Introduction:

Since ancient times, Honey has been considered one of the most valued and appreciated food products. It is a natural product formed from the nectar of flowers by honeybees, also called Apis mellifera, belonging to the family Apidae. Honey is the only insect-derived natural product with nutritional, therapeutic, cosmetic, and industrial values. Honey has been used for managing several conditions like asthma, throat infection, eye diseases, hiccups, tuberculosis, dizziness, fatigue, piles, hepatitis, and constipation.¹

Honey is a sweet, thick fluid produced by bees from plant nectars and is commonly used as a sweetener in food. It has several other names like Clarified Honey, Chestnut Honey, Beri Honey, Blossom Honey, Buckwheat Honey, Honeydew Honey, Madhu, Honig, Jellybush Honey, Manuka Honey, Medihoney, Langnese honey, Miel Blanc, Purified Honey, Tualang Honey, Wildflower and Thyme Honey, and Strained Honey.²

Nutritional Value of Honey:

Honey contains the following nutrients:³

Table depicting the nutritional value of honey³

Therapeutic Uses of Honey:

Honey has several therapeutic properties including:¹

• Antioxidant activity
• Antimicrobial (kills microorganisms) activity
• Anti-inflammatory
• Immunity enhancer
• Heart protective activity
• Brain protective activity
• Stomach protective activity
• Wound healing property¹

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Benefits of Honey for Condition:

1. Benefits of honey for antioxidant activity:

The property of honey due to antioxidant activity is related to the brightness of the honey. Darker honey has been found to have a higher value of antioxidants. The phenolic compounds present in honey are found to be responsible for antioxidant activity. It can be used as a dietary antioxidant.¹

Oxidative stress damages the deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Reactive oxygen species (ROS), also called free radicals, have roles in diabetes, cancer, gastritis, ageing, Alzheimer’s disease, cardiovascular diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, and several ulcers. Honey contains antioxidant compounds derived from pollen sources and has the ability to reduce these oxidative reactions. It removes the ROS and reduces DNA damage.⁴

Read More: What Are Antioxidants And Why Do We Need Them?

2. Benefits of honey for inflammation:

Honey was found to reduce the inflammatory responses in cell cultures, animal models, and clinical trials (in humans).¹ Mostly, inflammation occurs during the healing process. During the healing process, mild inflammation is considered normal but harmful. It triggers the activity of leukocytes and therefore produces free radicals. Honey contains polyphenols that have the oxidising ability and provides a subsequent anti-inflammatory effect by reducing nitric oxide production.⁴

The phenolic content present in honey is responsible for anti-inflammatory activity. The flavonoids and phenolic compounds present in honey block the cyclooxygenase-2 and nitric oxide synthase, which are responsible for inflammation.¹

3. Benefits of honey for heart-related diseases:

Honey contains antioxidants like polyphenols, monophenols, flavonoids, vitamin C that may be linked with a reduced risk of heart failure.¹ Daily intake of flavonoids was found to be linked with reduced risk of heart-related diseases. Flavonoids reduce the risk of heart-related diseases by improving the blood flow to the heart, lowering blood clotting, and preventing low-density lipoprotein from oxidising.⁵

4. Benefits of honey for diabetes:

In a study, honey used in type 1 and 2 diabetes was found to lower the glycaemic index more (glycaemic index shows how quickly each food affects the blood sugar level) compared with glucose or sucrose used in diabetic patients. There was a lower rise in plasma glucose levels in diabetic patients given honey compared to diabetic patients given dextrose. It also lowered the blood lipids, homocysteine, and C-reactive protein levels in diabetic patients. Also, it was found that honey promotes the secretion of insulin, lowers blood glucose levels, raises haemoglobin concentration, and improves the lipid profile.⁵

Read More: 10 Effective Home Remedies For Diabetes!

5. Benefits of honey for healing wounds:

The most effective and most studied use of honey is for wound healing. Applying honey as wound dressing improves the healing process and quickly clears the infection. It has cleansing action on wounds, promotes tissue regeneration, and lowers inflammation.⁵

6. Benefits of honey for killing bacteria:

In traditional medicine, the antibacterial activity of honey is one of the most significant findings that was first recognised in 1892. It has been reported that honey has an inhibitory effect on around 60 species of bacteria, including gram-positive, gram-negative, aerobes (microorganisms that grow in the presence of oxygen), and anaerobes (microorganisms that grow in the absence of oxygen). Honey can act as both bactericidal (kills bacteria) and bacteriostatic (stops bacterial growth) depending on the concentration used.⁵

7. Benefits of honey for cancer:

Honey is described in a study as a natural cancer vaccine as it was found to lower prolonged inflammation which is considered a risk factor for the growth of cancer. Honey has high antioxidant content, and therefore it shows anticancer activity by stopping the spread of various cancer cells and enhancing the early death of these cancer cells. These cancer cells include sarcomas, bone cancer, carcinomas, cancer cell lines, experimental cancers, and breast cancer.³

How to Use Honey?

