Honey is sweet and flavorful and packed with health benefits our bodies can enjoy. In this article, let’s dive deeper into the goodness that is honey water!
Table Of Contents
−- What is hot honey water?
- Health benefits of drinking honey water
- 1. Aids in weight loss
- 2. Maintains your body’s hydration
- 3. Enhances digestive health
- 4. Stronger immune system
- 5. Prevents allergies
- 6. Energy booster
- 7. Relieves sore throat and cough
- 8. Flushes out toxins
- 9. Prevents gassy issues
- 10. Lowers cholesterol levels
- 11. Cures a hangover
- 12. It helps to keep heart disease at bay.
- 13. Aids in healing
- 14. The skin clears and becomes clean
- 15. Decreases inflammation
- 16. Dandruff Treatment
- 17. Good night’s sleep
- Honey’s disadvantages and hazards
- Is honey in hot water poisonous?
- So, can I drink honey water every day?
- Tips for making the best hot honey water
- FAQs
What is hot honey water?
Hot honey water is a simple yet powerful drink made from honey and warm water. It is one of the oldest home remedies and has been used for centuries to improve digestion, reduce inflammation, and even soothe a sore throat.
Combining honey and warm water makes for a soothing and comforting drink. Honey has natural antibacterial and antifungal properties, which help to keep the body healthy. It also contains vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which can help to keep the body functioning optimally. Drinking hot honey water can provide a range of health benefits and can be easily prepared at home.
Health benefits of drinking honey water
There are numerous benefits to drinking hot honey water regularly. This natural remedy can help to improve your overall health, as well as provide relief from certain illnesses. The components of honey and warm water work together to create a powerful remedy for many ailments. Honey has antibacterial properties, which can help reduce inflammation, while the water’s warmth can also help reduce soreness and pain.
Hot honey water is also beneficial for digestive health, stimulating the digestive system and helping to break down food more effectively. This drink can also help to lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Drinking hot honey water can also help to boost the immune system and increase energy levels. Finally, this drink can also help to reduce stress and provide a calming effect.
Honey is known to have the following properties:
- Anti-inflammatory
- Antioxidant
- Antimicrobial
- Antiviral
- Antifungal
- Anticancer
- Antidiabetic
Moreover, here are more health benefits your body can enjoy from honey water consumption:
1. Aids in weight loss
First off, water consumption is known to boost our metabolism and makes us feel fuller. That alone helps in shedding some pounds. Now throw honey and lemon into the mix; your water will increase fat-burning capability.
Experts suggest consuming honey water on an empty stomach first thing in the morning to reap the maximum benefits. Also, you may drink honey water when you’re craving sugary sodas and sweetened drinks. A 12 oz. can of soda with 30g sugar has 110 calories, while honey and lemon water only holds 25.
2. Maintains your body’s hydration
Another excellent advantage of warm water and honey is that they both have moisturizing effects. As a result, if you drink this cocktail first thing in the morning, your body will naturally keep hydrated throughout the day.
This also speeds up the fat-burning process, resulting in faster weight loss. When your body is hydrated, all of your other critical systems begin to function much more effectively, which is a terrific place to start on your journey to a healthy mind and body.
3. Enhances digestive health
Water and honey can enhance the digestive process. Honey water is known to help with an upset stomach, and consuming it before meals helps tremendously with digestion.
4. Stronger immune system
Not all honey is the same, and we’re better off consuming a raw organic one than any pasteurized options in the market. Raw honey holds antimicrobial power and is riched in essential minerals and vitamins.
The Society of General Microbiology in the United Kingdom found that Manuka honey can reverse antibiotic resistance. Also, it houses antioxidants that fight off free radicals and diseases.
5. Prevents allergies
Honey also houses some anti-allergic properties. Unlike most allergic medications like Claritin, which reduces allergy symptoms, honey water actually aids our body to acclimate to the allergens, especially pollens decreasing the susceptibility to various allergens.
6. Energy booster
Since honey water will keep you hydrated, it will also significantly boost your energy levels! Think of yourself as a houseplant. A houseplant that has not enough hydration loses beauty and gets droopy.
On the other hand, a hydrated houseplant blooms and emits energy. The same goes for humans. Since raw honey is a great source of carbohydrates and simple sugars, you can expect it to help increase energy levels.
7. Relieves sore throat and cough
Drinking a warm glass of honey water with two tablespoons of raw honey is a great home remedy for sore throat and irritating cough. To maximize the benefits, sip the beverage slowly.
However, you should remember that honey should not be given to infants less than a year old. This is because honey houses a Clostridium botulinum bacterium that did not fare well with infants. But honey water is a great remedy for people over a year old, and kids love it more than those cough syrups.
8. Flushes out toxins
Regular consumption of honey water eradicates toxins in your system. Try consuming one for a week, and you’ll see differences such as glowing skin and an enhanced bowel movement. You can also throw some lemon into the mix to make your drink healthier!
