You are on a diet and have to stay off sugar. You don’t want the usual sugar-free sweetener either. Go honey. Not only will it cut the calories and make your fare just as sweet, it will also keep you going on the energy circuit. Nutritionists across the world have traditionally favoured honey as a source of energy vis-à-vis sugar for the innumerable benefits it offers. Honey has carbohydrate compounds that are singularly acceptable and practical and is considered most effective to generate heat, create and replace energy and furthermore, form certain tissues. The chief rooting factor is that honey is a pure food, no chemicals are used in its production, and so, it is entirely utilised by the digestive tract. Refined sugar (that we eat), on the other hand, is what’s left of raw sugar after it is washed, filtered and bleached. Compared to sugar, honey has a healthier Glycemic Index (GI) which measures the negative impact of a given food on the blood-glucose level. The lower the GI rating, the slower the absorption and infusion of sugars into the bloodstream and hence a more gradual and healthier digestion process.Besides that, honey has several anti-oxidants and has been shown to improve cholesterol and other blood lipid levels. According to chief dietitian and consultant at Fortis La Femme, Dr Kanupriya Khanna, “honey like spinach, apples or oranges contains antioxidants which combat the free radicals which can damage cells…It has a mild protective effect.” Honey’s therapeutic properties are also well known. When mixed in carrot juice it helps improves one’s eyesight. It also protects against colds , cough, and helps cure a sore throat and a runny nose if added in ginger juice.Research is on to establish the relation between antioxidants in honey and its intake and prevention of cancer, says Dr Khanna. “The more honey you have during a day, it adds to anti-oxidants in the body which combat cells causing cancer.”Some alternative medical practitioners use large doses of honey to relieve allergy symptoms. According to the American Journal of Nutrition, honey is a quicker source of energy than sugar, a richer source of minerals and definitely less fattening as honey contains water. Besides, honey also contains iron and calcium.New findings show that honey supplies fructose, a sugar that helps the body metabolise alcohol, and is rich in vitamin B6; it can therefore reduce hangover symptoms. Honey also helps the treatment of some wounds better than most modern antibiotics. The treatment now known as “medihoney” can work wonders even for chronic wounds infected with multi-resistant bacteria which can often be healed within a few weeks. Dietitians say with hospitals being faced with more and more germs today, which are resistant to antibiotics, the medical use of honey is gaining ground.Sweet Truths1 Primarily composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron and phosphate, honey also contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3. Copper, iodine and zinc are also present in small quantities2 Tablespoon of table sugar has 64 calories while a tablespoon of honey has 46 calories3 Honey and ginger juice is a good expectorant. It helps in colds, cough, sore throat and runny nose4 To improve eyesight, mix honey with carrot juice. Drink an hour before meals in the morning5 Natural honey causes a lower rise in blood sugar than refined sugar for Type 2 diabetes patients. A little unprocessed honey may be added in their drinks when they crave some sweetness in their diet.
