Many people with health issues stay away from honey because they fear its high sugar content. And while this may prove true to a certain extent, the various substances found in honey can help address many health issues. These include coughs, sore throat, and many others. Recent research, however, strongly suggests that honey promotes heart health.
Interestingly, people have used honey for thousands of years to help address many of the health issues science has recently started to agree with. In most instances, the best honey to use is raw honey with floral scents.
How Honey Promotes Heart Health
Many factors play a role in heart health. Honey may address many of them. The main reason for its beneficial effect on the heart is its strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Most heart issues result from the action of free radicals and inflammation.
Antioxidant And Anti-Inflammatory Function
Free radicals, over time, affect heart function. This could thus ultimately result in heart failure. At the same time, these free radicals can cause inflammation. Inflammation may encourage the growth of plaque in your arteries and thus the formation of blood clots. Blood clots forming in an artery in your heart may cause a heart attack. Similarly, if it occurs in the brain, you can get a stroke. Either could prove fatal.
Improved Blood Pressure
Certain compounds found in honey may help with artery dilation. In other words, they help arteries to relax. Because of this, blood flow to the heart becomes easier. As a result, honey may help lower blood pressure. Interestingly, you may see a difference in blood pressure levels within fifteen minutes of consuming a tablespoon of honey. What is more, this decrease may last up to half an hour or more. The improvement in blood pressure levels may coincide with a reduced heartbeat.
Red Blood Cell Count
Eating raw honey promotes heart health by increasing your red blood cell count. This is because it is high in vitamin C, vitamin A, vitamin B12, and iron. Together, these help with the formation of red blood cells. These blood cells also carry oxygen through your entire body, including the heart. A good supply of oxygen in your blood can reduce your heart’s workload as it does not have to work as hard to get oxygen to other parts of your body.
Cholesterol
Honey promotes heart health by addressing cholesterol levels. Your body needs cholesterol to make hormones, vitamin D, bile acid, cell walls, and the different tissues throughout your body. Having too much cholesterol, however, can promote heart disease. Honey can help stabilize cholesterol levels and reduce your bad cholesterol levels.
Prevent Cell Death
When your body no longer needs certain cells, the cells go through a process called apoptosis. In layman’s terms, they die off. Skin cells, for example, regularly die off and are replaced by new ones. Your body’s cells all have a pre-programmed lifespan.
Sometimes, however, cells die off accidentally, We call this process necrosis. Causes of necrosis include trauma to an area. Here, the contents of a cell may leak out and cause damage to cells in the immediate area. As a result, inflammation could occur. Other cells may also become damaged and die off.
Hindered blood flow and a lack of oxygen may also cause necrosis. Luckily, honey benefits heart health by promoting blood flow and oxygen distribution. In so doing, honey promotes cellular health and integrity.
How Much Honey Promotes Heart Health?
Two tablespoons of honey daily is enough to promote heart health. You can eat it in one sitting or use it to sweeten your warm drinks like tea or coffee instead of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Please note that processed or irradiated jars of honey do not have the same benefits as raw, floral honey.
Please note that people allergic to bee stings and diabetics should take caution when using honey. They should rather consult their healthcare provider before using this product.
In Closing
Honey promotes heart health in different ways. This means that you can use honey for its different heart health benefits even if you do not have a specific heart condition. You could also use it to reduce your risk of developing heart health issues.