9. Prevents gassy issues
Warm honey water can soothe that bloatedness as honey is known to neutralize the gas. Honey also has antiseptic properties that fight off acidity since honey promotes mucus production, which neutralizes acidity. Also, honey water keeps the colon hydrated, which can help improve bowel movement.
10. Lowers cholesterol levels
As per a research study, honey consumption decreases LDL, a.k.a. bad cholesterol, levels by 6-11% and lowers triglycerides by up to 11%. Not only that! Honey can also increase HDL levels, which is the good cholesterol that helps prevent blood clot formation Honey is good for the heart!
11. Cures a hangover
It’s a familiar sensation… a heavy head, uncontrollable thirst, waves of nausea, and hypersensitivity to light and noise? It’s that awful hangover! Don’t worry; honey is on the way to save you.
Because fructose helps speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver, a few tablespoons of honey will assist in speeding up your body’s metabolism and help you beat that hangover.
According to the NYU Langone Medical Center, consuming honey orally can “improve the body’s ability to metabolize alcohol, hence minimizing drunkenness and lowering alcohol blood levels more rapidly.”
12. It helps to keep heart disease at bay.
Consumption of natural honey boosts polyphonic antioxidants in the blood, which helps avoid heart illnesses.
Evidence suggests that vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, may reduce the risk of cancer, heart disease, strokes, and cataracts and may slow the aging process, according to National Honey Board.
13. Aids in healing
Because of its antibacterial characteristics, honey has long been used to treat wounds and burns. It has been shown in lab experiments to have potent antibacterial activity against various bacteria. More research is needed to determine whether it has the same effect on humans.
Some honey has been used to treat burns, skin ulcers, and inflammation. It has also been used successfully on skin transplants.
14. The skin clears and becomes clean
Its antimicrobial characteristics aid in keeping the skin clean and fresh. When combined with lemon, the combo aids blood purification and boosts blood cell production.
15. Decreases inflammation
From acne to small scrapes and bruises, the anti-inflammatory ingredients in a glass of warm water with honey can help reduce swelling and inflammation.
Furthermore, the antibacterial characteristics inhibit the spread of microorganisms and lower the likelihood of illness. So, if you have acne-prone skin or skin that bruises easily, we recommend using this magical potion regularly and seeing the effects for yourself!
16. Dandruff Treatment
Honey can provide brief comfort to the scalp by targeting dandruff, according to a 2001 study published in the European Journal of Medical Research. According to the research, applying honey diluted with 10% warm water to problem areas and letting it on for three hours before rinsing resulted in itch relief and no scaling within a week. Skin blemishes healed in two weeks, and patients’ hair loss improved.
17. Good night’s sleep
Consuming warm honey water before bedtime can pave the way for a restful eight hours of sleep. The scientific reason for this is that honey restocks the liver with glycogen, preventing crisis triggers in the rain.
Also, the natural sugar in honey aids in the increase of insulin levels, which will result in tryptophan entering your brain. Then, this is transformed into niacin or vitamin B3, which plays a vital role in serotonin production. Now serotonin is a requirement in the production of melatonin, which is also known as the sleep hormone.
Yes, a good night’s sleep without feeling sluggish the morning after. Thanks to honey water!
Honey’s disadvantages and hazards
The following are some of the most common downsides and hazards connected with honey:
A lot of calories
One tablespoon of honey contains 64 calories, which is more than one tablespoon of sugar, which contains 49 calories per tablespoon.
Infant botulism is a risk.
Not suitable for infants. Honey should not be given to babies under the age of one year. This is due to the risk of botulinum, a serious type of food poisoning.
The bacteria Clostridium botulinum causes botulism (C. botulinum). It causes the release of a neurotoxin, which is a poison that damages your neurological system.
In older children and adults, the spores that cause botulism in newborns are harmless. Infant botulism symptoms include:
Indigestion, overall weakness, and a weak cry
It can cause paralysis and be fatal, but it is quite rare.
The effect on blood sugar levels and the risk of sickness
Honey has the same effect on blood glucose levels as sugar. This is especially troubling for persons who have diabetes or insulin resistance.
Too much honey can also cause blood sugar problems in healthy persons, raising the risk of:
Obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease
Is honey in hot water poisonous?
But I heard adding honey to anything warm can be dangerous for you
In some alternative communities, it is claimed that when honey is heated, it becomes toxic. Certainly, high heat kills the enzymes included in raw honey, just as it kills the enzymes in fresh fruits and vegetables when they are cooked. However, this would not render it toxic.
Ayurvedic wisdom holds that honey becomes harmful when heated above 140 (or 104 – I’ve seen both numbers). Heating honey is considered to cause “Ama,” or undigested stuff in the body, which is thought to be the origin of the disease. This idea would be consistent with the common belief that all disease begins in the stomach.
