THE INCREDIBLE BENEFITS OF HONEY

If you are a parent whose child suffers from ailments such as obesity, recurrent throat infections and coughs, then honey may just be your secret weapon to stopping or at the very least, keeping ailments and lifestyle diseases at bay. Below are the top reasons why honey needs to be in your kitchen cabinet and in your baby’s main menu!

If you are a parent whose child suffers from ailments such as obesity, recurrent throat infections and coughs, then honey may just be your secret weapon to stopping or at the very least, keeping ailments and lifestyle diseases at bay. Below are the top reasons why honey needs to be in your kitchen cabinet and in your baby’s main menu!

Sustaining energy and natural sweetener

Honey is an all natural product thanks to the busy bees that manufacture it from flower nectars, meaning there is no processing that goes into it. Honey contains different types of sugars including sucrose, which is akin to the normal sugar frequently consumed at home; fructose, which is found in fruits and glucose, the simplest form of sugar. Since they are digested differently – some slower than others especially fructose – the energy released into the body for use is gradual hence one stays energised for longer compared to manufactured sugar.

It is nutrition-packed

Though rarely emphasised, did you know honey contains calcium, protein, carbohydrates in the form of sugar, magnesium, potassium, zinc, riboflavin or vitamin B2 and vitamin B6? Vitamins and minerals are essential for growing babies as they help in cell and enzyme formation and production. Calcium is essential in bone formation and protection while zinc and magnesium also help in muscle and nerve function and promoting proper synthesisation of DNA and healing wounds. Honey also contains water.

Fast and natural healing agent

Honey has a natural soothing effect especially on inflamed mucus membranes and has been instrumental in easing irritating coughs for centuries. It also helps to ease gastrointestinal irritations, thanks to an enzyme that bees produce that reduces irritation. Honey also has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal qualities in its sugars which when applied on small wounds such as surface burns, grazes and cuts, can help dry them out fast hence quickening the healing process.

A word of caution though; doctors advise against introducing honey to babies who are  less than a year old. This is because honey can harbour a bacterium that causes a toxic allergic reaction known as botulism, which can be fatal in infants.

Published in August 2016