Pass the Honey!

 
General Honey Facts

• Honey is 95% carbohydrates²
• The enzyme invertase can convert sucrose to fructose and glucose¹
• The sugars in honey are “immediately digestible” in the small intestines²
• In 100 grams of honey, there is 300 calories¹
• Honey is virtually in-nutritious to humans²
• Honey helps preserve food and lower bacterial counts¹
• The enzyme glucose oxidase makes hydrogen peroxide¹
• The enzyme catalase aids in oxygen and water production from the hydrogen peroxide¹
• The pH range for honey is 3.2-4.5²
• Honey with a pH of 3.9 or less does not support the growth of bacteria. “Dilutions with body fluids will raise the pH and may lessen this antimicrobial activity”¹
• To pasteurize honey, it should be heated to 161 degree Fahrenheit (71.7 degrees Celsius)³  
• Heat (98.6 degrees Fahrenheit/37 degree Celsius) can cause the honey to decrease or lose its medicinal properties
• Do not store honey in metal containers³

Honey Used in Medicine

Digestion

• Honey can be used to solve tummy problems, such as shortening the duration of diarrhea from gastroenterisitis (Salmonella, Shigella, and E. coli)^2,1
• It helps the body absorb sodium and water²
• It can reduce gastric acid; hence it can be used to treat gastric ulcers²

Wounds and Abscesses:

• Honey works with a wide variety of wounds, such as: abrasion, abscess, amputation, bed sores, burns, chill blains, burst abdominal wound, cervical ulcers, cracked nipples, diabetic ulcers, fistulas, leprosy ulcers, varicose ulcers, sickle cell ulcers, surgical wound or wounds to abdominal wall and perineum¹
• Honey is a “non-irritating, non-toxic, self-sterile, bactericidal, nutritive, easily applied and more comfortable than other dressings”²
• It helps speed up the healing process and prevents infection. Please note that wounds heal better when honey is applied on the bandages rather than the wounds themselves¹

Diabetes:

• Studies found that “sucrose or honey at breakfast have no additional acute hypoglycaemic effect over and isoglucocidic amount of bread in type II diabetic patients”²
• Honey, although mostly sugar, has a lower glycemic index for those with diabetes¹

Other treatments:

• Gluconic acid (from glucose) in honey promotes calcium absorption¹
• Candidiasis (Candida albicans) also have been found to react to honey (this includes ringworm and athletes foot)¹
• Honey may be used as a treatment for blepharitis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, corneal injuries and chemical and thermal burns to the eyes (may cause stinging)¹
• It is also good for athletes before and after resistance training¹

 Honey fights against and/or kills

• Bacillus anthracis¹ (causes anthrax)
• Candida albicans²/ C. pseudotropicalis²/ C. stellatoidea²/ C. tropicalis² (different types of yeast infections)
• Clostridium perfingens² (can cause food poisoning)
• Corynebacterium diptheriae¹ (causes diphtheria)
• E. coli² (causes digestive problems, urinary tract infections-UTI)
• E. Faecalis² (can cause problems in the urinary tract, heart, bloodstream, stomach/intestines, and skin wounds)
• Haemophilus influenzae¹ (Causes cellulitis, osteomyelitis, epiglottitis, and infectious arthritis)
• Klebsiella pneumoniae¹ (Causes pneumonia, urinary tract infections, degenerative inflammatory arthritis, whole body inflammation – septicemia, and soft body infections)
• Listeria monocytogenes¹ (Causes listeriosis)
• Mycobacterium tuberculosis¹ (Causes the “white plague” or tuberculosis)
• Pasteurella multicoda¹ (Causes zoonotic infections)
• Proteus mirabilis^2,1 (Causes urinary tract infections)
• Ps. aeruginosa²/Psuedomonas aeruginosa¹ (Causes urinary tract infections, respiratory infections, dermatitis, soft tissue infections, bacteremia, bone and joint infections, and gastrointestinal infections)
• Salmonella² (diarrhea, typhi)¹ (Causes food poisoning)
• Serratia marcescens¹ (causes generic infections of wounds, urinary tract infections, respiratory and eye infections)
• Shigella^2,1 (Causes diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps)
• Staphylococcus aureus¹/ S. aureus² (Causes skin and soft tissue infections—boils, furuncles, and cellulitis. It can also cause bloodstream infections, pneumonia, bone and joint infections)
• Streptococcus² (faecalis, mutans, pneumonia, and pyogenes)¹ (pneumonia, dental caries, strep throat, endocarditis, erysipelas, meningitis, and necrotizing fasciitis)
• Vibrio cholerae¹ (Causes cholera)

 Adverse Honey Properties

• Honey may cause stinging upon some topical applications (otherwise soothing) ¹
• Some people might have a rare allergy to honey and therefore should avoid it¹
• Excessive honey may lead to tissue dehydration¹
• Children less than a year should not eat honey because of the spores – botulinum endospores – which older children and adults can digest³
• Diabetics should always check with their doctors about any foods that might affect their blood sugar levels (whether consumed or applied¹
• Honey intoxication can result if honey is produced from oleanders, rhododendrons, mountain laurels, sheep laurel, and azaleas³

References

¹Bansal, V., Medhi, B., & Pandhi, P. (2005). Honey—a remedy rediscovered and its therapeutic utility. Kathmandu University Medical Journal, 3(3), 305-309.

²Jeffrey, A. E., & Echazarreta, C. M. (1996). Medical uses of honey. Rev Biomed, 7(1), 43-49.
³Wiki. Retrieved September 13, 2012 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey

Sweet!

Related Postings:

Probiotics

Diet Fads

Dr. Bill's Hiccups
Sweets and Sugars