Most of us know about the benefits of honey. This thick, golden-brown liquid has always been believed to have good benefits to maintain our health. Honey comes from nectar kept by bees in their honeycomb. Its sweet taste, thanks to its high fructose content, makes it often used as an alternative to sugar in some processed foods.

At present, there are 2 types of honey that you can find on the market, raw honey and processed/regular honey. For some people, raw honey is considered to contain more benefits compared to processed honey. This is due to the process of pasteurisation in processed honey, which can reduce the efficacy of honey itself, both in terms of nutrients or other active compounds that can be beneficial for the body. Raw honey also contains bee pollen and bee propolis, which are known to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-bacterial, and anti-cancer properties.

In general, honey has anti-bacterial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory properties that can be used to speed up the wound healing process. Honey is also rich in nutrients that are good for the body, such as sugar, vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Although most of the sugar found in honey is fructose, according to the results of a study conducted by the University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, honey can provide a protective effect against diabetes.

Honey is also often used as medicine to treat coughs. Some studies show that honey is more effective in dealing with coughs compared to drugs sold on the market. Honey can also be used as a cough medicine that is safe for children aged 1 year and above. Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in honey can also be used to prevent brain damage and maintain its health.

Text by Anggie Triana
Stock photos from Pixabay

Source:

• Bobis, O., Dezmirean, D.S. and Moise, A.R., (2018). Honey and Diabetes: The Importance of Natural Simple Sugars in Preventing Diet and Treating Different Type of Diabetes. Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity, DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4757893.
• Medical News Today - What are the health benefits of raw honey? (2019). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324997.php, April 30, 2019.