Balsamic vinegar and honey are healthful seasonings that can add flavor and nutrition to your meals, snacks and beverages. The sweet, acidic taste of balsamic vinegar makes it a savory, low-calorie salad dressing or vegetable embellishment, while honey is a more nourishing alternative to sugar and other sweeteners.
Balsamic Vinegar
Real balsamic vinegar comes from the Modena or Reggio regions of Italy and is made from the unfermented juice of the Trebbiano white grape, according to the Oil and Vinegar website. This site states that about 75 percent of commercial balsamic vinegars are not considered to be true balsamic vinegar but a variety of red wine vinegar. Consuming true balsamic vinegar has many potential health benefits: It is a natural appetite suppressant, a digestive aid and a metabolism booster, according to the Oil and Vinegar website. The amino acids present in balsamic vinegar may slow the aging process, and the vinegar's high mineral content can improve bone density, prevent anemia and combat fatigue.
Cough Suppressant
Drinking honey is an effective treatment for a cough and for the soreness and congestion of an upper respiratory infection. A recent Penn State College of Medicine study discovered that a dose of honey can alleviate the symptoms of an upper respiratory infection in children more effectively than the over-the-counter cough medication dextromethorphan, or DM. Although honey is not recommended for children under the age of 12 months, the researchers concluded that it was a safe and effective alternative to DM for children over the age of one year. The Bees-Online website recommends taking 1 tsp. of honey with a little added lemon juice every couple of hours until your upper respiratory infection symptoms are gone. You should consult your health care provider before using honey to treat an upper respiratory infection.
Nutrients
Honey is a nutrient-rich substance, full of vitamins, minerals, electrolytes and other essential compounds that encourage good health. According to the Bees-Online website, honey contains the sugars glucose and fructose as well as vitamins B1, B2, B3 and B6. These elements can boost your energy and spur red blood cell production, according to the MedLine Plus website. Honey also contains the macrominerals magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate and the trace minerals copper, iodine and zinc, states the Bees-Online website. Macrominerals are essential to the skeletal, muscular and cardiovascular systems, while trace minerals help the body to operate correctly at the cellular level, according to the Merck website.
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