Honey, a miracle food that keeps on helping,

The following a collection of articles and studies that have been done and have found great benefits and properties. Please enjoy and learn more about honey.

New Study Finds That Honey May Aid in Absorption of Calcium
A new study conducted at Purdue University showed that consuming honey along with supplemental calcium enhanced calcium absorption in rats. In addition, the absorption of calcium was increased as the amount of honey was increased. The study, led by Dr. Berdine Martin of Purdue University, was presented at the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology meeting, April 2-5, 2005 in San Diego.

“Many adults struggle to get the recommended amounts of calcium in their daily diet,” said Dr. Katherine Beals, nutrition consultant to the National Honey Board.

According to the recently released Surgeon General’s Report on Bone Health and Osteoporosis (Oct 14, 2004), "By 2020, half of all American citizens older than 50 will be at risk for fractures from osteoporosis and low bone mass if no immediate action is taken by individuals at risk, health care professionals, health systems, and policymakers."

Osteoporosis is often referred to as a “silent” disease because many of those afflicted are completely unaware that they suffer from it. In fact, four times as many men and three times as many women have osteoporosis than report it.

One of the key strategies for reducing the likelihood of developing low bone mass (and subsequent osteoporosis) is to consume the recommended amounts of calcium. It is also important that the calcium consumed be absorbed by the body. Dietary factors that have been shown to enhance the absorption of calcium include vitamin D and the sugars found in honey.

In the Purdue University study, rats were given a “labeled” dose of calcium alone, or with 200 mg. of honey, 500 mg. of honey, 800 mg. of honey, 800 mg. of a glucose fructose mixture made to resemble honey, 10.75 mg. of raffinose, or 200 mg. of raffinose. After two days, the calcium absorption into the hind leg bones of the rats was measured. Compared to the control group, rats given 800 mg. and 500 mg. of honey showed a 33.6% and 25.5% increase in calcium absorption, respectively. These results indicate that honey and its carbohydrate constituents, specifically glucose, fructose and raffinose, may enhance calcium absorption.
“Although this study was done with rats, the preliminary results are very compelling” said Dr. Beals. “Of course we would have to replicate the experiment in a human sample to see if the same holds true for people.”

Funding for this study was provided by the National Honey Board. Based in Longmont, Colorado, the National Honey Board provides consumers with honey information and recipes at www.honey.com, and serves U.S. honey producers, packers and importers through honey research, promotion and marketing.

Uses of Honey:

Honey contains antioxidants, a wide array of vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
Heals wounds, burns, cataracts, skin ulcers, sores and scrapes.
Provides a protective barrier for wounds.
Kills bacteria and germs.
Reduces inflammation.
It's amino acids and vitamin C speed the growth of healthy tissue.
It's a natural source of energy. It enlivens the body, makes muscles stronger, refreshes nerves, cheers up, Sharpens the mind, and gives sound sleep.
Helps reduce chest disorders, coughs, heavy breathing, and insomnia.
Soothes sore throats.

http://www.ebeehoney.com/

Honey

Six medical journal articles over the past three years have also described the antibiotic properties of honey. A physician at the medical college in Maharashtra, India, recently explored the use of honey-soaked gauze to treat burn patients. The 40 patients treated with honey healed in about half the time - and with half the scar tissue - compared with patients treated by other means. (Subrahmanyam M, Burns, Aug. 1994;20:331-3). A team of researchers from the department of surgery, University Teaching Hospital, Nigeria, reported that unprocessed honey "inhibited most of the fungi and bacteria" causing surgical and wound infections. In a remarkable conclusion in the journal Infection (Jul.- Aug. 1992;20:227-9),Dr. S. E. Efem and his colleagues wrote, "Honey is thus an ideal topical wound dressing agent in surgical infections, burns and wound infections." Perhaps most remarkable is the effect of honey on Helicobacter pylori, the bacterium now known to cause gastric ulcers. Because honey has long been a folk remedy for dyspepsia, or stomach upset, a team of researchers from the University of Waikato, New Zealand, tested whether honey would have any benefit. Within three days, honey stopped the growth of H. pylori colonies obtained from patients. 

