Honey/Madhu - Health benefits, application, chemical constituents, side effects and many more

 


Honey /Madhu- The delicious aroma


yellowish liquid that is produced by honey bees is honey. It is a sweet, viscous food substance made by honey bees. Bee's honey is one of the most valued and appreciated natural substances known to mankind since ancient times. The medicinal properties of honey have been known since ancient times. There are many types of bee's honey mentioned in Ayurveda. According to Modern scientific view, the best bee's honey is made by Apis mellifera Capensis. Honey produced by this varieties of honey bees is the best-known, due to its worldwide commercial production and human consumption.

Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants(i.e floral nectar) or from secretions of other insects(such as honeydew), by regurgitation, enzymatic activity, and water evaporation. Bees store honey in wax structures ca......................read more

It shows Antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative, anticancer, and antimetastatic effects. honey could be considered as a natural therapeutic agent for various medicinal purposes.  It is used as a nutritious, easily digestible food for weak people. It promotes semen and mental health. Aged honey is used to treat vomiting, diarrhea, rheumatoid arthritis, obesity and diabetes mellitus. Honey is highly popular in cosmetic treatment. 
          - Maximum limit for intake of Honey : 4-5 teaspoon/day



Formation of Honey


The saliva of Apis mellifera gets mixed with the nectar and is converted into dextrose and levulose by the action of invertase. Then it is regurgitated into the comb cells and gets dehydrated by the synchronised movement of the bees. It is s......................read more




Some special points


• The water activity (WA) of honey is between 0.56 and 0.62.

 PH value is almost 3.9

• Honey was utilized as a natural sweetener from ancient period since it hl......................read more



Nutritional value of Honey


Pure honey also consists of flavonoids, polyphenols, reducing compounds, alkaloids, glycosides, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone, and volatile compounds.

• All of the water-soluble vitamins exist in honey, with Vitamin C being the most frequent. 

• Approximately 31 variable minerals have been found in honey, including all of the major minerals, such as phosphorus, sodium, calcium, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and chlorine. With this it also includes some rare minerals such as silicon (Si), rubidium (RB), vanadium (V), zirconium (Zr), lithium (Li), and strontium (Sr). 

• volatile compounds of honey are generally low but include aldehydes, alcohols, hydrocarbons, ketones, acid esters, benzene and its derivatives, pyran, terpene and its derivatives, norisoprenoids, as well as sulfur, furan, and cyclic compounds.

• Some bioactive compounds, including galangin, quercetin, kaempferol, luteolin, and isorhamnetin, are present in all types of honey whereas naringenin and hesperetin are found only in specific varieties.

• Flavonoids and polyphenols, which act as antioxidants, are two main bioactive molecules present in honey.
               - phenolic and flavonoid compounds in honey consist of gallic acid, syringic acid, ellagic acid, benzoic acid, cinnamic acid, chlorogenic a......................read more



Antioxidant effect:


Highly reactive ingredient drive from oxygen which named free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated during metabolism. These ingredients interact with lipids and protein components in the cell membranes, enzymes as well as DNA. These damaging reactions may lead to various diseases, damage and aging. Fortunately, antioxidants intercept free radicals before they can do daml......................read more



Types of Honey

1) Comb honey – taken directly from the bee wax comb and stored as it is.
2) Liquid honey – the wax cappings are cut and combs are processed in honey centrifuge extractor.
3) Granulated honey  – honey is frozen, water elements are separated, leaving beh......................read more




