29 April 2013,06:27
written By :   V.Chitralekha
HONEY The Elixir of Life "The secret of my health is applying Honey inside and oil outside" - Democrituscontemporary of Hippocrates, who lived to the ripe age of 109.

Such is the greatness that hides inside that sweet golden syrup that's called Honey. Such empowering is its sweetness that it has forever been linked to love and a period in a couple's life that's filled with it.
Let me take you on a journey today through this article to tell you why Honey should be your favorite food too.

The bees, who live in a hive, go around from flower to flower and collect the nectar (a sugary liquid found usually in the center of the flowers). They take it back to their hives and work on it to convert it to Honey. Professional beekeepers collect the excess Honey produced and sell it in the markets. I, on the other hand, like to take it directly (smile).
Honey is mainly used as a sweetener or flavoring. It works as an appetizer as well as a digestion stimulator. It activates taste buds and soothes the palate. It is widely used in baking and tastes yummy on bread. Although I just eat it raw, it is a popular ingredient in many beverages as a sweetener including many varieties of Tea. It's also a prime ingredient in barbecue cooking sauces like Honey Mustard.

It may contain the same amount of calories as sugar but it is far superior as an ingredient. Sugar goes through long processing methods before coming to the shelf while processing Honey involves minimal human intervention allowing it to be extremely healthy for the human body in comparison to sugar and allowed to be completely absorbed by the intestinal tract aiding digestion. Sugars have been through complex processes in order to be more refined and hence add tress to the digestive process while Honey is consumed in a predigested state (predigested by the bees).

The medical properties of Honey seem endless. Since time immemorial, Honey carries value in maintaining health and remedy. It possesses excellent healing properties. In many areas of Africa and Asia, only Honey with hot water is given to new mothers for several days to aid recovery. It is an essential ingredient in many home remedies across the world, esp. for healing wounds, infections, coughs, respiratory ailments and as a laxative. Many {tip Opera is part of the Western classical music tradition}Opera singers{/tip} depend on Honey to take care of their throats. It is very significant component in medicines/remedies in throat related ailments. Honey is believed to be great for sleeping disorders and anemia. It's a tonic with great possibilities. It adds muscular energy and assists cardiac activity. Many athletes and body builders consume Honey as it acts as a restorative, stimulates and repairs muscles, and of course is a great source of energy. It can be a perfect solution when sweet cravings attack, instead of something with sugar. It can be consumed during exercise also as it delays fatigue. A combination of Honey with fruits, vegetables, whole wheat breads and milk will give pretty much everything an athlete or a sportsperson would need.

Oh, there is so much more for me to tell you about Honey. Let me take a breath and a dollop of Honey to re-energize (yay!)
Ok. Starting again. Honey has a much longer life than other sweeteners as germs / micro-organisms cannot grow in Honey due to the low amount of moisture in it. It's a must for skin care. It's used in most genuine skin care products across hand lotions, skin creams, moisturizers, soaps and other bath products. The all natural characteristics of Honey make it an obvious choice for skincare products. Its moisture retaining properties help keep the skin nourished and glossy. It's the simplest choice for skincare, esp. of women, to have and keep a radiant smooth and youthful skin. It also has antimicrobial properties which protects from skin allergies and damage from pollution and sun rays. I can see so many teenagers smiling when they would come to know that Honey is extremely effective for acne problems by acting as a cooling and cleansing agent.

You must be thinking I'm going on and on about the benefits of Honey. But trust me; I'm not the only one, and certainly not a new one. Honey has been a favorite across many activities and across many countries since ancient times. It started as a sweetening agent but picked up many other uses. It was used as an offering to the fertility god in Egypt. The Mayan Central Americans considered the bee as sacred. It has been historically used therapeutically to sure infections and skin ailments. Even today, Hindus consider Honey to be an elixir of life. It is one of the five ingredients of Panchamritam, food for soul that's supposed to make you immortal. Not only does it find place as a medicine and health food in Hindu ancient scriptures, it's associated with so much purity it's even used to give a bath to the idols in temples. There are many biblical references to Honey as well. It is a symbol of New Year for the Jews. The Buddhists monks celebrate Madhu poornima, a day to commemorate this soulful food when monks across the world are fed on it. Even Prophet Mohammed has recommended using Honey for healing purposes in the Quran.

Oh how big a fan I am of this sweet liquid. Everybody is. Don't you call your loved ones by the same name as this? That's how it makes you feel - loved!



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