Honey has several benefits for your health. This sweet and thick elixir is naturally produced by honey bees. It is commonly used as a substitute for sugar and also has many therapeutic uses for the skin, like treating wounds and burns. There are many benefits of drinking honey with warm water. However, it is essential to note that it is the purest and unfiltered form of honey that has the most therapeutic potential.
The benefits of honey are:
Honey exhibits powerful healing properties when applied topically and can speed up the healing of wounds and burns on the skin. These activities are mainly due to the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of honey.
It can be used to treat diabetic foot ulcers. Foot ulcers are open sores that are one of the common complications that surface with diabetes, and honey can help in their healing.
The topical application of honey can also help with acne.
What Are The Benefits Of Drinking Honey With Warm Water?
Honey is often recommended to be consumed with warm water due to the following reasons:
1. Honey Is Antimicrobial
The antibacterial properties of honey can protect the body from infectious diseases.
2. It Can Help With Cough
Honey can reduce the frequency and severity of cough in children. It can be given in a dose of 2.5 ml to children older than one year. However, it should not be given to a child who is below one year due to the risk of botulism.
3. It Can Improve The Quality Of Sleep
Honey can also improve the quality of sleep in children with upper respiratory infections like cough.
4. Honey May Help Promote Digestion
It exhibits a positive effect on the gut bacteria and helps in keeping your digestive system healthy and balanced. Honey can also inhibit the genotoxic and harmful effects of mycotoxins when used as a substitute for processed sugar.
5. It May Aid Weight Loss
Substituting sugar with honey may help in weight loss in the long run.
6. It Can Provide Relief From Hangover
Scientific studies show that honey can reduce blood alcohol concentration in intoxicated mice. For best results, mix honey with half a cup of orange juice and yogurt.
Note: Most of these studies have been done on animals. Hence, more studies on humans are warranted to substantiate these claims.
These are the proven therapeutic uses of honey. Mentioned below are a few anecdotal claims with no scientific evidence to back them:
Honey helps in flushing out toxins.
Honey can improve acne when applied topically.
It melts fat.
It improves cognitive function.
While these are popular claims, we don’t know how true they are and cannot rely on them entirely. Some individuals need to limit their intake of honey due to its possible side effects.