Winter Health Benefits of Honey: 12 Health-Promoting Remedies to Prevent Hypertension, Colds, and Diseases!

The "Shennong Bencao Jing" mentions that honey has the effects of "nourishing the five viscera, invigorating qi, relieving pain, detoxifying, curing various diseases, and harmonizing with other medicines, leading to a light and long life." Nowadays, honey has become a common food in people's daily lives, and people are aware of its therapeutic effects.

Honey is rich in nutrients, containing about 70% glucose and fructose, as well as proteins, minerals, organic acids, various vitamins, and substances such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, and phosphorus.

Therefore, honey's nutritional composition is extremely complex, with more than 180 identified substances, including:

01. Vitamins

Honey contains various vitamins, especially B vitamins, with 300-400 micrograms of B vitamins per 100 grams of honey.

02. Organic Acids

Honey contains various acids, including glucose acid, citric acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, formic acid, and malic acid. It also contains inorganic acids like phosphoric acid and hydrochloric acid.

03. Minerals

Although the mineral content in honey is not high, it contains a variety of beneficial minerals, such as potassium for physical and mental health, calcium for strong bones, phosphorus for brain health, and iron and copper for blood replenishment.

04. Enzymes

The amount of enzymes in honey, known as the enzyme value, is an important indicator of honey quality and indicates its maturity and nutritional value. These enzymes are added by bees during the honey-making process and come from bee saliva. The main enzyme is invertase, which converts sucrose in nectar into glucose and fructose. Other enzymes present include amylase, glucose oxidase, reductase, transaminase, phosphatase, and protease.

Therefore, honey is considered one of the best natural health products worldwide, with excellent nourishing effects.

In traditional Chinese medicine, honey is believed to have the effects of invigorating qi, nourishing the five viscera, harmonizing with other medicines, clearing heat, detoxifying, moisturizing, nourishing yin, calming the mind, and nourishing the heart. When combined with other foods or Chinese herbs, it can have even more therapeutic effects.

Honey's Therapeutic Methods:

Dryness and Excessive Internal Heat:

Steam a pear in water and add about 2 tablespoons of honey to achieve the effect of moisturizing the lungs and relieving dryness. Alternatively, stew Tremella fuciformis (silver ear fungus) in a soup and add an appropriate amount of honey to moisturize the lungs and relieve cough.

Constipation:

Cook 50-100 grams of rice porridge, add 200 grams of bananas, and an appropriate amount of honey when cooled. This can moisten the intestines and promote bowel movements.

Hypertension:

Take 100-150 grams of fresh celery, and an appropriate amount of honey. Clean the celery, mash it, extract the juice, and stew it with honey. Taking it once a day can effectively lower blood pressure.

Coronary Heart Disease:

Take 10 grams of Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen) and 10 grams of Polygonum multiflorum (He Shou Wu), decoct them, and mix the decoction with 1-2 tablespoons of honey. This can be helpful in treating coronary heart disease.

Low Immunity:

Add a teaspoon of honey to a glass of milk in the morning after waking up and before going to bed to enhance fatigue resistance and strengthen immunity. Alternatively, boil 10 grams of Ganoderma lucidum (lingzhi) in water, extract the juice, and add honey to enhance immunity. This is especially suitable for cancer patients after surgery. In addition, soaking ginseng in water and adding a tablespoon of honey can invigorate and replenish qi.

Dry Eyes:

Steep 3 grams of chrysanthemum and 10 grams of goji berries in water, and add 2 tablespoons of honey to improve eyesight and nourish the liver and kidneys.

Excessive Menstrual Flow:

Cook a suitable amount of red dates with honey to make porridge. This can have the effect of nourishing blood and invigorating qi.

Sore Throat from a Cold:

Steep 5 grams of honeysuckle in water and add 2 tablespoons of honey to clear heat and soothe the throat. Alternatively, steep 10 grams of honeysuckle, 10 grams of Platycodon grandiflorus, and 10 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus in water, and add 2 tablespoons of honey to treat colds.

Restlessness and Irritability:

Cook 100 grams of lily bulb and 100 grams of glutinous rice porridge, and add honey before bedtime to nourish the heart and calm the mind. Alternatively, soak roses in water, add honey, and it can soothe the liver, invigorate qi, and improve mood.

Chronic Pharyngitis:

Steep 10 grams of Ophiopogon japonicus, 10 grams of Platycodon grandiflorus, and 3 grams of licorice in water, and add honey to help relieve chronic pharyngitis.

Beauty and Skincare:

Boil honey with bird's nest and drink it to achieve the effect of beauty and skincare. Additionally, making a face mask with honey and other ingredients like grape juice can also produce excellent skincare effects.

Lower Back Pain and Kidney Deficiency:

Cook 5 walnuts with 2 tablespoons of honey in water for 15 minutes. Consuming this mixture can tonify the kidneys and nourish the brain. Alternatively, stir-fry walnuts in oil until golden, add eggs, and then add honey. This can achieve the same effect.

The above therapeutic methods using honey are for reference only!