Honey is a sweet and wonderful gift that Mother Nature has given to us. Since ancient times, it is considered to be a very auspicious for humans because of its unexpected goodness. It is used as a food, medicine to cure all type of diseases and for worshiping God (one of the five elements in 'Panchamrita'). It is also used for beauty as it makes the skin soft and moisturized. It has antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antifungal properties which make it one of the most beneficial foods to eat. We all know that everything given by nature has numerous benefits. Just, like that
honey also provides lots benefits such as soothes coughs and eases cold, boosts energy & immunity, prevent cancer, heals wounds, ease sore throat, cure a hangover, fight insomnia and many more.
Compared to table sugar, it is sweeter and has more calories. It contains antioxidants, vitamins, amino acids, minerals and even sugars such as glucose and fructose. Different types of honey are available in the market. Generally, the honey is of golden color but the color could vary from white to dark red and from brown to almost black. Taking honey with grapes, guava, sugarcane, sour fruits is very good for health. According to Ayurveda, honey is like nectar if taken in right way. All people have their own way to eat honey but taking honey in wrong way can harm your health. Here are listed some
wrong ways of eating honey that you should consider while eating it.
Wrong Ways Of Eating Honey
Mixing Honey With Sugar
Honey is a great substitute of sugar for the people who are suffering from diabetes or want to lose weight. Glucose contained in honey is absorbed by the body rapidly and provides instant energy. Honey is high in calories so it should be used only as a part of the controlled diet. Substituting honey for sugar in small quantities is good but never mix honey with sugar as it is just like adding poison in the nectar.
Honey with Butter
Combination of honey with milk or milk products is poison or toxic. Honey contains fructose, minerals, sucrose, glucose and maltose. Bacteria named Clostridium botulinum is also contained by honey. Milk is the best medium for the bacteria growth so eating the combination of honey and milk/milk products increase the number of bacteria and as a result some toxins are produced that are not good for the body.
Honey in Tea and coffee
Many people have habit of adding honey in their tea or
coffee instead of sugar. Amino acids, antioxidants, minerals and vitamins contained in honey get destroyed when you add it in tea or coffee. Mixing also decreases the scent and taste of the honey. According to Ayurveda, honey becomes toxic when mixed in hot water/tea. It imbalances the Doshas and leads to energy loss. However, you can add honey in tea/coffee after cooling down them to some extent (below 40 °C).
Honey with Ghee and Oil
Honey with ghee and vegetable oils in equal (1:1 ratio) may act as slow poison. Honey is complex polysaccharide and ghee is a complex chain of fatty acids. Honey needs particular enzymes for its break up while ghee needs emulsification and action of lipase and other lipid breaking enzymes. So, this honey and ghee combination interacts with each other in GI tract and causes indigestion & aama creation which leads to over accumulation of free radicals in the systems. This over accumulation causes many diseases.
Heating Honey
As per Ayurveda, heating honey (above 40 degrees Celcius) makes it toxic. When you heat honey directly, the enzymes present in honey precipitates or can cause glycation and make it poisonous. Heating also changes its structure and destroys its nutrients. So, never heat or mix honey with hot foods. You can drizzle it on any food or beverage after making it cold.
Allergies
Honey can leads to allergic reactions in many people. Constant sneezing, tongue or lip swelling, watery eyes, hives, itchy throat and runny nose are some symptoms of a honey allergy. If you feel any reaction after consuming honey, then suck on the lemon. It will decrease the impact.
