Honey is a thick, golden-colored liquid produced by bees and other insects such as some bumblebees and wasps. It is extracted from the nectar of flowers that bees collect and store in their stomachs until they return to the hive.
This article shall guide you if honey is good for diabetes.
Honey also contains many vitamins and minerals, including iron, vitamin C, folic acid, magnesium, potassium, and calcium. It is also an antioxidant, which is a substance that prevents and slows down cell damage.
Because honey is a herbal sugar and a carbohydrate, it’s the simplest herbal sweetener for it to have an effect on your blood sugar in a few ways. When compared to desk sugar, however, it seems that honey has a smaller effect.
Raw Honey and Processed Honey
Also known as unfiltered honey, raw honey is harvested from a beehive and then filtered to remove impurities. Processed honey, on the other hand, goes through a filtration process. It is also pasteurized (exposed to high temperatures) to destroy yeast and give it a longer shelf life.
Processed honey is milder, but the filtering and pasteurization process removes some of its nutrients and antioxidants.
Nutritional Contents of Honey
1 tablespoon (21 grams) of honey contains:
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 0mg
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Calcium: 1.3mg
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 0.1g
- Potassium: 10.9mg
- Sugars: 17g
- Iron: 0.1mg
Health benefits of Honey
- Aids in blood sugar levels – First, honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, so it doesn’t trigger spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels and helps improve insulin sensitivity. Honey has also been shown to prevent excess weight gain, although it should be consumed in moderation.
- Helps in improving lipid profile – Honey lowers blood triglycerides and total LDL or “bad” cholesterol while raising HDL cholesterol. Cholesterol is a substance found in the body. If you have too much cholesterol, it can build up and cause heart problems.
- Improves oxidative stress – Honey’s antioxidant properties also help reduce oxidative stress, a mechanism of metabolic syndrome. Simply put, oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of cell-damaging free radicals and the body’s ability to counteract their harmful effects.
- Healthy gut – Prebiotics help ferment beneficial gut bacteria, including bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. Researchers link this change to stronger immune function and greater psychological well-being.
- Provides nutrients – Additionally, apart from its natural sugar and antioxidants, honey contains some nutrients. Honey may not deliver a massive percentage of vitamins to your diet, however, it is simply now no longer empty calories. Plus, researchers are nevertheless gaining knowledge of approximately the practical blessings of its complicated makeup.
Is Honey Good For Diabetes?
One benefit of consuming honey is that it can increase your insulin levels and help control your blood sugar. Replacing sugar with honey can also be beneficial, considering that honey is a source of antioxidants and has anti-inflammatory properties. Eating a diet high in antioxidants can improve the way your body metabolizes sugar, and honey’s anti-inflammatory properties could potentially help Reduce complications of diabetes. Inflammation can lead to insulin resistance, which is when the body doesn’t respond properly to insulin.
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