Is the honey we buy at a high price a waste of money?

Every time I post something related to honey, many friends ask me in the background:

Can honey really beautify the skin, moisturize the intestines, promote bowel movements, and help lose weight?

I heard that honey can be stored for more than 10 years. Is it true?

I heard that giving children honey can cause precocious puberty?

I heard that honey can lower blood sugar. Can it be given to diabetics?

Who can't eat honey?

This time we have simply sorted out all these issues and explained them clearly to everyone at once.

After reading, please remember to forward it to the loving family group!

01

Is honey a waste of money?

There are many effects of honey on the Internet: whitening and lightening spots, sterilizing and stopping diarrhea, relieving constipation and losing weight, relieving cough and moistening the lungs...

In fact, the main components of honey are a large amount of sugar (glucose, fructose), an appropriate amount of water, and a small amount of protein, organic acid, vitamins and other substances.

Strictly speaking, there is not much difference between honey and ordinary sugar, and naturally it does not have the magical effects that are rumored on the Internet.

for example:

Can drinking honey water help with bowel movements?

The dietary fiber content of honey (0.2g/100g) is negligible.

By this calculation, you would have to drink at least 140 cups of honey water to get the dietary fiber of 1 apple (2.1g/100g).

So drinking honey water cannot help you have a bowel movement.

Unless you are fructose intolerant, you may experience osmotic diarrhea due to honey, which gives you the illusion that honey can help with constipation.

Can applying honey on your face beautify your skin?

As we said at the beginning, the essence of honey is no different from white sugar, and naturally it does not have the magical effects of whitening, fading spots, and removing wrinkles.

In addition, honey contains a small amount of enzymes, so applying it directly on the face may cause allergies.

If you have sensitive skin, take note: don’t use honey as a facial mask!

Can drinking honey help you lose weight?

Let’s just say, as a food that is mostly sugar, how can it help you lose weight?

If you drink several cups a day, you may even gain weight.

If you really want to use honey to lose weight, there is only one way:

Just drinking water with a little bit of honey flavor may speed up your metabolism and help you lose weight.

So, if you spend a lot of money to buy honey and it has no effect, isn't that just a waste of money?

Not really. After all, the flavor of honey is incomparable to that of ordinary white sugar.

Different nectars have different aromas, and coupled with unique acidity, they taste unique.

By the way, honey has another magical effect!

If you have a severe cough, you can also drink some honey (remember not to dilute it).

Sticky honey, like cough syrup, can soothe the throat and relieve coughs.

(Warm reminder: Honey can only have a soothing effect. For severe coughs, it is recommended to seek medical attention.)

02

How long can honey be stored? Does it have a shelf life?

If it is a pre-packaged honey product, according to national standards, the shelf life must be marked.

Generally speaking, the shelf life marked is about 2 years.

We also consulted industry insiders, and they said: Generally, the water content of finished honey is relatively low, and if it is properly stored, 3 to 5 years is not a problem.

But if it tastes distinctly sour, it may mean that the honey has a high water content and has deteriorated during storage.

If this happens, it is recommended not to eat it.

03

How to store honey so that it can last longer?

Place it in a cool, ventilated and dark environment.

Normally, honey (unless it is crystallized honey, such as linden honey) does not need to be stored in the refrigerator. Too low a temperature will cause the honey to crystallize and affect the taste.

When taking honey, remember to use a clean, dry spoon to avoid bringing in moisture.

04

Does honey/royal jelly cause precocious puberty?

Honey

In fact, sex hormones cannot be detected in pollen or honey.

Pollen contains plant hormones, which are very different from animal hormones and therefore have no effect on the human body.

As for honey, it contains even fewer plant hormones.

So don't worry, honey itself will not cause precocious puberty.

Warm reminder: Although honey does not contain sex hormones, it is high in calories. Excessive consumption of high-calorie foods can also lead to precocious puberty in children.

When giving food to children, just give them the right amount and don’t feed them too much.

Royal Jelly

Royal jelly is the food eaten by the queen bee, also known as royal jelly.

Its main ingredient is egg white, which tastes very astringent and is not at all as delicious as honey.

Royal jelly contains a protein called Royalactin, which can promote the secretion of growth hormone in bees.

But this protein is not a hormone and has no effect on the human body.

05

Who should not drink honey?

Diabetic patients:

Honey has a high sugar content and cannot lower blood sugar. It can also easily cause blood sugar fluctuations and is not recommended for diabetic patients.

Hyperuricemia:

Honey is high in fructose, which promotes the synthesis of uric acid when metabolized in the body and aggravates hyperuricemia.

Infants under 1 year old:

Babies' intestines are not fully developed, and honey may contain botulinum toxin, the toxins produced may cause harm to the baby.

Therefore, it is recommended that children at least 1 year old should try honey.

Fructose intolerance:

Eating too much can cause diarrhea, so it is recommended to eat less.

After reading this, do you have a deeper understanding of honey?

If you have any other questions, please let us know in the comments!

Editor | Cai Cai

Design | Sour