If it's sweeter than sugar, is honey a natural liquid substitute for sugar? Nutritionist Jo Lewin breaks down the health benefits and harms of honey
Honey is made by bees. It results from the accumulation of liquids containing a lot of sugar from plants. It is stored in the honeycomb to provide food for the bees.
What is honey?
Honey is made by bees. It results from the accumulation of liquids containing a lot of sugar from plants. It is stored in the honeycomb to provide food for the bees.
In ancient Greece, honey was described as the "food of the gods", while in China it was considered a medicine.
Nutrition in honey
When it is raw, honey contains amino acids, chemicals that prevent the attack of the body-antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and sugar. It has a high level of fructose in it, which makes it sweeter than sugar, but its glycemic index (GI) or carbohydrate level is proportional.
One tablespoon (or 20 grams) of honey contains:
• Kilos of carbohydrates 58 or 246KJ
• 15 grams of carbohydrates or 15.4 grams of sugar
• 0.1 of protein
• 0 grams of vegetable oil
How many types of honey are there?
The honey sold goes through a filtration process and is heated. Device : which prevents sugar from melting and disinfects before storage. However, this process has a negative effect on honey's function of protecting the body from harmful chemicals and its health benefits.
Raw honey, which has not been processed, fermented or melted, is believed to be the "queen" of honey because it retains all the nutritional benefits for health.
Manuka honey is an alternative, however more expensive. It is made from the sugar water that comes from manuka flowers.
It is full of a chemical called methylglyoxal.
Researchers say this chemical compound can fight bacteria.
Is honey a healthy choice?
The health benefits of honey depend on how it was processed as well as the quality of the flowers from which the honey was collected. Raw honey that has not been boiled, fermented, or filtered has more of its nutrients than processed honey that loses many nutrients in the process.
Honey has been used as a preventative against inflammation caused by bacteria. It is believed to speed up the healing process of minor and superficial wounds on the body, stomach ulcers and burns.
You should know that honey is made of two types of sugar -glucose and fructose, which attract water to the wound, dry it and prevent the growth of bacteria and membranes.
Darker colored honey contains more chemicals such as flavonoids. Flavonoids have anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory properties. Due to the flavonoid content in honey, some consider it a sugar substitute.
However, despite the fact that honey has a lower glycemic level than regular sugar, it still has a high level of carbohydrates and causes a rise in sugar levels, so you should use honey in moderation.
Is honey better than sugar?
Honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, which does not mean it cannot raise blood sugar levels quickly. Honey is sweeter than sugar, but has slightly higher levels of calories. So it's wise to watch carefully the amount you use.
If you like honey, try to choose raw honey, which contains vitamins, enzymes, detoxifying chemicals and other nutrients than white sugar and use it in moderation. It should be noted, however, that any nutritional benefits from consuming raw honey are negligible.
Is it safe for everyone to use honey?
Honey is considered a "good" sugar. It is therefore probably safe for most adults, and should be used in the recommended amount.
For diabetics, or those trying to control their blood sugar levels, there is no benefit to using honey instead of sugar, as both sugar and honey affect blood sugar levels.
Additionally, all children under 12 months of age should not eat raw or processed honey.
This can cause a type of food poisoning in them called botulism, a rare poisoning caused by a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum.
It should be noted that honey is very popular, but not everyone should eat it.
Always seek the advice of your doctor or other health professional to find out if you and your child should eat honey, right or not.
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