Properties and Benefits

#Properties
• Madhura – sweet
• Kashaya Anurasa – astringent sub taste
• Rooksha – dry
• Sheetala – coolant
• Improves appetite and digestive fire (Agnideepanam)
• Varnyam – Improves skin complexion
• Svarya – lmproves voice quality
• Laghu – light to digest
• Sukumara – improves softness of skin
• lekhanam – scraps the inner side of the channels 
  hrudya– Good for heart 
• Vajikarana – aphrodisiac
• Sandhana – heals wounds and fractures quickly
• shodhanam ropanam – Cleanses and heals 
• chakshushyam – Good for eyes
• Prasadhana – improves skin qualities
• sookshma marganusari – Penetrates deep into  body channels
• vishaprashamanam – Natural detox agent 
• Chakshushya – good for the eyes (vision),
• Pitta shleshmahara – Balances Pitta and Kapha
• Medohara – useful in obesity
• Chedi – breaks up har......................read more




Uses, Remedies, Benefits and Application


1) Honey with cold water is used in Insomnia.

2) Honey with warm barley water is used in constipation and indigestion.

3) Applied externally along with ghee in wounds, burns, scalds and non-healing ulcers.
              - honey makes wounds sterile in less time, enhances healing, and doesn’t leave as much scarringHoney induces leukocytes to release cytokines, which is what begins the tissue repair cascades

4) Externally applied along with lime in headache, abdominal colic, bruises and sprains.

5) Honey with juice extract of neem or giloy or Daruharidra is used in jaundice.


6) Honey can heal lesions from herpes just as quickly as ointments you find at a pharmacy, and it’s even better at reducing itchiness.

7) Honey is very good for eyes and eyesight.
             Intake : 10 ml of honey mixed with 10 ml of carrot juice and consumed regularly will improve eyesight.


8) Honey is good for improving appetite, especially in children.

9) stop premature aging
Intake : Mix 4 tablespoons of honey, one teaspoon Cinnamon, 3 cups of water and leave a boil. Addressing 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day.

10) Apply fresh bee's honey directly on wounds and burns.

11) Place a spoonful of honey with two tablespoons of warm water, one teaspoon cinnamon, Make the dough and rub the affected area, the pain due to arthritis will disappear within minutes. With this you should drink warm water with 2 tablespoon of honey and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.


12)  Face wash: Mix a small quantity of lemon juice into 5ml of bee's honey and apply on face before washing. 


14) Facial to improve smoothness: A tablespoon of honey whisked together with white of an egg, 1 teaspoon of glycerin and 1/4 cup of flour makes an excellent firming mask. Just smooth on the face, leave on 15 min, and rinse off with warm water.

15) Naturally darker honey has greater antioxidant properties. Acetic, Butanoic, Formic, Citric, Succinic, Lactic, Malic, Pyroglutamic, Gluconic acids and a number of aromatic acids are found in honey. Bee's honey is free of Cholesterol.

16) In the morning, gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water, so breath stays fresh throughout the day. It maintains dental hygiene and cleanliness of the smell of the mouth.

17) Cough: Mix equal parts maricha and pippali. Along honey. Lick from a spoon.

18) Allergies: Take ½ teaspoon of honey and turmeric in the morning.

19) Hair luster: Mix 5ml of bee's honey into 4 cups of warm water. Use as a hair rinse.

20) Conditioner: Mix 10 ml of olive oil into 5ml of bee's honey and apply on hair. Wash after 15 min.

21) The regular use of honey per day with cinnamon strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viruses. Honey contains many vitamins and iron. The daily use of honey streng.....................read more




Types and qualities of Honey according to Sushruta samhita


• Makshika honey is collected by large honey bees. It isLaghu (lighter than Kshaudra), Ruksha (Dry), It's useful in Kamla (Jaundise) Arsha (Piles) Kshata (Phithis) Kasa (Cough) diseases. It is the best and especially beneficial in diseases like Asthma.

• Bhramara honey is collected by large bees. This honey is Guru (heavy - not easily digested) because of its Picchila(Slimy) and Ati Swadu (excessively sweet) properties. It is Rakta Pitta shamak.

• Kshaudra honey is collected by medium sized honey bees. It is Sheeth (Cold), Laghu (light - easy to digest) and Lekhana (Anti-obesive). It is the best and especially beneficial in diseases like Prameha (Diabetes).

