Honey does have many benefits for the health of the body. However, you shouldn't just drink honey. Here's how to consume honey is good for health.
Since ancient times, honey is known as one of the foods that have many health benefits.
A finding published in the Iranian Journal of Basic Medical Sciences in 2013 showed that honey has been used by humans since 8,000 years ago.
In various cultures, for centuries, honey has been used for medicinal purposes.
One of the most famous is the use of honey in Ayurvedic medicine as a remedy for digestion and imbalances in the body.
Even now, honey is proven to have various health benefits.
Summarized from Healthline, honey is indeed associated with benefits for the body such as good for heart health, wound healing, to antioxidant levels in the blood.
This is because honey contains a number of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes, enzymes, amino acids, and flavonoids. This sweet liquid also has antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties that are beneficial for the body.
Even so, eating honey still has its rules. Eating too much honey can cause adverse effects due to its high sugar and calorie content.
Then, what is the healthiest way to consume honey?
You can experience the benefits of honey by using it as a sugar substitute and enjoying it in moderation.
Experts emphasize the importance of consuming honey in moderation. That is, honey is only consumed one tablespoon every day.
In this measure, honey contains 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar, including fructose, glucose, maltose, and sucrose. You can mix honey in tea or coffee, spread it on bread, or mix it with cereal.
Quoted from Medical News Today, you can also use the general rule of replacing one spoon of sugar with 3/4 cup of honey when baking.
Meanwhile, in choosing the best type of honey, experts recommend choosing a darker color. Generally, darker colors indicate higher levels of antioxidants.
Unfortunately, the darker the honey, the more bitter it will taste. Keep in mind, you should not give honey to children under one year of age.
Because babies can develop the risk of botulism, which is toxins from a certain type of bacteria called Clostridium botulinum.
After one year of age, the human digestive system is quite ready to fight off this potentially dangerous toxin.