Benefits of Natural Honey

Honey has been consumed for thousands of years for its supposed health benefits

Modern science is finding evidence for many of the historical uses of honey.

1) Healing wounds and burns

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There have been some cases in which people have reported positive effects of using honey in treating wounds.

A review published in The Cochrane Libraryindicated that honey might be able to help heal burns. The lead author of the study said that "topical honey is cheaper than other interventions, notably oral antibiotics, which are often used and may have other deleterious side effects."

However, there is a lack of evidence to fully support this claim. In fact, a study published in The Lancet Infectious Diseases concluded that applying medical-grade honey to the wounds of patients has no advantage over normal antibioticsamong patients undergoing dialysis.

Honey should never be given to young infants as it can cause botulism, a rare but severe type of food poisoning.

2) Reducing the duration of diarrhea

According to research-based reviews on honey, it has been shown to decrease the severity and duration of diarrhea. Honey also promotes increased potassium and water intake, which is particularly helpful when experiencing diarrhea.

Research that took place in Lagos, Nigeria suggests that honey has also shown the ability to block the actions of pathogens that commonly cause diarrhea.

3) Preventing acid reflux

Recent research has shown that honey can reduce the upward flow of stomach acid and undigested food by lining the esophagus and stomach.

This has helped to reduce the risk of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). GERD can cause inflammation, acid reflux, and heartburn.

4) Fighting infections

In 2010, scientists from the Academic Medical Center at the University of Amsterdam reported in FASEB Journal that honey's ability to kill bacteria lies in a protein called defensin-1.

A more recent study in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases showed that a certain type of honey, called Manuka honey, can help prevent the bacteria Clostridium difficile from settling in the body. C. difficile is known for causing severe diarrhea and sickness.

Some studies have revealed that Manuka honey may even be effective for the treatment of MRSAinfections.