Live Correspondent: Honey is a sweet substance that bestows countless benefits to the human mind and body. It is still a wonder how a colony of honey bees collect this elixir from the nectar of various flowering plants. Read this article to know the benefits of honey consumption every day. We will also focus on the risk of honey if consumed in excess amount.

Benefits of Honey Consumption Regularly

Lowers Blood Cholesterol:

In the process of building healthy cells, your body requires a kind of waxy substance called cholesterol, excess of which can lead to diverse health issues, like chest pain, heart failure, and stroke. Honey does not include any cholesterol rather its components can lower down the existent level of cholesterol in your body.

Studies revealed that eating honey can lower LDL (bad) cholesterol by 6–11%. Honey can also decrease triglyceride levels up to 11%. What is more? Honey can boost the HDL (good) cholesterol by up to 3%.

Regular consumption of honey can provide a beneficial effect on the antioxidant compounds of your body that can control excess cholesterol. Furthermore, honey consumption can efficiently prevent the rise in blood glucose.

Improves Heart Health:

As a key component of your body, a healthy heart keeps you alive by pumping blood. Depending on the place of occurrence, narrowing of arteries can cause heart failure, memory loss, headaches, and many more illnesses.

Research has found that the natural sugar contained in honey can reduce artery plaque by 30%. The honey sugar, called trehalose, includes a protein that activates your immune cells to remove the stored fatty plaque from your arteries.

The natural honey contained antioxidants components called flavonoids that also contribute to preventing your arteries from narrowing. Honey can unclog your blocked arteries gradually. Therefore, regular consumption of honey can both strengthen your heart and prevent cardiac failure.

Improves Brain and Memory:

Research shows that the properties of honey can serve as a natural preventive therapy for both cognitive deterioration and dementia. Regular consumption of honey can not only reduce stress but also restore your cellular antioxidant defense system.

According to Dr. Francine Grodstein of Harvard Medical School, LDL (bad) cholesterol is bad for the brain. In 2013, research has found that cholesterol can develop plaque in the brain that can lead to Alzheimer's.

Lowering down the LDL (bad) cholesterol level in the blood, honey properties can reduce the risk of stroke which is responsible for damage in brain functioning. Furthermore, the calcium property of honey can facilitate to improve the functioning of your brain. All of these actions can help to improve your memory.

Improves Gut Health and Treat Acid Reflux:

An unhealthy gut can spoil both your physical and mental health. Honey is a strong natural antiseptic. Consumption of honey on an empty stomach can destroy germs in your belly and heals the small wounds of your mucous membrane. The antibacterial properties of honey can help your digestive tract get rid of harmful bacteria like E. coli and salmonella.

Honey is naturally rich in hydrogen peroxide that prevents Helicobacter pylori which is responsible for dyspepsia, gastric ulcers, and similar kind of stomach diseases in the human body. It is also found that the application of honey – instead of sugar – in processed food can improve stomach health in two ways: improving the microflora and restraining the detrimental (genotoxic) effects of mycotoxins.

By virtue of its anti-inflammatory properties, honey has great natural wound-healing power that can potentially control the chest pain and stomach pain caused by acid agitating esophagus – the muscular tube which joins your throat (pharynx) with your stomach.

According to the Indian Journal of Medical Research, the sticky property of honey facilitates this process. If you are suffering from acid reflux quite often consume Honey regularly. Regular consumption of Honey boosts up your metabolism power that may help weight loss. What is more? Removing toxin from your body, honey can clear up skin.

Prevents Cough and Sore Throat:

Due to the diverse viral infections including COVID19 disease numerous people are suffering from coughs and sore throat. You can consume honey every day to recover from cough or sore throat. Around the world, Honey is treated as a popular home remedy for cough and sore throat.

In 2010, a study shows that honey was proved to be more effective in treating cough comparing with several powerful cough medicines. In the year of 2018, an article published by New York Magazine reveals that professional singers recommended honey consumption to deal with a sore throat.

Soothes Anxiety and Improves Sleep:

Honey consumption can calm your nerves, soothe anxiety, and relieve fatigue. The glucose property of honey gets absorbed into your blood fast which aids in the functions of neurons of your brain and mitigates psychological disorders.

The natural sugar contained in honey can increase the level of insulin in your blood leading to release serotonin, which is further transformed into melatonin hormone that assists better sleep. If you drink honey every day, it can potentially reduce your mental stress, and improve the quality of your sleep.

Strengthens Immune System:

Antioxidants compounds in your blood can kill the disease-causing free radicals and prevent oxidative cell damage. Honey is a rich source of antioxidants, like phenolic acids and flavonoids. According to some studies, antioxidant compounds can prevent heart disease, cancer, diabetes, and many other illnesses.

According to an article by Tracie Abram —an educator at Michigan State University — Honey is an immune system builder that is rich in antioxidants, anti-bacterial and anti-tumor properties. Regular consumption of honey can increase the antioxidant properties of your blood.

Factors like inadequate sleep increased stress, unhealthy stomach, etc can weaken your immune system. Honey can help your body to alleviate these health issues. Consumption of honey every day can make your immune system strong enough to prevent COVID19 and other illnesses naturally.

How Much Honey is Safe to Consume?

You should not consume honey more than 6 teaspoons (2 tablespoons) of per day. However, this amount would be reduced, when you are consuming added sugar from other food sources. Excess consumption of honey may lead to weight gain, inflammation, heart disease, liver disease, dementia, and many other illnesses related to high sugar intake.

Remember that honey consumption is prohibited to infants under 1 year old. Because, Honey may contain bacteria, like Clostridium botulinum, which can harmful to babies.

Dhaka, 02 July (campuslive24.com)//bsc