自製蜂蜜水好處多 但四類人應避免飲用
Honey has been used for both food and medicinal purposes since ancient times, and is also known as "liquid gold". But do you know how much effort it takes for bees to produce 1kg of honey? A single bee can only carry 20mg of nectar at a time, and in order to collect enough nectar to make 1kg of honey, worker bees have to fly back and forth 50,000 to 60,000 times. The nectar collected has to be converted by enzymes in the bee's body and matured into the honey that we see here. What's even more amazing is that it takes worker bees to collect nectar from about 1,500 to 1,600 flowers for just 1 gram of honey. This shows that pure honey is not easy to come by, so consumers should be careful when buying to avoid adulterated products.
Honey has a wide range of health benefits, from easing digestive discomfort toPhysical StrengtheningIt's got it all. Firstly, it improves the discomfort of gastro-oesophageal reflux (GERD) - as the human body temperature is similar to that of the hive, honey retains a higher viscosity once it enters the body, a property that has been proven to help reduce acid reflux and relieve discomfort such as heartburn in the chest. Secondly, honey can also help with allergic reactions: bees collect nectar from local flowers in season, and when consumed by humans, it is equivalent to repeated exposure to pollen from that area, which can gradually reduce allergic reactions. Studies have also shown that honey is significantly more effective than a placebo in relieving children's nocturnal coughs and upper respiratory tract infections that cause difficulty sleeping, and even less effective than some cough medications, which is why the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the American Academy of Paediatrics recommend honey as a complementary measure to combat childhood coughs.
In terms of antioxidant andBoosting ImmunityHoney is also a good performer. It contains oligosaccharides that promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestinal tract, which not only helps toRegulates gastrointestinal functionIt is also a powerful antioxidant that can help to remove free radicals from the body and slow down cellular ageing. In addition, honey also has antibacterial properties: its defensin – 1 (defensin-1) protein, combined with its slightly acidic pH value of 3.2 to 4.5, can effectively inhibit the growth of bacteria, and even reduce bacterial resistance to antibiotics; clinical studies have also found that applying honey directly to skin wounds can accelerate wound healing and reduce the risk of infection.
Honey can also help to alleviate the problem of gastroenteritis in young children. Gastroenteritis in young children is often accompanied by diarrhoea and dehydration, and clinical data suggests that appropriate honey supplementation can shorten the duration of bacterial diarrhoea. This is because honey is rich in glucose, fructose and other simple sugars with a simple molecular structure that is easily and quickly absorbed by the body. It can replace the glucose component of commercially available electrolyte oral supplements, helping to replenish energy and hydration in young children, and alleviating the risk of dehydration.
Despite its many benefits, honey is not suitable for everyone. The following 4 groups of people should be strictly prohibited or avoided: immunocompromised people, post-chemotherapy patients, infants and children under 1 year of age, and people suffering from diabetes, hyperlipidaemia and obesity. The reason is that honey has a water content below 20% and can be stored for a long period of time under sealed condition, but it may be contaminated with botulinum spores; the first three groups of people with weakened immune system or underdeveloped intestinal function may be poisoned by botulinum bacteria after consuming it. Although cases are rare, poisoning may lead to fatal danger, and thus it should be absolutely prohibited. The monosaccharides in honey are easily absorbed by the human body, which may cause fluctuation of blood sugar in diabetic patients, while hyperlipidaemic and obese people need to control their calorie intake, and it is also not recommended to consume it.
It is worth noting that many people like to make their own cold honey lemonade in the summer, thinking that it is thirst-quenching and healthier than commercially available hand-shaken beverages, but it should not be used as a substitute for drinking water just because honey is naturally beneficial. If honey lemon juice is used as a source of water for 1500 to 2000ml per day, it translates to a daily intake of about 150 to 200 grams of honey, which corresponds to a calorie intake of 462 to 630 calories, which is equivalent to an extra 1.7 to 2.4 bowls of rice, and in the long run, your body weight is bound to rise without you realising it.
It is important to note that honey is still a sugar, and intake should follow the World Health Organisation's (WHO) recommendation: daily refined sugar intake should be less than 5% of total calories; for example, for a woman with a total daily calorie intake of 1,500 kilocalories, refined sugar intake should not exceed 75 calories, which corresponds to about 1 tablespoon of honey; for a man with a daily calorie intake of 2,000 kilocalories, the upper limit of refined sugar is 100 calories, and 1 to 1.5 tablespoons of honey should be consumed. For men, if they consume 2000 calories per day, the maximum amount of refined sugars should be 100 calories and the amount of honey should be 1 to 1.5 tablespoons.