Honey can be used:

• As creams
• In gauzes and dressings
• As drops
• As gels
• Orally²

Your Ayurvedic physician will prescribe you the form and dose as per your requirement.

Side Effects of Honey:

• Honey is somewhat free of side effects, but the topical application of honey may cause a temporary stinging sensation.
• Allergy caused due to honey is rare, but the allergic reactions could be either due to bee protein in honey or pollen.
• Applying too much honey may lead to dehydration of tissues that can be restored using saline packs.
• Theoretically, there is a risk of a rise in blood glucose levels if honey is applied to the large open wound in the case of diabetic patients.
• There is a risk of wound botulism (acute food poisoning) due to the presence of spores of Clostridia.⁵

Honey is primarily safe for most adults, but if the honey is produced from the nectar of rhododendrons (plant species, also called red tree), then it is relatively unsafe, as it may contain toxins that might cause chest pain, heart problems, and low blood pressure.²

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Precautions to Take With Honey:

• Diabetes: honey contains sugar and should be used in moderate amounts. Using large amounts of honey might raise the blood sugar levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
• Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is no sufficient data on its safety during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Children: Avoid using honey in infants under 12 months of age. It is possibly unsafe when taken by mouth by children under 12 months of age. Botulism poisoning is a risk at this age. It is considered safe for older children.
• Pollen allergies: Honey is made from pollen and may cause allergic reactions. Do not consume honey if you are allergic to pollen.²

Interactions With Other Drugs:

• Honey may interact with anticoagulant/antiplatelet medicines and slow blood clotting. If honey is consumed with these medications, it might increase the risk of bleeding and bruising.
• Honey might interact with phenytoin and may increase the phenytoin absorbed by the body.
• Some medicines are altered and broken down by the liver. Honey might interact with such medicines. It might change how quickly the liver breaks down these medicines.²

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Frequently Asked Questions:

Is honey good for acne?

No, applying honey for acne on the face doesn’t treat acne.²

Can honey be used on wounds?

Yes, honey can be beneficial for wounds. It reduces the pus and odour, cleans the wound, lowers the infection and pain, and reduces the time for healing.²

Can honey be used for burns?

Yes, applying honey preparations to burns can improve healing.²

Can honey be used on the face in case of redness?

Yes, it can be applied directly to the face, and it may help lower the redness.²

Is honey safe?

Honey is mainly found to be safe in adults, but it can be unsafe if the honey is produced from the nectar of rhododendrons. It may contain toxins that cause chest pain, low blood pressure, and heart problems.²

Can honey be used during pregnancy?

There is no sufficient data on its safe usage during pregnancy. Consult your doctor before using honey during pregnancy.

Should honey be given to children?

Avoid giving honey to infants under 12 months of age. It can be given to older children and adults.²

Can honey be used during breastfeeding?

There is no sufficient data on its safe usage during breastfeeding. Consult your doctor before using honey during breastfeeding.

Is honey good for constipation?

Yes, honey may be beneficial for constipation.¹

Is there any allergy related to honey?

Allergic reactions to honey are rare but can be caused either due to bee protein or pollen in honey.⁵

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References:

1. Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F. Honey and health: A review of recent clinical research. Pharmacognosy Res. 2017;9(2):121–7. Available at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5424551/

2. Honey [Internet]. medlinePlus National Library of Medicine. Available from: https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/natural/738.html

3. Ajibola A. Novel Insights into the Health Importance of Natural Honey. Malays J Med Sci [Internet]. 2015 Sep;22(5):7–22. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5295738/#:~:text=The daily intake of natural,thereby providing succour to patients.

4. Jibril FI, Hilmi ABM, Manivannan L. Isolation and characterization of polyphenols in natural honey for the treatment of human diseases. Bull Natl Res Cent. 2019;43(1). Available at: https://bnrc.springeropen.com/articles/10.1186/s42269-019-0044-7

5. Eteraf-Oskouei T, Najafi M. Traditional and modern uses of natural honey in human diseases: a review. Iran J Basic Med Sci [Internet]. 2013 Jun;16(6):731–42. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23997898

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Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a health care professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the reader’s situation.

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