Health Benefits of Honey - New Research

How many products in nature are there that can give you as many health benefits as honey does? Certainly there are some, but not that many. Honey is one of these food products that different people have had various opinions on because it is full of glucose and fructose, the so-called simple sugars.

Being a sugar, honey has been in the awkward position of being labelled a food product with "dubious health benefits." Sugars, flour and salt are, after all, considered man's worst enemies or so the saying goes. Chemically speaking and under a microscope, honey does not look different from white sugar.

The scientists have begun to look at honey with more enthusiasm recently after honey's healing properties have been confirmed with regard to a number of medical conditions.

What exactly are they?

Honey reinforces your immune system. It attacks bad bacteria and it does it with great efficiency because many micro-organisms cannot grow in an environment with low water activity. Honey helps to produce red blood cells and hemoglobin. It helps to soothe the work of the liver, the stomach and the digestive tract. It is highly recommended for stomach pains and the dysfunction of vital human organs.

Honey lowers and balances the blood pressure. It is good for your blood circulation. It helps to lower bad cholesterol. It is good for acne. It is good for skin problems in general: cuts, burns and all kinds of wounds heal faster after you apply some honey on them.

Anything else?

Yes, honey is good for the nervous system; it is recommended for depression, schizophrenia and in situations that are highly stressful.

Taken regularly, honey with milk or warm water prevents you from catching a cold. It does away with a headache and a sore throat, too.

What exactly makes it so healthy?

It is not so obvious but it is probably a combination of things: honey is produced by bees that collect nectar from many different types of flowers. It has a number of micro-elements and vitamins such as A, B1, B2, B6, B12 and C. Honey does possess anti-oxidants such as catalase, vitamin C and chrisin.

Honey is classified according to the floral source. Most honey that is produced commercially comes from, at least, two floral sources. Its colour, flavour and density are then greatly affected.

Honey is reported to have even greater health benefits when it is diluted in warm water and left overnight. It is recommended that you take it in the morning because its healing properties are then hugely magnified.

J Rom is a writer who specializes in writing about issues as controversial as politics, religion, networking companies and ways of producing passive income at reputable and trustworthy companies with a solid track record.

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Posted in: Benefits,Health,Honey,Research

Candy Has Many Healthful Benefits - Research Supports And Explains Benefits Of Common Addiction

It's likely rare for people to attempt to hide their love and/or addiction to chocolate, as being an admitted "chocoholic" is so common and socially acceptable. Chocolate has come to represent many positive emotions and feelings... and this is not just due to modern marketing practices. History demonstrates a long-held reverence for "Theobroma Cacao".

Centuries ago, before chocolate became a sweet confection worthy of our loving, sensual indulgence it was pronounced to be a "food of the Gods"... a beverage with the power to strengthen armies. Like many of the primary ingredients of traditional popular candies, chocolate was revered for its medicinal qualities. The Mayans, Aztecs, and early Europeans whipped "cocao" into a frothy brew that they drank and recognized as a mild stimulant and nutrient rich protector of good health. They called it 'bitter water". Today, medical science recognizes chocolate (especially dark chocolate) as possessing strong antioxidants that protect the cardiovascular system. They credit it with the ability to prevent additional neural damage after a stroke and to improve mental outlook. The cocoa powder has more beneficial antioxidants than other chocolate products but, naturally, the processing and addition of sugar and other ingredients does decrease that content accordingly.

Scientists have identified substances in chocolate that make us feel better emotionally after eating it. This gives us the comfort of knowing it's not just our imagination that we "need" a 'chocolate fix' from time to time. Most reasonable diets recognize and recommend that as long as we adjust our other food intake, we can occasionally enjoy this now recognized beneficial food in reasonable quantities. And why not? Our ancestors weren't all privileged to enjoy the pleasure of chocolate. It was reserved for priests and the very wealthy members of the population. Milton Hershey, founder of Hershey's Candy proclaimed in an early ad that a Hershey's Milk Chocolate Bar was "More sustaining than meat". In one report, the USDA pointed out that one ounce of chocolate covered almonds contains 2.66 grams of protein; 255 mg. of Calcium, small amounts of Vitamins A, C, and E, as well as a bit of Folate. Surely, this beloved snack doesn't deserve to be classified as "junk food".

In the United States, the chocolate industry accounts for 17 Billion Dollars in revenue. In addition to being a satisfying part of a healthy diet, cocoa is available as an investment in the commodities market. The cocoa tree is grown in developing countries as a replacement for illegal crops, and that is doing wonders for the economy of millions. There appears to be little reason not to love chocolate. And if one is to be afflicted by an addiction, the addiction to chocolate (sometimes described as a "guilty pleasure) would likely appear number one under the heading "most benign".

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Posted in: Addiction,Benefits,Candy,common,Explains,Healthful,Research,Supports