Honey (Shahad): Health Benefits, Uses & Properties - A Comprehensive Guide

“Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food”, says Hippocrates.

Honey, or most commonly ‘Shahad‘ in Hindi, ‘Theene‘ in Telugu, ‘Then‘ in Tamil, ‘Thean‘ in Malayalam, ‘Jenu‘ in Kannada, ‘Madh‘ in (Gujarati & Marathi) and ‘Madhu‘ in Bengali. Honey is the best fit to this statement! Nature’s energy booster–honey, has been used as a natural remedy for centuries to treat several ailments.  It has been an all-time favorite of nutritionists, dietitians as well as naturopaths. Honey is a rich source of natural sugars like fructose and glucose along with essential vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Including honey in your daily diet is one of the simplest yet most powerful ways to prevent various diseases. This natural, delicious golden liquid is a great alternative to white sugar.

Nutritional Facts Of Honey:

Nutrient

Average amount per 1 Tbsp. serving (21 g)

Average amount per 100 g

water3.6g17.1gTotal Carbohydrates17.3g82.4gFructose8.1g38.5gGlucose6.5g31.0gMaltose1.5g7.2g

Information for nutritional labeling*

Total Calories (kilocalories)64304Total Calories (kilocalories) (from fat)00Total Fat00Saturated Fat00Cholesterol00Sodium0.6 mg2.85 mgTotal Carbohydrates17 g81 gDietary Fiber00Protein0.15 mg0.7 mg

Vitamins

Thiamin< 0.002 mg< 0.01 mgRibofl avin<0.06 mg< 0.3 mgNiacin<0.06 mg< 0.3 mgBiotinN/AN/APantothenic Acid<0.05 mg< 0.25 mgVitamin B-12N/AN/AVitamin C0.1 mg0.5 mgVitamin D00Vitamin E00

Minerals

Calcium1.0 mg4.8 mgIron0.05 mg0.25 mgZinc0.03 mg0.15 mgPotassium11.0 mg50.0 mgPhosphorous1.0 mg5.0 mgMagnesium0.4 mg2.0 mgSelenium0.002 mg0.01 mgChromium0.005 mg0.02 mgManganese0.03 mg0.15 mg

Ash

0.04 g0.2 g*Contains less than 2% of the Daily Value for vitamin A, vitamin C, iron and calcium

Before we move on to the health benefits of honey, let’s check out some trivia about it:

• The uses of honey in ayurvedic medicines dates back to almost 4000 years. Honey when blended together in herbal preparation, enhances the medicinal value. It is believed to improve eyesight, enhance weight loss and cure impotence. Honey also helps in treating urinary tract disorders, diarrhea, bronchial asthma and nausea.

• In ancient times, athletes used to consume honey to enhance the endurance level, reduce muscle fatigue and instantly boost the performance. Honey is also known to help in recovery and maintaining glycogen levels.

• Honey is also said to assist in treatment of disorders such as bacterial gastroenteritis and ulcers.

• It is a rich source of flavonoids and antioxidants which help reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.

• The fusion of fructose and glucose in honey helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.

• It possesses antibacterial and antifungal properties because of the presence of an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide.

Honey is a great natural sweetener and boasts about its wonderful health benefits. Listed here are the benefits of honey, one of the oldest sweeteners on earth.

Benefits Of Honey:

1. Beautiful Skin:

Honey can do wonders for your skin. That’s the reason why you will find it in many skin-care products today. Honey acts as a great anti-aging agent and moisturizer. It is rich in natural antioxidants that have anti-microbial properties. They help protect your skin from harmful UV rays and facilitate the skin’s ability to rejuvenate. Honey also has the ability to absorb and retain moisture and this helps in keeping the skin well hydrated, fresh and supple. It is known that ancient women used honey and milk to keep the skin youthful, radiant and smooth. Here are some easy recipes of facial mask and exfoliators that you can try at home.

Facial Mask – Recipe 1

What’s Required?

• 1 teaspoon honey (preferably raw honey)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• Yolk of an egg

Method:

• Blend all of them together and apply it to face.
• Leave it for 15-20 minutes and then wash it off with warm water.

This mask will help you remove sun tan and give a glowing skin.

[ Read :Honey To Get Glowing Skin ]

Facial Mask – Recipe 2:

What’s Required?

• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon fuller’s earth (multanimitti)
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

Method:

• Mix them well to form a thick paste.
• Apply it to skin and leave it for 15 minutes.
• Wash it off with warm water.

Use this mask to give your face that oomph!

Facial Exfoliator Recipe:

Use this exfoliator to remove dead skin cells from their roots. This also helps in terminating blackheads. Exfoliation is good for oily as well as dry skin. It should be done at least once a week.

What’s Required?

• Honey
• Lemon juice
• Sugar

Method:

• Mix them and gently rub it on your skin.
• Leave it for about 10-15 minutes and rinse with warm water.

Honey cleanses your skin, lemon juice brightens it up and sugar works as an excellent exfoliator. If you are battling a breakout of blackheads, read my earlier post Nine Ways to Get Rid of Blackheads for Good.

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