Honey is delicious on toast and is the secret ingredient to your famous breakfast bars, but emerging science tells us that honey is also ideal for health and wellness applications. Studies published in BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine and the Journal of Clinical Nursing point toward honey as being an effective way to heal burns, scars and even cleanse wounds. Add the research to mom's age-old remedy for a sore throat, and it's clear that perhaps honey would be more at home in your medicine cabinet than your pantry.
Calm a Sore Throat
When you're suffering from a sore throat due to a cold or flu, over-the-counter medications only mask the pain. Honey can help soothe the pain. What's more, honey won't make you sleepy or drowsy, which makes it an ideal healing idea for daytime relief. Mix 2 tbsp. to 3 tbsp. honey into your favorite tea and stir to dissolve. Add a squeeze of lemon and drink the mixture throughout the day. The heat, paired with the soothing coating action of the honey, helps your throat feel better almost instantly.
Heal Cuts, Burns and Wounds
Honey's ability to heal wounds, burns and scars has been heavily researched, and all studies point toward honey as being an effective way to heal patients. Honey has high anti-microbial properties, according to research published in the Journal of Microbial Methods." This means it has the power to kill germs and prevent the infection that can cause scarring.
Honey also makes for faster healing. A study published in BMC Complementary Alternative Medicine noted that 99 percent of subjects had healed wounds when they were dressed with honey, as opposed to 75 percent with other methods.
For burns, honey can soothe the pain as well as help to generate the new skin cells to effectively heal damaged skin, reports the Journal of Clinical Nursing. The journal recommends honey as use for oncology patients who get reactions and burns as part of cancer treatment.
Combat Fatigue
When you feel yourself dragging in the afternoon each day, that fatigue is sometimes remedied by a sugary snack that gives you a quick burst of energy. But honey may be a better choice when it comes to getting the last burst of energy to get you through the day. Dr. Susan Percival of the University of Florida's Food Science and Human Nutrition Department notes that honey metabolizes faster than sugar, giving a quick boost without the afternoon crash associated with more sugary snacks. Try a spoonful of honey, or drizzle some on whole wheat bread to heal fatigue.
References
- Journal of Clinical Nursing: A systematic review of honey uses and its potential value within oncology care
- BMC Complement Altern Med. 2001; 1: 2. : Systematic review of the use of honey as a wound dressing
- J Microbiol Methods. 2006 Jan;64(1):84-95. Epub 2005 Jun 24.: Use of a spectrophotometric bioassay for determination of microbial sensitivity to manuka honey.
- Mother Earth News: The Benefits of Honey: A Remedy for Sore Throats, Wound Care and More
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