You Should Eat Honey: Here’s Why

Let’s get it out of the way really fast: You should eat honey.

This is a website on animal-based eating first and foremost.  I do advocate cutting out sugars and grains as much as possible.  If there’s one exception I would be willing to make, it’s honey.

I believe we were meant to eat edible animals and their by-products.  We’re at the top of the food chain for a reason.  We’re fortunate to be there, and we should take advantage of that fortune.  Not because we can, or should, but because of how we can benefit, as human beings.

Does honey have carbs?  Yes.  But I will expand on why we should take more of a serious look at honey.

I got to thinking about it on a recent Paul Saladino, MD podcast where he discussed the health benefits of honey.  Despite being an unapologetic nose-to-tail carnivore, he advocates eating honey.  Basically, there is no link to honey and diabetes in already healthy people.

The health benefits of honey

First things first.  Honey is rich in antioxidants.

 

What are antioxidants?  From Healthline:

“Antioxidants are molecules that fight free radicals in your body.

Free radicals are compounds that can cause harm if their levels become too high in your body. They’re linked to multiple illnesses, including diabetes, heart disease, and cancer.

Your body has its own antioxidant defenses to keep free radicals in check.

However, antioxidants are also found in food, especially in fruits, vegetables, and other plant-based, whole foods. Several vitamins, such as vitamins E and C, are effective antioxidants.

Antioxidant preservatives also play a crucial role in food production by increasing shelf life.”

Think of free radicals in your body as the so-called bad seeds in society.  If left unchecked, free radicals can and will destroy everything they can.  Antioxidants are both judge and enforcer: finding these bad elements and limiting their destruction.  Antioxidants are a justice system for your body.

How do those antioxidants help?

For one, honey can lower your blood pressure if you have a problem keeping it within acceptable boundaries.  According to the book, The Healing Powers of Honey, author Cal Orey cites carbohydrates called oligosaccharides as having the key antioxidant effect on regulating healthy blood pressure.

Cholesterol is another condition that can be lessened by the usage of honey.

Antioxidants called flavinoids basically make LDL molecules lose electrons.  Electrons lead to oxidation, and honey helps to prevent that oxidation.

Even more importantly, honey can help lower triglycerides.  Triglycerides are an artery-clogging fat in the bloodstream.

Honey has other healing properties, such as helping wounds and burns heal more quickly.  The honey can be applied topically.

Honey also contains small amounts of all nine essential amino acids.

Honey and its relationship to diabetes

There isn’t one.

As pointed out by Dr. Saladino in a recent podcast of his, honey can help balance out your Omega 6:3 ratio.  Honey did not adversely affect Dr. Saladino’s blood glucose, in spite of it being a carb.

Carbs aren’t inherently bad–the linoleic acid is believed to be what causes diabetes.  Carbs just often happen to be a vehicle for linoleic acid; kind of like blaming the fire department for the fire because they’re at the scene.

Can I just eat any ol’ honey?

No.  You have to be insistent on raw honey.  Raw, unfiltered honey.

Insist on it being local honey.  It just makes sense.  The bees collect pollen from local plants and take it back to their local hives, therefore producing a local product.

For allergy sufferers, you’re eating an after product of the same pollen that is causing your allergies.  Quercetin is a natural component of honey, which helps your immune system and can lower inflammation.

You can get local honey in a variety of places.  The flea market usually a vendor.  You can buy it online.  Smaller retail outlets may have it.

It’s likely there’s a place near you.  Click here to find out.

How much honey should I eat?

Although honey is an animal-based by-product, you shouldn’t just eat it without limit.

Animal-based eating is a good way to ensure you don’t go overboard on carbs, and honey is laden with carbs.

In small doses, honey is very good for you.  You should eat no more than 10 teaspoons of honey under any circumstance.  Even that is a lot.

How much should you eat?  Some people swear by a teaspoon of honey before bed.  In addition to some of the good things I wrote about earlier, it can also help you sleep.  It can even help suppress your appetite and help your body burn fat for a longer period of time.

The health benefits of honey really are nearly endless.

But remember the saying: everything in moderation.

Remember moderation

Yes, honey is animal-based.

It has enormous benefits.

Honey is really to be looked at in a medicinal fashion.  Don’t look at honey as a snack.  You sure as heck should look at it as a binge-eating item.

One teaspoon should do the trick.  Maybe a second teaspoon in the morning to get through the day.

Check it out and see how it works out for you.

Let us know in the comment box below if you eat honey as part of a regimen.  Let us know what benefits you derive from honey.