Written by Jack Challem, The Nutrition Reporter

Clinical Observations

It has been reported from various clinical studies on the usage of honey as a dressing for infected wounds that the wounds become sterile in 3 - 6 days (19, 34), 7 days (7, 13, 20) or 7 - 10 days (28). Others have reported that honey is effective in cleaning up infected wounds (21, 44). It has also been reported that honey dressings halt advancing necrosis (20, 36). Honey has also been found to act as a barrier preventing wounds from becoming infected (7, 14, 15, 24, 45), preventing cross-infection (23), and allowing burn wound tissue to heal rapidly uninhibited by secondary infection (7, 42).

It has been reported that sloughs, gangrenous tissue and necrotic tissue are rapidly replaced with granulation tissue and advancing epithelialisation when honey is used as a dressing (7), thus a minimum of surgical debridement is required (19). It has been observed that under honey dressings sloughs, necrotic and gangrenous tissue separated so that they could be lifted off painlessly (7), and others have noted quick and easy separation of sloughs (10, 21) and removal of crust from a wound (10).

Rapid cleansing (9) and chemical or enzymic debridement resulting from the application of honey to wounds have also been reported (14, 15, 17, 20, 36), with no eschar forming on burns (18). Several other authors have noted the cleansing effect of honey on wounds (21, 23, 29, 35, 40, 46). It has also been noted that dirt is removed with the bandage when honey is used as a dressing, leaving a clean wound (39). Honey has also been reported to give deodorisation of offensively smelling wounds ( 7, 13-15, 20, 36, 45).

Honey used as a wound dressing has been reported to promote the formation of clean healthy granulation tissue (7, 10, 18-20, 23, 28, 29, 34, 35, 41, 46), allowing early grafting on a clean clear base (9). It has also been reported to promote epithelialisation of the wound (7, 16, 18, 20, 36, 41). Dumronglert (29) commented that the rapid growth of new tissue is remarkable. Improvement of nutrition of wounds has been observed (7), also increased blood flow has been noted in wounds (29), and free flow of lymph (21).

Several authors have commented on the rapidity of healing seen with honey dressings. Descottes (38) refers to wounds becoming closed in a spectacular fashion in 90% of cases, sometimes in a few days. Burlando (47) refers to healing being surprisingly rapid, especially for first and second degree burns. Blomfield (40) is of the opinion that honey promotes healing of ulcers and burns better than any other local application used before. Bergman (24) has observed clinically that healing in open wounds is faster with honey, as has Hamdy (48) who also found that it accelerated making wounds suitable for suture.

It has been noted that dressing wound with honey allows early grafting on a clean clear base (9), with prompt graft taking (23, 35). It has also been reported that it reduces the incidence of skin graft areas (45) and helps skin regenerate, making plastic reconstruction unnecessary (20, 36). Others also have noted that skin grafting is found to be unnecessary (18, 19). It has also been reported that dressing wounds with honey gives little or no scarring (20).

Another effect of honey on wounds that has been noted is that it reduces inflammation (18, 47) and hastens subsidence of passive hyperaemia (41). It also reduces oedema (7, 17, 20, 29, 41) and exudation (7, 20, 47), absorbing fluid from the wound (36). Honey is reported to be soothing when applied to wounds (15, 39, 49)] and to reduced pain from burns (15, 47), in some cases giving rapid diminution of local pain (41).

Honey is reported to cause no pain on dressing (21, 45) or to cause only momentary stinging (21), to be non-irritating (17, 19, 21, 46), to cause no allergic reaction (7, 13, 16, 23), and to have no harmful effects on tissues (7, 13, 17, 21, 23).

It has been noted that honey dressings are easy to apply and remove (23, 35, 40). There is no adhesion to cause damage to the granulating surface of wounds (18, 21, 45), no difficulty removing dressings (15), and no bleeding when removing dressings (15). Any residual honey is easily removed by simple bathing (44). 

No adverse effects have been noted in any of the studies in which honey has been applied topically to experimental wounds on animals (12, 24, 26, 51, 53, 54).

