If one day you decide to check all your kitchen shelves and investigate which ingredient is the oldest and lasted the longest, don’t be surprised if you see a glass bottle filled with some thick golden liquid. You might have guessed it by now, its Honey. It’s true, legends tell that honey lasts long; some even argue that it lasts forever. It takes 300 honey bees and about 3 weeks to make around 500 grams of honey. If you are interested in learning more facts about honey keep reading. 

1. Honey as the carrier for herbs: Honey is considered to be a vehicle or a carrier of herbs. This is the reason why Ayurvedic medicines are usually prescribed to be consumed with honey, it increases the efficacy of the herbs, and helps to reach deeper tissue or the affected area, that too quickly. Honey is very resourceful of all natural energy and can directly enter the bloodstream delivering quick boost of energy. Did you know honey bees need two different kinds of food: first one honey made out of nectar the other one comes from anthers of flowers which contain a large number of pollens.

2. Casts a sleep spell: If you are suffering from a sleepless night, try a glass of lukewarm milk, along with some honey. Honey is known to slowly raise insulin and contains other nutrients that regulate the length and quality of sleep. Did you know, if you put honey in boiling hot water or ice cold water, it will destroy its nutritional value. This is the reason why it is suggested that honey should be consumed with luke-warm water. 

3. Health benefits: Honey can be used for multiple health benefits. For starters, a spoonful of honey with fresh ginger, black pepper and turmeric can help control cough and cold. Its anti-inflammatory nature is considered to reduce seasonal allergies. If you consume honey with lukewarm water and fresh lemon juice, after a meal, it will regulate food digestion and would help to reduce wait. A table spoon of honey can help stop hiccups. Did you know, when honey bee collects pollens from the flowers, it helps the flowers to pollinate, thus helping fertilization. In this way, both honey bee and the flower are benefitted. 

4. Improves immunity: Honey is fortified with antioxidants and anti-bacterial properties helps in regulating digestion hence helps to stay healthy and fight diseases. Honey also possesses nutrients that prevent carcinogen and tumors. Did you know, honey is self-preserving and its nutritional value does not deteriorate over time? 

5. Remedial for hangovers: If you drank like a fish last night, or are just having a very bad hangover, don’t worry, the liquid gold will help you sober up. Honey is very gentle on stomach and contains a mix of natural sugars namely fructose and glucose which help to speed up the oxidation of alcohol in the liver. Did you know, the nectar that a honey bee sucks is stored in her special honey stomach ready to be transferred to the honey making bees in the hive? In case she feels hungry, she can open up the valve in her nectar sac and consume a portion of stored honey giving her instant energy. 

6. Honey the healer: Thanks to its antibacterial, anti-fungal properties and huge contains of antioxidants, honey helps to heal wounds quickly. Honey draws fluid away from the wound and the high sugar content suppresses microorganism growth. It is said that worker bees secrete enzymes into nectar that helps release small amount of hydrogen peroxide helping heal the wound quickly. Did you know, a honey bee can carry nectar or pollen equivalent to her own weight? 

7. Regulates blood sugar: Though honey contains carbohydrates and simple sugar, it is very healthy compared to white sugar and artificial sweetener. Its perfect combination of fructose and glucose actually helps in regulating body sugar. Honey is also known to contain hypoglycaemic index, hence it does not shock your blood sugar. Did you know, you can test the purity of honey by dropping it into water, despite its temperature? If it settles down as it is at the bottom of water, the honey is pure but if it mixes up without any efforts, perhaps it’s not even honey! 

To know more about the myriad benefits of honey, click here.