What Honey has in it and what are health benefits?
Vitamin C
Vitamin C is needed for the growth and repair of tissues in all parts of your body. It is used to form an important protein used to make skin, tendons, ligaments, and blood vessels. Vitamin C helps to heal wounds and form scar tissue, repair and maintain cartilage, bones, and teeth. Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants. Antioxidants are nutrients that block some of the damage caused by free radicals. Free radicals are made when your body breaks down food or when you are exposed to tobacco smoke or radiation. The buildup of free radicals over time is largely responsible for the aging process. Free radicals may play a role in cancer, heart disease, and conditions like arthritis. The body is not able to make vitamin C on its own, and it does not store vitamin C. It is therefore important to include plenty of vitamin C-containing foods in your daily diet.
Calcium
You have more calcium in your body than any other mineral. Calcium has many important jobs. The body stores more than 99 percent of its calcium in the bones and teeth to help make and keep them strong. The rest is throughout the body in blood, muscle and the fluid between cells. Your body needs calcium to help muscles and blood vessels contract and expand, to secrete hormones and enzymes and to send messages through the nervous system.
Iron
Iron is a mineral that our bodies need for many functions. For example, iron is part of hemoglobin, a protein which carries oxygen from our lungs throughout our bodies. It helps our muscles store and use oxygen. Iron is also part of many other proteins and enzymes. If you have too little iron, you may develop iron deficiency anemia. People at higher risk of having too little iron are young children and women who are pregnant or have periods.
Magnesium
Magnesium is needed for more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body. It helps to maintain normal nerve and muscle function, supports a healthy immune system, keeps the heart beat steady, and helps bones remain strong. It also helps regulate blood glucose levels and aid in the production of energy and protein. There is ongoing research into the role of magnesium in preventing and managing disorders such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and diabetes.
Phosphorus
The main function of phosphorus is in the formation of bones and teeth. It plays an important role in how the body uses carbohydrates and fats. It is also needed for the body to makeprotein for the growth, maintenance, and repair of cells and tissues. Phosphorus also helps the body make ATP, a molecule the body uses to store energy. Phosphorus works with the B vitamins. It also helps with kidney function, muscle contractions, normal heartbeat and nerve signaling.
Potassium
Honey is one of the best sources of potassioum. Potassium, a mineral, works by protecting blood vessels from oxidative damage and keeps vessel walls from thickening. It helps nerves and muscles communicate. It also helps move nutrients into cells and waste products out of cells. It helps to build proteins, break down and use carbohydrates, build muscle, maintain normal body growth, control the electrical activity of the heart, control the acid-base balance.
Zinc
Zinc is responsible for a number of different functions in the human body and it helps stimulate the activity of 100 different enzymes. Having a low level of zinc makes a person more susceptible to disease and illness. Zinc is a trace element that's important in helping the body to make new cells, process food and heal wounds. Some studies suggest zinc has antioxidant effects and is vital to the body's resistance to infection and for tissue repair. Zinc is also thought to stimulate the immune system.
Dietary Fibre
In the UK most people do not eat enough fibre (the average intake is 12.8g/day for women and 14.8g/day for men). The recommended average intake for adults is 18g (NSP) per day. A low fibre intake is associated with constipation and some gut diseases such as bowel cancer. A high fibre diet can help reduce cholesterol, reduce the risk of diabetes and can help protect against overweight.
Riboflavin (B2)
Helps body cells create energy from the metabolization of carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Riboflavin is critical for normal growth and repair.
It is required for red blood cell production, which are responsible for the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Riboflavin acts to help the immune system function properly. It bolsters the immune system by reinforcing the body's reserve of antibodies, which guard against infection. Vitamin B2 helps to promote and maintain healthy skin. It is also used to prevent and treat skin problems such as dermatitis and eczema. Vitamin B2, along with some other nutrients, is vital for healthy vision and for preventing cataracts. Along with other B vitamins, vitamin B2 helps to protect the nervous system. It could be a component of treating various nervous system disorders, including anxiety, numbness and tingling, Alzheimer's disease, epilepsy, and multiple sclerosis.
Niacin (B3)
Having enough niacin, or vitamin B3, in the body is important for general good health. As a treatment, higher amounts of niacin can improve cholesterol levels and lower cardiovascular risks. There's good evidence that it helps reduce atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries. For people who have already had a heart attack, niacin seems to lower the risk of a second one. Niacin has also been studied as a treatment for many other health problems. There's some evidence that it might help lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease, cataracts, osteoarthritis, and type 1 diabetes. One of niacin's unique properties is its ability to help you naturally relax and get to sleep more rapidly at night. Another niacin feature is its ability to greatly reduce anxiety and depression.
Pantothenic acid (B5)
Pantothenic acid (also known historically as vitamin B5) is among the most important of the B vitamins for the basic processes of life. Without pantothenic acid, you would be unable to use fats, carbohydrates, or proteins as energy sources. You would also be unable to make hormones and your immune system would collapse. These are only some of the important functions that pantothenic acid has.
Vitamin B6
Helps the body to make antibodies and to fight many diseases. Also Vitamin B6 helps to maintain normal nerve function and make hemoglobin. Hemoglobin carries oxygen in the red blood cells to the tissues. A vitamin B6 deficiency can cause a form of anemia.
B6 is essential to break down proteins. The more protein you eat, the more vitamin B6 you need. Vitamin B6 helps to keep blood sugar (glucose) in normal ranges.
Folate(B9)
Vitamin B9, also called folate or folic acid, is one of 8 B vitamins. All B vitamins help the body convert food (carbohydrates) into fuel (glucose), which is used to produce energy. These B vitamins, often referred to as B complex vitamins, also help the body use fats and protein. B complex vitamins are needed for healthy skin, hair, eyes, and liver. They also help the nervous system function properly.
Folic acid is crucial for proper brain function and plays an important role in mental and emotional health. It aids in the production of DNA and RNA, the body's genetic material, and is especially important when cells and tissues are growing rapidly, such as in infancy, adolescence, and pregnancy. Pregnant women need more folic acid to lower the risk of neural tube birth defects, including cleft palate, spina bifida, and brain damage. Taking folate can help agains post menstrual syndrome.
Cooper
Copper is a mineral. The body stores copper mostly in the bones and muscles. Copper is used for treating copper deficiency and the anemia it may cause. Copper is also used for improving wound healing, and treating osteoarthritis and brittle bones (osteoporosis). Copper is necessary for producing and storing iron.
Manganese
Manganese is an essential nutrient involved in many chemical processes in the body, including processing of cholesterol, carbohydrates, and protein. It might also be involved in bone formation.enough manganese. Having not enough of manganese can couse weak bones (osteoporosis), a type of “tired blood” (anemia), and symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Chrysin
Chrysin belongs to a class of chemicals called flavonoids. It occurs naturally in plants such as the passionflower, silver linden, and some geranium species; and in honey and bee propolis (glue). Chrysin is used for bodybuilding; for treating anxiety, gout, inflammation, HIV/AIDS, erectile dysfunction (ED), and baldness; and for preventing cancer.
Honey also contains antioxidants, some found only in honey, which include Pinobanksin, Chrysin, Catalase and Pinocembrin.
Please contact your doctor and ask for an advice before making any changes to your regular diet.