Honey

Ever thought of replacing the sugar in your coffee with honey? I was recently at a coffee shop where they had honey next to the sugar. Though they probably intended it for the tea, I put in my coffee. It didn't taste any different than the sugar, and I started wondering what this simple little switch would do. I did a lot of research, and found some cool stuff out. Thought I would share. Enjoy...

Five benefits of honey...

1. Honey is nature’s energy booster.

2. Honey is a great immunity system builder. Eating local honey helps significantly reduce your sensitivity to allergies in your area. Nashville peeps: Loveless Cafe has good local honey.

3. Honey is a natural remedy for some ailments.

4. Honey has certain beneficial antioxidant and antimicrobial properties which are not present in table sugar, which can help improve digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease.

5. Honey has a healthy Glycemic Index (GI), meaning that its sugars can be gradually absorbed into the bloodstream to result in better digestion, as opposed to table sugar.

Honey Versus Sugar (All info is from http://www.benefits-of-honey.com)...

1. In this calorie obsessed society, many people opt for table sugar because it has fewer calories. Or even worse, artificial sweeteners. CALORIES ARE NOT EVERYTHING!
One tablespoon of table sugar or sucrose contains 46 calories, while one tablespoon of natural sweetener honey has 64 calories. Though honey may have more calories, you typically use less honey since it is sweeter. As a result, you may in fact consume even less amount of calories that you would with sugar.

2. It satisfies your sweet tooth... In the long run even though honey is more expensive, it may be more economical than table sugar to satisfy that sweet tooth. There are 10 teaspoons of table sugar in one can of coke, and 7 teaspoons in a chocolate bar. One small tsp of honey a day will come out less expensive in the long run.

3. When bees make honey, they add a special enzyme that divides the sucrose into two simple sugars for our body to absorb directly (glucose and fructose). Table sugar is simply sucrose, and our stomach has to use its own enzymes to separate the molecules apart before we can use the energy. This is why honey has a healthier Glycemic Index (GI) than sugar. (The GI measures the negative impact of a given food on the blood-glucose level. The lower the GI rating, the slower the absorption of sugars into the bloodstream, which promotes a more gradual and healthier digestion process.

4. Unlike honey, table sugar lacks minerals and vitamins (hence the term empty calories). Therefore, your body uses it's own nutrients to metabolize sugar into the system. I have always heard that sugar can "deplete you of nutrients," but I wasn't sure what that meant. When these nutrients are all used up, they aren't available for the necessary task of metabolizing undesirable cholesterol and fat, which can lead to higher cholesterol and obesity due b/c the fatty acids not absorbed just settle on the organs and tissues. This is why you can be overweight and malnourished all at the same time.


My favorite honey...


Raw Honey - An Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal Substance

I really like Raw Honey. If you have never tried it, it is worth the few extra dollars ($8.50 for 16 oz on line). It goes a long way, and is FABULOUS. Raw honey has even more nutrients because basically you are eating it straight out of the hive without processing. Researchers have discovered that nutrients in raw honey prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two cancer causing enzyme. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated. They sale it at Whole Foods. If you can't afford it or can't find it, go for regular local honey. It's still VERY nutritious and beneficial for your health.