5 reasons you need a spoonful of honey

5 Reasons You Need a Spoonful of Honey

By 21st Mar, 2014 | 02:55 pm

With caffeic acid, ellagic acid, flavonoids, p-coumaric acid, phenolic acids and polyphenols, honey is a non-peroxide antimicrobial and antioxidant with broad-spectrum antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties. Pretty complex words, functions and properties you may think. However, simply put, we need to thank the humble bees for making what could be one of nature's most potent cures.

1. Cold and Sore Throats

When the flu is in the air, nearly every student in class seems to be either sneezing loudly or rubbing a nose which has turned pink with a running cold. If your voice has gone husky and low, then you too may be infected with the common cold virus which is just beginning to act up. Either as a cure or as a precautionary measure, it's time for honey. Honey can help soothe your sore throat and calm your irritating cold, making you feel warm inside.

2. Beauty Treatment

If you seek a natural way to look fresh and beautiful, a bottle of honey must make its way to the top of your dressing table. When mixed along with olive oil and lemon juice, honey can be used as a facial scrub to delicately remove epithelial dead cells and to slowly reveal a bright, lively and clean face. Apply raw honey on a scar, and you may eventually get rid of the ugly-looking mark too.

3. All-weather Help

Sunburns in Summer: The sweltering summer heat leaves the skin dry and sometimes causes burns. This happens mostly in the interiors of the country and not near the coastal areas. Apply some honey to the burnt area of your skin, and let the cooling effect of honey make you feel better.
Chapped Lips in Winter: Lips chap in the winter. The skin of the lips turns dry and starts peeling off, making drinking and eating a little painful. Chap sticks may taste horrible each time you run your tongue along and over the lips. Mix honey with olive oil, and dab this moisturising mixture onto your lips for some sweet relief.

4. Bacterial Resistance

Recent studies have shown that honey can help us in our fight against bacterial infection by making it difficult for bacteria to develop resistance. The high sugar concentration and polyphenols of honey help create a low pH level and an osmotic effect which effectively kill bacterial cells in the body. Honey also inhibits the formation of biofilms of disease-causing bacteria and disrupts bacterial language (communication with other bacteria or quorum sensing), thus weakening bacteria. Weakened bacteria are then easily killed by the good old medicine your family doctor advised you take.

5. Honey Lemon Ginger Tea

Finally, let's raise a toast to all the bees who went to work and made our honey. Add a teaspoon each of lemon juice and honey while making the usual ginger tea. Remember to whisper a little prayer for all the bees who make honey so sweet as you add the spoon full of honey! Enjoy your spicy, juicy, sweet drink. Cheers!

Claylan Menezes

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