Honey: A Sweet Way to Health and Fight Various Metabolic Issues

Honey is a gift of honey bees that collect nectar from a wide variety of flowers and convert it into honey before finally storing it in wax-form structures called honeycombs. Apart from being a sweetener, honey possesses several health benefits where it acts as an antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Honey’s antioxidant property is mainly governed by its polyphenol content. These polyphenols provide medicinal uses by inhibiting enzymes or chelating free radical-producing elements. Since time immemorial, honey is being used to cure many diseases without any side effects. In addition to keeping the wound moist, its high viscosity suppresses the production of inflammatory cells. When it comes to the nutrition status of honey, it contains several oligosaccharides, out of which fructose and glucose being the major constituents. Despite the high carbohydrate content of honey, its glycemic index varies from 32 to 85, in accordance with its floral source. It also contains small amounts of amino acids, trace elements, minerals, proteins, active enzymes, vitamins, and aroma compounds. Intake of honey prevents weight gain by reducing excessive sugar levels. Honey also gives protection against metabolic syndrome, an umbrella of diseases which include hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and obesity.