Honey
Honey is a natural product that is used in many therapeutic purposes in addition to being used as food. It is produced by bees from the nectar of flowers, and it is believed that the use of honey dates back to about 8000 years, which was discovered in stone inscriptions dating back to the Stone Age , And the composition of honey varies according to the type of plants that are fed by the bees produced, but it consists mainly of glucose and fructose, and contains the sugars of fructose-low-fructose (in English: Fructo-oligosaccharides), and amino acids, vitamins, minerals, enzymes, More than 200 m Including flavonoids, phenolic acids, ascorbic acid, tocopherols, and some enzymes, such as catalase, enzyme, (Superoxide dismutase), reducted glutathione, melard reaction products, and some peptides, the majority of which give the antioxidant effect of honey.
Many people believe that eating honey is suitable for diabetics and that it does not harm them and does not raise blood sugar levels such as table sugar and other sweets, as some believe in its therapeutic capabilities, so this article aims to clarify the real impact and scientific opinion behind the use of honey in cases of diabetes .
Food composition of honey
The following table shows the nutritional composition of each 100 g and each tablespoon (21 g) of natural honey:
| Food ingredient | Value in 100 g | Value in a tablespoon (21 g) |
|---|---|---|
| water | 17.10 g | 3.59 g |
| energy | 304 calories | 64 calories |
| Protein | 0.3 g | 0.06 g |
| Fats | 0.00 g | 0.00 g |
| Carbohydrates | 82.40 g | 17.30 g |
| Dietary fiber | 0.2 g | 0.00 g |
| Total sugars | 82.12 g | 17.25 g |
| Calcium | 6 mg | 1 mg |
| Iron | 0.42 mg | 0.09 mg |
| magnesium | 2 mg | 0 mg |
| Phosphorus | 4 mg | 1 mg |
| Potassium | 52 mg | 11 mg |
| Sodium | 4 mg | 1 mg |
| Zinc | 0.22 mg | 0.05 mg |
| Vitamin C | 0.5 mg | 0.1 mg |
| Thiamine | 0.000 mg | 0.000 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.038 mg | 0.008 mg |
| Niacin | 0.121 mg | 0.025 mg |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.024 mg | 0.005 mg |
| Folate | 2 micrograms | 0 micrograms |
| Vitamin B12 | 0.00 μg | 0.00 μg |
| Vitamin A | 0 universal unit | 0 universal unit |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.00 mg | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D | 0 universal unit | 0 universal unit |
| Vitamin K | 0 micrograms | 0 micrograms |
| Caffeine | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Cholesterol | 11 mg | 0 mg |
Honey for diabetics
The end result that can be advised now is that in cases of diabetes should inform the patient that sugar remains sugar, whether sugar table or sugar brown or honey or other, where the patient should know the total sugars and carbohydrates, Of honey on carbohydrates and calories more than a tablespoon of sugar table. In general, honey is not considered a key to eating more sugars, so should be used moderately, and can benefit the diabetic from the fact that honey sweeter than table sugar, which can From eating less to But the difference is not big enough to allow sweets or honey-based beverages to be taken freely. However, scientific research has found positive results and multiple benefits of honey for diabetics, including:
- Scientific research has found that daily consumption of honey by diabetics causes a slight decrease in glucose and cholesterol levels in the blood. It also found that it contributes to the reduction of body weight. It also found that it slows the rise in blood sugar compared to table sugar or glucose.
- One of the most important uses of scientifically proven honey is its use in healing wounds. It has been found that the preparation of honey preparations or dressings containing it accelerate the healing of wounds. Studies have found that it is effective in treating almost all types of wounds. Some studies suggest that the use of honey contributes to healing Cases of diabetic foot can not be cured because of its antibacterial properties and its ability to treat tissues, but this effect requires further scientific research.
- Honey gives antioxidant effects.
- Research has found that honey intake by diabetes improves many of the associated disorders, such as lowering some of the high liver enzymes, lowering the level of high triglyceride, lowering the level of blood sugar cumulative, and raising the level of good cholesterol (English: HDL).
- A study conducted on experimental animals found that the combination of honey and diabetes medication contributes to the level of insulin and blood glucose reduction, resulting in the drug with lower blood glucose than the drug alone, in addition to reducing the level of fructosamines (English: Fructosamines) Creatinine, Bilirubin, and very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). It also resulted in reduced oxidative damage to the liver and kidneys and increased antioxidant resistance.
But what should be taken into account that the studies that explained the benefits of honey for diabetics have not been decisive and sufficient results to give recommendations or guidance to be addressed by them, so we find specialists advise to deal with honey like other sugars and sweeteners, and the result of these studies many questions, Other honey (different from the honey of the study) and whether they have the same effect, although the limited scientific indicators indicate that these positive effects are not limited to a particular type of honey, but this subject needs more scientific research.