Benefits of Honey for Skin+ diabetes+ health.
What is honey?
Benefits of honey for skin+ diabetes+ health. Honey is a sweet fluid made by honeybees using the nectar of flowering plants. There are about 320 different varieties of honey, which vary in color, odor and flavor.
Honey contains mostly sugar, as well as a mix of amino acids, vitamins, minerals, iron, zinc and antioxidants. In addition to its use as a natural sweetener, honey is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent. People commonly use honey orally to treat coughs and topically to treat burns and promote wound healing.
Some people are sensitive or allergic to specific components in honey, particularly bee pollen. Although rare, bee pollen allergies can cause serious, and sometimes fatal, adverse reactions. Signs and symptoms of a reaction include:
- Wheezing and other asthmatic symptoms
- Dizziness
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Weakness
- Excessive perspiration
- Fainting
- Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias)
- Stinging after topical application
Honey for Skin
We all know that honey is a delicious sweetener produced by bees and stored in their hives. But what you may not know is that honey contains a powerhouse of nutrients, enzymes, and beneficial compounds that make it useful for hundreds of therapeutic and cosmetic applications.
If you’ve never thought of including honey in your skincare regimen, you are in for a surprise. Let’s explore why honey is good for skin, four honey skin benefits you may not know about, and how to incorporate honey into your daily skincare routine.
4 benefits of honey for skin
1. HONEY DEEPLY MOISTURIZES AND HYDRATES THE SKIN.
Honey’s natural humectant properties make it an effective moisturizer. The enzyme activity in honey enables it to penetrate deeply into the skin and bring hydration to the underlying layers. This results in plumper, softer skin with a natural radiant glow.
2. HONEY IS AN EFFECTIVE PORE CLEANSER AND GENTLE EXFOLIATOR.
Honey is naturally antibacterial and exfoliating. These properties make it an effective natural pore cleanser for removing deep-down dirt and debris that may clog the pores and contribute to skin issues.
3. HONEY LIGHTENS SCARS AND HYPERPIGMENTATION.
Honey contains a tiny amount of hydrogen peroxide. This gives it mild lightening properties, which help to reduce acne scars and hyperpigmentation over time. These same properties also make honey an effective choice for brightening a dull complexion.
4. HONEY FIGHTS ACNE AND BREAKOUTS.
The anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of honey play an important role in reducing acne and breakouts. These properties reduce the bacteria that causes pimples, blackheads, and whiteheads. They also help to treat the redness and inflammation associated with breakouts.
Is Honey Good for Diabetes?
Experts don’t all agree on whether honey is a good choice for people with diabetes. Research shows that honey has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant qualities. That may be important for people with diabetes, who often have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies. But many foods deliver antioxidants without driving up your blood sugar. So you definitely don’t need honey to get those nutrients. You have other options that would be better for you.
Benefits of honey for skin+ diabetes+ health.
Can You Eat Honey if You Have Diabetes?
Experts used to recommend that people with diabetes avoid all foods with added sugar. Now some say it’s OK to eat them in small amounts as part of a healthy diet. But if you take insulin, it’s very important to count the number of carbohydrates (including honey) that you take each day. That helps you determine the correct dose of insulin you should take.
Staying on top of the number of carbohydrates and fiber you eat can also help you keep your blood sugar from going too high. Even if you take insulin, high blood sugar can lead to health problems over time. That’s why it’s a good idea to limit honey. Talk to your diabetes educator, doctor, or a dietitian who specializes in diabetes to figure out how much is safe for you.