Advantages of using Honey as a Wound Dressing

Honey provides a moist healing environment yet prevents bacterial growth even when wounds are heavily infected. It is a very effective means of quickly rendering heavily infected wounds sterile, without the side-effects of antibiotics, and it is effective against antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria (33). Its antibacterial properties and its viscosity also provide a barrier to cross-infection of wounds. It also provides a supply of glucose for leucocytes, essential for the 'respiratory burst' that produces hydrogen peroxide, the dominant component of the antibacterial activity of macrophages (64).

Furthermore it provides substrates for glycolysis, which is the major mechanism for energy production in the macrophages, and thus allows them to function in damaged tissues and exudates where the oxygen supply is often poor (64). The acidity of honey (typically below pH 4 (65)) may also assist in the antibacterial action of macrophages, as an acid pH inside the vacuole is involved in killing ingested bacteria (64).

Whether it is through this action, or through preventing the toxic unionised form of ammonia from existing that is involved (66), topical acidification of wounds promotes healing (67). The high glucose levels that the honey provides would be used by the infecting bacteria in preference to amino acids (68) from the serum and dead cells, and thus would give rise to lactic acid instead of ammonia and the amines and sulphur compounds that are the cause of malodour in wounds.

Honey gives a fast rate of tissue regeneration and suppression of inflammation, oedema, exudation and malodour in wounds, as evidenced in clinical observations and the results of animal studies and clinical trials. The antibacterial properties clearing infection could alone account for these effects by preventing the production of the products of bacterial metabolism which are responsible for the contrary conditions. But honey has a direct trophic and anti-inflammatory effect on wound tissues, as evidenced by the results of animal studies in which there was no bacterial infection involved, particularly in those where the honey was administered systemically.

Honey can be expected to have a direct nutrient effect on regenerating tissue because it contains a wide range of amino acids, vitamins and trace elements in addition to large quantities of readily assimilable sugars (65). (The vitamin C content of honey, which is typically more than three times higher than that in serum, and may be many times higher, could be of particular importance as because of the essential role of this vitamin in collagen synthesis.)

In addition, the high osmolarity of honey causes an outflow of lymph which serves to provide nutrition for regenerating tissue which otherwise can only grow around points of angiogenesis (seen as granulation): healing is delayed if the circulation to an area is poor, or if a patient is poorly nourished. Also it has been suggested that the decreased turgor resulting from the application of honey may increase oxygenation of tissues (7).

This osmotically induced outflow will also assist in lifting dirt and debris from the bed of a wound. It also ensures that the dressing will not stick to the wound, as what ends up as the material in contact with the wound tissue is a fluid solution of honey, which can be easily lifted off and any residue rinsed away.

Thus there is no pain on changing dressings, and no tearing away of newly formed tissue. The cleansing effect of the osmotic flow and the chemical or enzymic debriding effect of honey makes surgical debridement unnecessary, thus saving the patient pain or the risks associated with anaesthesia. It has also been noted that by reducing in surface area oedematous and soggy wounds, or making them more clearly defined, it enables a definite decision on limb amputations to be made, which would be of particular advantage in the case of diabetic and malignant ulcers (7).

There is also an economical advantage to using honey as a wound dressing. This is seen both in the direct cost savings when compared with conventional treatments, and in the savings in ongoing costs when consideration is given to the more rapid healing rates that are achieved. Cost comparisons that have been made are: 480 F for treatment with Debrisan compared with 7.5 F for treatment with honey (38); $70 for treatment with antibiotics compared with $2 for treatment with honey (23); $40 for treatment with Duoderm compared with $8 for treatment with honey (8).

Other observations on cost savings have been: use of antibiotics ceased (28), length of hospitalisation reduced (23, 28, 38) (by at least half (13, 19)). In addition there are the savings in the costs of surgery where debridement and skin grafting become unnecessary when honey is used.

Honey is also an ideal first-aid dressing material, especially for patients in remote locations when there could be time for infection to have set in before medical treatment is obtained: it is readily available and simple to use. It would be particularly suitable for first-aid treatment for burns, where emergency dousing or cooling frequently involves the use of contaminated water which then leads to heavy infection of the traumatised tissue. As well as providing an immediate anti-inflammatory treatment the honey would provide an antibacterial action and a barrier to further infection of the wound.

