1. It's The Only Food That Can Sustain Human Life By Itself
Surprisingly, honey contains every vitamin and nutrient needed to sustain human life, including vitamins B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, certain amino acids and minerals calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc along with around 18% water. Granted, eating nothing but honey for any extended period of time and your mental health may not fair so well, but physically you'll be just fine. It's also cholesterol and fat free, and its sugars are slowly absorbed into the body, making honey a great addition to a balanced diet.
2. It Can Cure a Cold and Heal a Wound
Honey has been used in the tropics for centuries to treat wounds, and was even used as an antiseptic in World War I. In modern times, it's even been proven to be effective on antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria where traditional solutions aren't. Sebastian A.J. Zaat, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Medical Microbiology at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam says "Honey or isolated honey-derived components might be of great value for prevention and treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria." The research has been able to isolate the defensin-1 protein as the active ingredient, which is a part of the bee's immune system that it adds to the honey. Good for you, bad for bacteria.
3. It Never Goes Bad
How does this help your health? Keeping some extra reserves around insures you'll always have a supply of nutritional food should you ever need it. Put some away when you're 20, and when you go looking for a late night snack 60 years later when you're 80, that honey you put away will still be as fresh, tasty, and healthy as when you stored it! Archaeologists have even found edible honey in 2,000 year old egyptian tombs. How is this possible? The high concentration of sugars, the acidity, and some of the bees added enzymes kill any bacteria that come into contact with it. Since foods usually go bad because of bacterial or fungal activity, the elimination of that lets honey last forever as long as it is in a sealed container. If the honey ever crystalizes, simply heat it up to get it back to normal. So next time you notice an expiration date on the jar of honey in your cupboard, think of it as more of a suggestion, or a reason from the manufacturer for you to buy more.
4. It's Rich in Antioxidants
When most people think antioxidant rich foods, they think berries. But honey is an often overlooked source full of disease fighting awesomeness. It's antioxidant properties destroy biologically destructive chemical agents that contribute to diseases such as cancer. A little in your coffee as a sugar substitute can go along way. It's why many cough drops and cold remedies contain honey. Research has also found that darker color honeys tend to contain more antioxidants than lighter color honeys. Not only do you get a great tasting natural food with honey, but you also get a better chance of staying healthy!
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