Honey Really Healthier Than Sugar?

Centuries, honey is believed to be the panacea in many traditions around the world. Some are using it as a medicine, some are making a recipe for eternal youth. Is it true that honey is safe and beneficial to anyone?

The benefits of honey are very abundant, but that does not mean there is no risk at all. In some conditions, the honey does not provide more benefits and even sometimes even cause diseases that can be life-threatening.

Advantages and disadvantages when compared with honey sugars are as follows, as quoted from Livestrong, Wednesday (23/02/2011).

1. Medicinal honey
A study published in Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine in 2007 proved the efficacy of honey in treating coughs in children aged 2-18 years. Giving a spoonful of honey every night before bed effectively cope with infections of the airways that causes coughing.

Other properties are the content of antioxidants, which keep the body's cells from damage caused by the effects of aging. Therefore, it is not wrong if some people think honey is the recipe for those who want to stay young.

2. Honey gives more energy
In the same amount, one teaspoon of honey is able to devote more energy which is about 21 calories while sugar is only 15 calories. to produce the same level of sweetness, honey is also only needs to be given in smaller amounts than sugar.

Not only calories and sweetness, honey is also rich in vitamins, especially B-1, B-2, B6 and C. In addition, honey also contains minerals such as calcium, posphor, potassium, zinc and copper with different compositions depending on the type of honey.

3. Honey instead of sugar substitute for diabetes
Just like sugar, honey can also increase blood sugar levels in people with diabetes so that should not be consumed in excess. Excerpted from the Mayo Clinic, there is no scientific evidence has brought more benefits of honey as a sugar substitute for people with diabetes.

4. Honey is not good for babies
Although generally safe for anyone, honey is not recommended for infants younger than 1 year. The risk of giving honey to children that age is a deadly botulism, due to clostridium bacteria that exist in honey easy to breed in the baby's stomach.