07/03/2026
10 surprising health benefits of honey
Honey is often used as a food and medicine. It is especially healthy when used as a sugar substitute. Here are the top 10 health benefits of honey.
1. Honey contains nutrients beneficial to health
Honey is a sweet liquid made from the nectar of flowers, collected and produced by the specific process of bees. The taste and color of honey depends on the type of flower from which they have collected the honey.
Nutritionally, one tablespoon of honey (21 grams) contains 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar (including fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose). In the composition almost does not contain fiber, fat and protein. It also contains less than 1% of the daily amount of vitamins and minerals the body needs.
Light colored honeys contain large amounts of bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants. These substances also account for a higher proportion of darker honeys.
2. Raw honey is rich in antioxidants
Raw honey contains many important antioxidants such as organic acids and phenolic compounds (flavonoids, ...). The combination of these compounds gives honey its antioxidant power. Buckwheat honey has been shown to increase the blood oxygenation index, an antioxidant that has been linked to a reduced risk of heart attack, stroke and certain types of cancer. It also helps maintain healthy eyes.
3. Using honey to replace table sugar helps improve diabetes
Honey has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications in people with type 2 diabetes. It can lower bad LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, inflammation, and raise good HDL cholesterol. However, honey also raises blood sugar but to a lesser extent than table sugar.
Although honey does not affect blood sugar as much as table sugar, it still needs to be used with caution in people with type 2 diabetes. In fact, to minimize the condition, people with diabetes Diabetics should limit carb-rich foods.
Note, there are still honey products mixed with regular syrup on the market. Although it is labeled as honey, it is high in sugar and does not have the full nutritional components of pure honey.
4. The antioxidants in honey help lower blood pressure
Honey contains antioxidant compounds, which have the effect of lowering blood pressure. Studies in both rats and humans have shown that honey can modestly lower blood pressure.
5. Honey helps improve cholesterol
High levels of LDL cholesterol are a major factor in increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. It is the main cause of atherosclerosis, fatty deposits in the arteries that can cause heart attacks and strokes.
Honey has been shown to improve cholesterol levels by lowering total LDL cholesterol and significantly increasing HDL cholesterol. One study in 55 patients compared honey to table sugar and found that honey reduced LDL by 5.8%, increased HDL cholesterol by 3.3%, and resulted in mild weight loss by 1.3%.
6. Honey helps reduce triglyceride levels
Elevated blood triglycerides are another risk factor for cardiovascular disease. It's also been linked to insulin resistance, a major cause of type 2 diabetes. Triglyceride levels tend to rise on diets high in sugar and refined carbs.
Eating honey regularly, especially as a sugar substitute, can lower triglyceride levels. One study comparing the triglyceride levels in honey and sugar found that the triglyceride levels in honey were 11-19% lower than in table sugar.
7. The antioxidants in honey are good for heart health
Honey is a food rich in phenols and other antioxidant compounds. Many of these substances have the potential to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
Antioxidant compounds help dilate the arteries in the heart, increasing blood flow to the heart. They can also help prevent the formation of blood clots, the cause of heart attacks and strokes.
A study in rats showed that honey protected the heart from oxidative stress. There are currently no long-term studies on the effects of honey on heart health.
8. Honey helps heal wounds quickly
Using honey in the topical treatment of wounds and burns has been used since Egyptian times and is still commonly used today.
Honey is effective in healing extensive burns and infected deep wounds after surgery with a success rate of up to 43.3%.
Honey is also an effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers, a serious complication that can lead to amputation with a healing rate of up to 97%.
Researchers suggest that honey's wound-healing ability comes from its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects as well as its ability to nourish tissues around the damaged organ.
Honey also helps treat other skin conditions such as psoriasis and herpes virus lesions. Manuka honey is especially effective in treating burns.
9. Honey helps relieve cough in children
Cough is a common symptom in children with upper respiratory tract infections. It can affect sleep and quality of life for both baby and family.
Cough medicine is not always effective, even brings side effects. Honey may be a better alternative to medicine with strong evidence for its effectiveness in treating coughs.
Studies show that honey works better than some common cough medicines and relieves cough symptoms and improves sleep more than cough medicines.
It should be noted that honey is contraindicated for children under 1 year old because of the risk of poisoning.
10. Honey still contains high calories and sugar, so it should be used sensibly
Honey is a delicious, healthier alternative to sugar. You should look to buy honey products from well-known brands because some products can be mixed with syrups to reduce the quality of honey.
Honey should only be consumed in moderation because it still contains a large amount of calories and sugar. Its benefits are most evident only when used to replace unhealthy sweeteners. When consumed at night, honey is simply a more beneficial sweetener than high-fructose corn syrup and sugar.
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