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Journalism of Courage
Every morning, do you consume a glass of warm water and honey on an empty stomach in an attempt to lose weight? Well, turns out you may be doing it wrong. That is because, despite being believed to be a common weight loss hack, honey water is not the best solution and may do more harm than good.
Highlighting the same, Mac Singh, a dietitian, wrote on Instagram, “Honey water is not good for you.” “If you look at the facts of one teaspoon or tablespoon of honey, you’ll see it does not have any nutrition except calories and sugar,” Singh wrote, adding that a teaspoon of honey contains almost 6 grams of sugar and 21 calories, while one tablespoon has 17 grams of sugar and 64 calories, which only leads to weight gain.
In fact, according to Ayurveda, warm honey acts as a slow poison that causes “ama” or toxicity in the body, a condition where the mucous and toxicity of the body increase leading to many diseases, he further shared. Additionally, it is dangerous for diabetics as it is just another form of sugar. “So, it will affect your blood sugar levels negatively due to its high glycemic index i.e. 58 (for reference- sugar’s GI is 60),” he added.
But not all experts agree.
Dr Manoj Kutteri, medical director and CEO, Atmantan Wellness Centre told indianexpress.com that those who have borderline diabetes and consume table sugar “can have honey as an alternative to it, simply because it contains other minerals as well, when compared to refined sugar.”
Nonetheless, both experts instead recommend consuming ajwain-cinnamon water for weight loss as a teaspoon of ajwain (carom seeds) and daalchini (cinnamon) each contains almost zero sugar and negligible calories.
Quoting a study, Singh also stated that ajwain helps in weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach. Moreover, thymol, an active ingredient found in ajwain seeds aid in the release of gastric juices in the belly, thereby speeding up digestion.
Adding to this, Dr Kutteri said, “Ajwain has a property of easing the digestion process so that food goes through the stomach quickly. There is less chance of food getting deposited as fat during this process. It also helps to boost metabolism, which accelerates weight reduction. Improved digestion can help prevent unwanted weight gain.”
As for cinnamon, he said it contains powerful antioxidants that help to prevent oxidative damage in many of the organs, including the heart. It also aids in increasing metabolism and helps to lower blood sugar levels, thereby reducing insulin resistance and obesity. “Also, cinnamon provides early satiety and is great to reduce food cravings. Additionally, the nitric oxide present in cinnamon helps to improve health of blood vessels and circulation,” he told indianexpress.com.
Other benefits of ajwain-cinnamon water, as per Singh:
*Promotes weight loss
*Fights bacteria
*Helps with constipation
*Protects the liver
*Helps lower cholesterol
*Controls blood sugar
*Best for digestion
*Loaded with antioxidants
Concluding, Singh noted, “Honey should be treated like all added sugars, something to include in your diet carefully and kept to a minimum, while ajwain-cinnamon water is a magical drink, especially for those on a weight loss journey. It does wonders when had on an early morning empty stomach.”
However, always consult an expert before consuming this water.
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