According to a study published, honey becomes hazardous at 140 degrees. When honey is mixed with boiling milk or water, it becomes hot and poisonous.
Furthermore, experts have revealed that honey includes natural carbohydrates. The problem is that heating anything containing sugar might cause the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, or HMF, which is thought to be carcinogenic.
More on Ayurvedic knowledge, honey, and Ama
Ayurveda, a 5,000-year-old system of traditional diet and holistic treatment with roots in India’s Vedic culture, considers honey an essential medicine and nourishment. Both Tibetan medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine have Ayurvedic roots. Furthermore, many notions documented in traditional Ayurvedic medical literature stretching back thousands of years were adopted by early Greek medicine.
While Ayurveda recognizes honey’s many dietary and holistic benefits, the dietary rules of this ancient health system strongly warn against boiling it for any reason. The reasons are both practical and medical.
First, according to Ayurveda, boiling honey to 104°F/ 40°C or higher creates a negative chemical shift that causes it to become bitter and glue-like. Compared to other natural sweeteners such as unprocessed cane sugar or fruit, this makes it unsuitable for culinary application.
What does science say?
Science demonstrates that heating or frying honey damages it, removing many of its beneficial properties. This is concerning because the vast majority of honey sold in supermarkets has already been heated, whether or not you opt to cook with it at home!
The most noticeable difference between hot and raw honey is the loss of enzymes and probiotics. In addition, the temperature at which damage occurs is higher, according to research, than according to Ayurveda.
Rather than the Ayurvedic limit of 104°F/ 40°C, boiling honey to 118°F/ 48°C or higher causes undesirable chemical changes. Therefore, foods heated above this actual temperature, even for a short time, are said to be cooked or, more appropriately, dead.
Worryingly, a considerable increase in hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde (HMF) occurred in heated honey samples at only 140°F/60oC. The negative effects were amplified when the heated honey was mixed with ghee, prompting the authors to conclude that the rise in HMF “may create harmful effects and serve as a toxin in due course.”
What is the chemical formula for hydroxymethyl furfuraldehyde (HMF)?
HMF is almost non-existent in fresh food, but it is naturally produced in sugar-containing foods after heat treatments such as drying or cooking. HMF is generated in the Maillard reaction and during caramelization, along with numerous other flavor and color-related compounds.
It is also slowly produced in certain foods during preservation. Acidic environments aid the production of HMF. HMF is a well-known ingredient in baked goods. When the bread is toasted, the amount increases from 14.8 (5 min.) to 2024.8 mg/kg (60 min)
So, can I drink honey water every day?
Yes and no. There’s no reason for you to skip your honey water consumption.
So, here are some options for you.
Unless we are also avoiding all other hot carbs and coffee, there is no reason to forgo honey unless we reject all other Ayurvedic dietary advice.
Buying and ingesting raw or unprocessed honey is the best option. It may require more research and work, but nothing compares to the purity that raw honey can provide.
Raw honey is delicious in anything that is not heated above 110 degrees.
Honey provides numerous health benefits, such as increased skin health, metabolism, hydration, etc.
Even though it is natural, it contains a lot of sugar and calories, which can cause a lot of difficulties. As a result, it is better not to overdo it with honey and to drink it in moderation.
Tips for making the best hot honey water
Now that you know the benefits of drinking hot honey water, you’ll want to make sure you make the best-tasting and most beneficial beverage possible. The key to making the best hot honey water is to use quality ingredients and the right techniques. Here are some tips to help you make the most out of this healthful drink.
- Start by using filtered water. This will help to eliminate any contaminants that may be present in the water. Next, use organic raw honey. Raw honey is more nutritious and contains more of the beneficial compounds that make it so healthy.
- When heating the water, make sure never to bring it to a full boil. Boiling water can destroy some of the beneficial compounds in the honey, making it less nutritious. Bring the water to just below boiling, or around 140 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once the water is heated, add one to two teaspoons of raw honey. Stir it into the water until it is completely dissolved. If you like, you can also add a few drops of lemon or lime juice for extra flavor.
- Finally, allow the drink to cool for a few minutes before drinking it. This will help to prevent any burning in your throat as you swallow the hot liquid. Enjoy your hot honey water and reap the rewards of its health benefits!
FAQs
When should we drink honey-sweetened warm water?
Drinking warm water with honey first thing in the morning is highly recommended. You can also add lemon juice to this mixture to boost its effectiveness.
Can I drink honey with hot water during pregnancy?
Yes, it is safe to consume honey while pregnant.
Jay
Jay is a health and wellness enthusiast with expertise in water quality and nutrition. As a knowledgeable advocate for holistic well-being, Jay successfully manages Type 2 Diabetes through informed lifestyle choices. Committed to sharing reliable and authoritative insights, Jay combines firsthand experience with a passion for enhancing health."