• Pauttika honey is collected by very large bees from the nectar of poisonous flowers. It is Ruksha (Dry), Ushna(Hot), it increases Vata, Rakta and Pitta, and this is also Chedana (liquefaction). It produces burning sensation in the chest. It is also a sedative and reduces fat. It is useful in disease like Diabetes and Dysuria.

• Chatra honey is Madhura (Sweet after digestion), Guru(heavy), Sheetha (Cold) and Picchila (Slimy). It cures bleeding disorders, leucoderma (Shwitra), urethritic discharges and worm infestations.

• Arghya honey is bene.....................read more
                                        


Caution:

  1. Do  not  eat  honey  in  excess  quantity  due  to  its properties -heavy,  rough,  astringent  and  cold.  If taken  in  excessive  quantity,  produced  a  condition called Madhvama(a situation called indigestion of honey in Ayurveda) no other kind of indigestion is more  difficult  to  treat  than  that  caused  by  honey because    of    the    need    of    opposite    kinds    of treatment.   Hence   it   is   very   severe   and   kills immediately like poison.
  2. Honey  should  not  be  heated,  or  mixed with  hot foods. Also should not be consumed when you are working in hot environment where you are exposed to more heat or during hot seasons. Honey includes  nectar of various flowers of which some  may  be  poisonous.  Poison  has  hot  or Ushnaqualities. When honey is mixed with hot and spicy foods  the  poisonous  properties  get  enhanced  and cause imbalance of Doshas.
  3. Honey  and  water,  honey  and  ghee,  mixed  in  equal quantities  should  not  be  consumed. as  it  has been  proved  that  heating  of  honey  reduces  the specific  gravity  with  a  subsequent  rise  in  its  ash value,  pH,  HMF  (hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde), browning,  phenolics,  and  antioxidant  activity.  The mixing     of     honey     with     ghee     brings     about enhancement    in    browning,    antioxidants    and specific     gravity     without     altering     the     food consumption  and  organ  weight  of  the  rats.  The study  revealed  that  heated  honey  (>1400C)  mixed with   ghee   produces   HMF   which   may   pro.....................read more



Note: 1) Honey is an excellent co drink for many Ayurvedic medicines. It acts as a catalyst and helps to deliver medicines to the target area at a faster rate.

           2) According to Sushruta, mature honey eliminates vitiated Tridosha while immature honey vitiates Tridosha and is sour in taste.

           3) Honey has a laxative effect on the digestion system of an individual and helps provide relief from constipation.

           4) old honey means one year old. Old honey is useful against cholesterol, fat tissue and obesity. So, wherever you expect absorbent and fat burning effects, old honey is the best to use. 
             - Take a few kilograms of honey, Fill it in mud pots up to 80% of pots’ capacity, seal it tightly. Keep it in a dry areaa nd keep away from sun exposure for one year. 

           5) Crystallisation of honey occurs as a natural process due to the separ.....................read more



Adulterants:

Honey  is  adulterated  with  cane  sugar, corn    syrup   and   artificial    invert sugar    which    are obtained   by   acid   hydrolysis   of   sucrose.   The   sugar contains  furfural  which  gives  red  color  with  resorcinol in  presence  of  hydrochloric  aci.....................read more


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Refrance : 

1) NCBI honey, 
2) chark samhita, 
3) Wikipedia, 
4) pubmed,
5) international research journal of pharmacy
6) sciencedirect.com
7) Ayujournal : an international quarterly journal of Ayurveda
8) Sushruta samhita
9) science daily
10) Bhojana Kutuhalam
11) Bhaishajya Ratnavali
12) J Apither ● 2017 ● Vol 2 ● Issue 1
13) IJAPR | September2015 | Vol 3 | Issue 9 ; ISSN: 2322 -0902
14) Ashtang sangraha
15) Kaideva nighantu  
16) Int. Res. J. Pharm. 2013, 4 (3)




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