Source: Honey as a dressing for wounds, burns,and ulcers: a brief review of clinical reports and experimental studies.

Honey's Nutritional Profile

Raw honey is a source of simple carbohydrates. Its composition on average, is 17.1 percent water, 82.4 percent total carbohydrate and 0.5 percent proteins, amino acids, vitamins and minerals. The average carbohydrate content is mainly fructose (38.5 percent) and glucose (31 percent). The remaining 12.9 percent of carbohydrates is made up of maltose, sucrose and other sugars.

Source of Energy

As a carbohydrate, raw honey supplies energy at 64 calories per tablespoon, providing fuel to working muscles. A limited study at the University of Memphis Exercise and Sports Nutrition Laboratory found raw honey to be one of the most effective forms of carbohydrate gels to ingest just prior to exercise. According to Dr. Richard Kreider, the study's lead investigator, “honey appears to be a carbohydrate source that is relatively mild on its effects upon blood sugar compared to other carbohydrate sources.” Continuing research is examining the effects of raw honey in comparison to different types of carbohydrate gels prior to weightlifting on the effect on glucose, insulin and markers of protein breakdown.

Other limited studies performed in Dr. Kreider's lab have shown that raw honey may comprise half of the secret to post-workout recuperation. Many post-workout products on the market combine a large amount of carbohydrates with protein. The most common carbohydrate source used is maltodextrin, a mildly sweet carbohydrate usually derived from corn. Upon comparison of a honey-protein vs. a maltodextrin-protein shake taken after a vigorous weightlifting workout, the honey-protein combination fared as well in promoting markers of muscle recuperation. The honey group's blood sugar was sustained for at least two hours post-workout. “Our data suggest that honey functions well in all of the aspects associated with post-workout recuperation and energy repletion. In addition, raw honey appears to stand out as perhaps a better source of carbohydrate to ingest with post-workout protein supplements. These findings support our previous study presented at the annual Experimental Biology meeting in April 2000,” added Dr. Kreider.

“In addition to promoting muscle recuperation and glycogen [carbohydrates stored in muscle] restoration, honey-protein combinations also seem well suited to sustain favorable blood sugar concentrations after training.”

Honey's Nutrition and Health Facts
Vitamins, Minerals and Amino Acids in Every Bite

Raw honey contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins, minerals, amino acids and antioxidants. The vitamins found in honey may include (depending on floral variety) niacin, riboflavin and pantothenic acid; minerals present include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc. Just as the color and flavor of honey varies by floral source, so does the vitamin, mineral, antioxidant and amino acid content.

Antioxidants in Honey

In addition to the nutrients that are involved in normal metabolic activity, foods contain components that may provide additional health benefits. These nutrients are referred to as nutraceuticals. Phytochemicals are one broad category of nutraceuticals found in plants that are actively being investigated by scientists for their health-promoting potential. Honey has a phytochemical profile which includes polyphenols that can act as antioxidants.

Antioxidants perform the role of eliminating free radicals, which are reactive compounds in the body. Free radicals are created through the normal process of metabolism and contribute to many serious diseases. Researchers at the University of Illinois, led by Nicki J. Engeseth, Ph.D. and May R. Berenbaum, Ph.D., are studying the antioxidant capacity of common honey varieties.

Honey's Antimicrobial Properties and Benefits to Wound Healing

The use of honey as a wound dressing goes back to ancient times and has now been ‘rediscovered' by modern medicine, according to Dr. Peter Molan of the University of Waikato, New Zealand. “It is a common observation in the many reports in medical journals that numerous benefits result from using honey to dress wounds,” says Dr. Molan. The antibacterial properties of honey may help clear infection in wounds, and the anti-inflammatory action of honey may reduce pain and may improve circulation which hastens the healing process. According to Dr. Molan, “Honey stimulates the re-growth of tissue involved in healing, making healing faster and reducing scarring.

http://www.champlainvalleyhoney.com

Extra links

http://www.worldwidewounds.com/2001/november/Molan/honey-as-topical-agent.html