You might bee surprised to find out that honey is considered the world’s first medicine. It has a wide range of health benefits without the addition of any toxic or synthetic ingredients.
But then, things can always be taken overboard, especially when it comes to diet fads. Honey is also claimed to be highly effective in weight loss.
Have you ever heard about the use and benefits of honey for weight loss? Wondering if it works and whether it can be used for your weight loss program?
Honey for weight loss has been a growing trend today. Many people are calling this liquid gold their best friend when it comes to losing those extra pounds.
While it definitely has some potential, you need to be cautious with its usage and understand the possible side effects before including this liquid gold in your diet and wellness routine.
Contents
Why Do Humans Use Honey?
Honey is a thick, sweet-tasting food made by bees from the nectar of flowers. It’s usually eaten straight or spread on bread or toast. It can also be used as an ingredient in sauces, drinks, desserts, and other foods.
Honey is a simple sugar with a low glycemic index. This means that it doesn’t affect blood sugar levels as much as some other sugars. But it still has calories, so if you eat too much honey, it can cause weight gain, just like any other food that contains calories.
The Health Benefits of Honey Include:
- Helping to prevent tooth decay – just one teaspoonful of honey contains enough fluoride to protect your teeth against decay for up to 12 hours!
- Boosting immunity – raw honey contains antioxidants that help to boost your immune system and fight off colds and flu!
- Treating wounds – raw unprocessed honey may help wounds heal faster because it reduces inflammation, fights infection, and speeds up healing time for cuts, burns, and ulcers
- Reducing blood sugar levels – honey contains natural sugars that may help to reduce blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
- Reducing cholesterol – unprocessed honey contains plant compounds called flavonoids, which have been shown to lower ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and raise ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.
- Reducing blood pressure – honey may help to lower blood pressure by reducing stress hormones.
- Boosting energy levels – raw honey contains natural sugars that are slowly absorbed by the body, so they provide a steady supply of energy without causing a spike in your blood sugar levels.
Honey for Weight Loss: What Are the Benefits?
Honey is one of the most popular sweeteners in the world. It’s used in everything from jams and jellies to baked goods and sweet tea.
But honey may not only be tasty — it may also have some health benefits. Honey has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for many ailments, including coughs, colds, sore throats, and even eye infections.
But can honey help with weight loss? The answer is yes — but it’s not as simple as eating a spoonful of honey every day. As with most things in life, there are no shortcuts when it comes to losing weight.
Benefits of Honey for Weight Loss
Honey has many different types of sugars — including fructose and glucose. Some people believe that fructose contributes to weight gain because it doesn’t trigger the same feelings of fullness as other types of sugars.
While this isn’t true, the glycemic index (GI) of honey varies depending on its type and preparation method. This means that some types of honey may have more or less GI than others.
However, research shows that, overall, honey has a low GI value compared to other sugars such as sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup.
In addition to its low GI value, honey also has a high satiety effect. This means that it can make you feel full for longer compared to other types of sugars.
There are many different benefits of honey for weight loss — including its ability to suppress appetite and increase fat burning.
In a study published in Frontiers in Nutrition, researchers found that honey reduced energy intake and body weight in mice fed a high-fat diet.
The study also found that honey increased the expression of genes related to fat metabolism — suggesting that it can help your body burn more fat.
A study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition found that eating 1 tablespoon of honey before bedtime reduced appetite and increased feelings of fullness during the day among overweight adults.
However, another study found no evidence that consuming 1 tablespoon of honey at breakfast improved satiety or reduced calorie intake at lunch or dinner among healthy adults who were trying to lose weight.
In another study published in Appetite, researchers found that adding 1 tablespoon of honey to 30 ml of water before breakfast did not reduce hunger or food intake at lunch compared with water alone among healthy adults who were trying to lose weight.
Precautions and Tips for Consuming Honey Correctly
If you want to use honey for weight loss, here are some tips:
- You should only consume raw honey because it contains more nutrients than processed honey. If you don’t know whether your honey is raw or not, ask your doctor or another health professional about it.
- Don’t drink too much at once because it can cause stomach cramps and bloating if consumed in excess. Also, avoid getting into situations where you might consume too much honey at once (such as parties).
- Don’t take honey pills because they don’t contain all of the nutrients found in raw bee pollen that help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce cravings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you lose weight by eating honey?
There isn’t much evidence to support this claim. However, some people believe that honey helps them lose weight because it has fewer calories than refined sugar.
How much honey should I use to lose weight?
There isn’t a recommended dosage for using honey as a weight loss aid. However, it’s best to start with small amounts and gradually increase the amount over time. You can use honey as an alternative sweetener in your tea or coffee instead of refined sugar, but don’t forget that it also contains calories!
Is there a difference between raw and processed honey?
Yes, there is. Raw honey is unheated, unpasteurized, and retains its natural enzymes. It’s also less processed than regular honey because it hasn’t been heated or treated with additives. Processed honey is often heated to about 160 degrees Fahrenheit and filtered to remove pollen. It may also be blended with other ingredients such as corn syrup or sugar.
Is honey vegan?
Not necessarily. Bee pollen and royal jelly are both made by bees, so they may not be considered vegan. It’s also important to note that some beekeepers use antibiotics in their hives, which may not be acceptable for vegans.
Can I eat raw honey if I have a cold?
Yes. The natural enzymes in raw honey can help your body fight off viruses and bacteria that cause colds. If you’re worried about allergies, look for local honey produced by bees that only visit one type of flower (such as clover).
Conclusion
Honey is a sweetener that is made by bees from the nectar of flowers. It is a natural product, which means it has no added sugar, as opposed to other sweeteners such as white sugar or brown sugar.
Honey is loaded with antioxidants and nutrients, including vitamins A, B6, C, D, and E. It also contains minerals such as iron, magnesium, and calcium.
Many people use honey as a sweetener in their tea or coffee and on their toast in the morning. But did you know that honey can be used for weight loss?
Although there isn’t much evidence to support this claim, some people believe that honey helps them lose weight because it has fewer calories than refined sugar does. However, this theory hasn’t been proven yet.
References
- Honey’s Effects on Diabetes and Blood Sugar: https://www.webmd.com/diabetes/honey-diabetes
- Effect of Honey in Preventing Gingivitis and Dental Caries in Patients Undergoing Orthodontic Treatment: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4095052/
- How, When, and Why Honey Is Used for Wound Care: https://www.healthline.com/health/honey-on-wounds
- Can People with Type 2 Diabetes Eat Honey? https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/317662
- Honey and Diabetes: The Importance of Natural Simple Sugars in Diet for Preventing and Treating Different Type of Diabetes: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5817209/
- Role of Honey in Obesity Management: A Systematic Review: https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.924097/full
- Effect of Honey Versus Sucrose on Appetite, Appetite-regulating Hormones, and Postmeal Thermogenesis: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21504975/
- Does Honey Relieve Symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome? https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/honey-for-ibs
