Putting off pounds with Poetry

I was just talking with Yumika about the fact that I add sugar to my spaghetti.  If its not sweet to me it just does nothing for my taste buds.  I add sweet basil but its just not enough.  I have cut back on how much sugar I use but I wanted to see what else I could go with instead of sugar.  So a friend of mine recommended I use honey instead.  I decided to make this my tip of the week.  It seems honey can be a good substitute for sugar. I just cant do the Splenda’s, or equals, the aftertaste makes me retch.  I haven’t prepared it yet, the spaghetti that is, but I use honey in my tea instead of sugar, my oatmeal, my cream of wheat and it taste good so I will prepare spaghetti this week and see how I like it.

So I did some research on honey and here’s what I found.

Benefits Of Honey

Honey is the name given to the sweet, yellowish liquid that is produced by honey bees. It has a taste that is distinctive from sugar and a nutritional value that is much higher than the latter. Honey is collected from a wide variety of flowers and forms the major source of food for the bees. It is stored in the hive of the bees and is used by them either in winters or when the food supply (flowers) is low. The bee-rearers extract the honey from the hives and thereafter, it is purified and sold in the market. Honey has been found to bestow a number of health and nutrition benefits on the users, some of which have been mentioned below. 

Nutritional Value of Honey

Given below is the amount of nutrients in 100 gm (3.5 oz) of honey: 

• Carbohydrates - 82.4 gm
• Sugars - 82.12 gm
• Dietary fiber - 0.2 gm  
• Protein - 0.3 gm
• Water - 17.10 gm
• Riboflavin (Vitamin B2) - 0.038 mg
• Niacin (Vitamin B3) - 0.121 mg
• Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5) - 0.068 mg
• Vitamin B6 - 0.024 mg
• Folate (Vitamin B9) - 2 μg
• Vitamin C - 0.5 mg
• Calcium - 6 mg
• Iron - 0.42 mg
• Magnesium - 2 mg 
• Phosphorus - 4 mg
• Potassium - 52 mg
• Sodium - 4 mg
• Zinc - 0.22 mg
• Energy - 300 kcal (1270 kJ)

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Honey

• Honey has a laxative effect on the digestion system of an individual and helps provide relief from constipation.
• Honey has been associated with treatment of persistent coughs and sore throat.
• Consumption of honey is believed to provide relief from diarrhea and dysentery.
• Honey has been found to have anti-bacterial properties, which seem to increase when it is diluted with water.
• Honey helps in cleansing blood and has positive effects on the regulation of blood circulation.
• Having antiseptic properties, honey is good for treating burns, infected surgical wounds and ulcers.
• Honey is easily digested by the most sensitive stomachs and helps kidneys and intestines function better.
• Honey is good for improving appetite, especially in children.
• Honey reduces the production of acid in the mouth and thus, is good for maintaining oral health.
• Being much lower in calories, as compared to sugar, and having a very low fat content, honey is good for those trying to lose weight.
• Honey, with properties to make the body heal faster, helps in convalescence.
• Majority of the allergies can be treated with raw honey.
• Taking 1 tsp of honey; mixed with juice of half lemon and added to a glass of hot water, in the morning helps reduce stomach pain.
• When used in the form of face packs, honey helps in rejuvenating the skin and also helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

Honey has been found to be beneficial for those suffering from:

• Anemia
• Asthma
• Baldness
• Fatigue and exhaustion
• Hay Fever
• Headaches & Migraine
• High Blood Pressure
• Infertility
• Insect Bites
• Insomnia
• Osteoporosis
• Paralysis
• Stress
• Tuberculosis