health benefits because it has gone through a pasteurization process.
It’s true, this process makes it smooth, clear, and more attractive to the consumer. But it often contains additives to give it longer shelf life, added sugars, and preservatives. And these substances can kill some of those healing properties.
Raw honey, on the other hand, is directly from the honeycomb to the jar. It is filtered to move pollen or debris, but aside from that, it doesn’t go through pasteurization or manufacturing.
Tip: To sum it up, yes we highly recommend raw honey if you can get your hands on it, especially if it is local. It ensures you are getting the purest form you can, with all the added health benefits.
How To Get the Most Benefits Out of Honey
Now for the fun part – adding honey into your routine. The best thing about honey is that you can just consume it or you can use it on your skin or in your hair. This all depends on the type of benefits you are hoping to get.
Here are some different ways to use honey:
Add it to coffee or tea – A very simple way to get more of this gold liquid into your diet is by adding it to tea. Replace the sugar or other sweeteners with some raw honey. Not only will your beverage be sweeter and richer, but it’ll contain a lot more healing substances.
Replace other sweeteners – When you are making something you want to taste sweet, like marinades, salad dressings, sauces, desserts, and baked goods, you probably add sugar. But why not try a natural source like honey? It is very sweet with a good amount of sugar, but more of the natural variety.
Apply it to your skin – Honey is effective for skin irritations, itchy skin, and wounds. It is naturally antibacterial and antifungal, so it can be a great addition to your first aid kit.
Make your own skincare products – In addition, you can make natural skin care products like facial scrubs and masks by using honey as one of the ingredients.
Additional Tips for Usage and Storage
Before you go, here are some additional tips about honey, such as when and how to use it, store it, and who it might not be suitable for.
Do not give honey to infants – It’s very thick first of all and can be hard for younger infants to eat. If your baby is under a year old, there is also a risk of botulism, which can affect your baby’s immune system. If you have any questions about this, talk to your doctor.
Store it in a cool, dry place – You should never store honey in the refrigerator, as it can harden and crystallize. But you also don’t want it out on the counter if it is hot in your house. Keep it in a cool, dry place, such as a cabinet or pantry.
Try to buy locally – If you wish to try it raw and harvest its health benefits, try to find it locally. This ensures it is fresh and you get to help local farmers at the same time.
Adding honey to your diet will make both your health and your beauty simply scrumptious!
Disclaimer:
This article was written by Zuzana Halliwell. I am not a doctor or health professional and cannot be held liable for the information written here. This article is meant to provide information about the benefits of a healthy lifestyle and diet. The content is based on my own personal experience and on information provided by medical professionals that is available to the public. It is not intended to provide medical advice. Do not use it as an alternative to seeking help from a medical professional.
