Do you know? There is a magical food in the world that may not cure all diseases, but it has remarkable health benefits. After drinking a cup, it can help you detoxify and nourish the skin, moisten the intestines and relieve constipation, soothe the nerves and help sleep, strengthen the spleen and appetite

Do you know? There is a magical food in the world that may not cure all diseases, but it has remarkable health benefits. After drinking a cup, it can help you detoxify and nourish the skin, moisten the intestines and relieve constipation, soothe the nerves and help sleep, strengthen the spleen and appetite... it is - honey

Stop! Stop! Stop! Uncle Jiu wants to say: Actually, honey is not so magical, its true efficacy is only one!!

1 How does honey come from?

Today, let's do a "ingredient party" to see how honey comes from and what nutrients it contains.

The raw material of honey is nectar, a type of honey made fromPlant nectaryGeneratedNatural sugar containing liquidThe process of its transformation is roughly as follows:

Bees collect a large amount of nectar through their mouthparts, mix saliva with nectar in their mouths, and store it in their stomachs.

After collecting enough nectar, the bees will return to the hive,Spit the nectar stored in the stomach into the mouths of other worker bees, and the nectar is passed down through oral transmissionAfter mixing the saliva and digestive enzymes of multiple bees to a certain extent, the honey will apply nectar to the inner wall of the hive.

Bees will constantly flap their wings near the opening of their nests, evaporating the water in the nectar and making it sticky.

Research has found that the main components of honey are fructose, glucose, and other sugars, accounting for about 80%, and water content accounting for more than 10%. Its essence is high concentration sugar, which is why it is so sweet and not easy to spoil.

Even though honey contains other components such as minerals, vitamins, and trace amounts of biological enzymes, these components only account for less than 1% of the honey's composition.

2 Drinking honey for health preservation? Don't believe these statements

Statement 1: A cup of honey water in the morning can moisten the intestines and relieve constipation?

The reason for the illusion of 'honey water defecation' is becauseFructose metabolism disordersCausing physiological diarrhea, i.eFructose intoleranceIt is the same principle that some people cannot tolerate drinking milk.

What should be done to achieve smooth bowel movementsDrink more water and eat more dietary fiberWater and dietary fiber can stimulate intestinal peristalsis, soften feces, promote defecation, and increase the frequency of defecation.

Statement 2: Honey lemon water can detoxify and nourish the skin?

The main component of honey water is sugar,Low levels of vitamins, minerals, proteins, organic acids, enzymes, etcAnd it is also found in other foods, honey does not have any unique effects.

Additionally,Lemonade also does not have whitening effectsIts vitamin C content is not very high, only 22mg/100g. To reach the effective dose of whitening, it needs to eat hundreds of lemons (with skin) at a time, which is obviously contrary to reality.

To have good skin, it's not about eating a particular food, but about eating a balanced diet:

Dark foods rich in antioxidant substances, such as green leafy vegetables, vegetables containing lycopene, purple rice, black rice, grapes and other bean fruits and vegetables rich in anthocyanins.

High protein foods, such as milk and cheese.

Foods rich in iron and zinc, such as lean meat, beef and mutton, animal liver, etc.

Foods rich in vitamin D, such as butter, egg yolk, fish liver oil, etc.

Foods rich in dietary fiber.

Statement 3: Can honey relieve alcohol?

Although relevant studies have confirmed that honey can appropriately protect the damage caused by alcohol to the gastric mucosa, there is no evidence to suggest that honey can accelerate alcohol metabolism, so it cannot relieve alcohol!

Statement 4: Can a glass of honey water before bedtime aid sleep?

Honey contains tryptophan, which has a sleeping aid effect, but the content of tryptophan in food is limited, and it is difficult to achieve a sleeping dose through just a glass of honey water. On the contrary, drinking a lot of water before bedtime may actually lead to an increase in nocturia.

If you have the habit of staying up late, you can consider not drinking water for 2 hours before bedtime.

3 The only true benefit of honey is this one

Belief shattered, is honey not beneficial at all? Of course, multiple studies and guidelines suggest that:Honey has the effect of relieving coughing.

Researchers from the University of Oxford in the UK found in the BMJ sub journal that,Honey can better treat upper respiratory tract infections The World Health Organization also mentioned in its' Guidelines for Cough Response in Children ',Honey can wrap around the mucous membrane of the throat, thereby slowing down the frequency and severity of coughing

The "Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Cough in Chinese Children (2021 Edition)" states that the effectiveness of honey in relieving cough may be equivalent to that of cough suppressants. The American College of Chest Physicians also provides clear recommendations: honey is the only recommended medication for treating cough related to the common cold.

However, it should be noted that honey is not suitable for everyone to consume, and not paying attention to its dosage may cause "poisoning".

4 Eating honey healthily, keep these four points in mind

1. Children under 1 year old are prohibited from consuming

Honey may containBotulinum toxin and its sporesFor infants and young children under 1 year old with poor resistance and unstable intestinal environment, consuming honey may lead to rapid reproduction of toxins and cause food poisoning.

2. Three types of people reduce consumption

Patients with diabetesHoney has a sugar content of up to 80% and is easily absorbed quickly after entering the human body, which has a significant impact on blood sugar.

Liver disease patientsThe sugar content of honey can be converted into fat, which accumulates in the human body. Fructose can also affect liver metabolism, increasing the burden on the liver.

Patients with high uric acid/goutFructose can affect liver metabolism and produce a large amount of uric acid, causing insulin resistance, leading to reduced uric acid excretion and exacerbating gout.

3. No need to put it in the refrigerator for storage

When the temperature is too low, honey will crystallize and precipitate glucose. Although it does not affect the edible safety and nutritional value of honey, it may affect its taste.

4. The shelf life is mostly 2 years

In theory, mature and high-purity honey can be stored indefinitely under sealed and dark conditions. But in reality, because honey containers are often opened, spoons may also carry bacteria and water, accelerating spoilage.According to the requirements of the Food Law, honey is the best consumed within 2 years

Honey does not have any magical health benefits, and cannot be used as a substitute for drugs. Its high sugar content can lead to weight gain if consumed too much. Everyone should still pay attention to consumption and not be greedy!

reference material:

[1] BMJ sub journal: Oxford University research shows that honey is the best treatment for upper respiratory tract infections and can also prevent bacterial resistance. Mays Medical, 2020-08-20

[2] Du Xuefeng. How bees brew honey [J]. China Health Food, 2017 (10): 1

[3] Eating honey every day can improve heart metabolism? Are you sure, Medical Cardiovascular Channel, November 27, 2022

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