Honey Diet - A spoonful of honey before bed will help burn off fat while you sleep

[ArabMuscle]

An old article I came across. No idea if it's true.

Sweet dreams of a new slimline start to the year






http://editorial.jpress.co.uk/web/Upload/SCOT/2005/01/10//TH1_1001honb.jpg


A spoonful of honey before bed will help burn off fat while you sleep.
Published Date: 10 January 2005

http://news.scotsman.com/atkinsdiet/Sweet-dreams-of-a-new.2593781.jp



By RUTH ARMSTRONG
HEALTH REPORTER

IT advocates the two things that most dieters avoid - eating at bedtime and ducking the gym.
But the hibernation diet promises to help people lose weight while they sleep.

The strategy, developed by an Edinburgh pharmacist and sports nutritionist, is said to be used by champion boxer Alex Arthur and endorsed by Olympic gold-winning cyclist Chris Hoy.

The diet, hailed as the new Atkins, advises eating a couple of teaspoons of honey before bedtime and training with weights instead of gruelling aerobic workouts.

While Mike McInnes and his son Stuart were helping athletes with nutrition, they discovered that eating fructose-rich food such as honey, helped burn fat and increase stamina.

They also found that the best time to burn fat is while you are asleep - you burn more fat sleeping than doing anything else, including exercising.

When you eat fructose, it is converted to glucose in the liver. This stabilises blood sugar levels and allows the body to activate recovery hormones which rebuild muscle and skin cells.

These hormones are fuelled by fat, so rather than working to regulate blood sugar, when you eat honey before going to bed the body burns more fat.

Mr McInnes, who runs health shop Iso Active in South Clerk Street, said: "The key time for fat burning is in the first four hours of sleep when we go into slow-wave sleep.

"This switches on the pituitary gland and out of that comes a series of hormones that break down and use fat as fuel.

"Take your liver to bed empty, and your body can’t get to work with those hormones because it’s desperately trying to sort out your blood glucose levels.

"So stabilising your blood glucose at night by fuelling up your liver - honey is the key - allows that recovery to take place as it should.

"We also discovered that athletes who were using our liver fuelling strategy were reporting that their appetite was controlled much better."

A good night’s sleep is important to allow the hormones to get to work, so the diet advocates sleeping in total darkness, getting rid of electronic lights and thin curtains.

You can also increase the amount of fat you burn by doing what is known as resistance exercise.

But instead of having to spend hours on the treadmill and in aerobics classes, this can be done with 15-minute weights sessions three times a week, according to the diet.

With resistance work you stress a muscle, you damage it and then the body repairs it while you are sleeping by mobilising fat.

Unlike aerobic exercise, it only requires 15 minutes weight training a session to reap the benefits, Mr McInnes claims.

He is currently working on two books - one aimed at athletes and one which will detail the "Hibernation Diet".

Chris Hoy goes to Mr McInnes for nutrition advice and started using fructose drinks to increase his endurance.

He will endorse the sports book when it is published, while boxer Alex Arthur uses the liver-fuelling strategy to improve his stamina.

Mr McInnes believes low blood sugar led to Paula Radcliffe crashing out of the Olympic marathon - because she didn’t fuel up with fructose.

He said: "We know it’s revolutionary because we see the results we have had for athletes. It is a whole new approach as the liver is the organ that all the sports literature misses out. The sports establishment don’t like us because we are coming at it from an angle they haven’t thought of."

Last Updated: 10 January 2005 1:23 PM

Source: Edinburgh Evening News
Location: Edinburgh
Related Topics: Atkins diet (http://news.scotsman.com/newsfront.aspx?sectionid=7203&IsTopic=1) , Obesity (http://news.scotsman.com/newsfront.aspx?sectionid=7792&IsTopic=1)

[ArabMuscle]

Hibernation Diet Links Sleep and Obesity


The recent revolutionary Hibernation Diet created by a British pharmacist and a nutrition expert caught my attention by making a powerful connection between poor sleep (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/sleep-disorder.html) and obesity. It advocates incorporating mild resistance exercise and a healthy, balanced, and wholesome diet void of highly refined, processed foods such as white bread, pizza, burgers, chocolates, beer and sugar, and suggests taking a generous spoonful or two of honey at night, either as a warm drink, a smoothie or straight from the jar.



http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/images/hibernation_honey.jpg This fascinating honey hibernation diet promises to help us sleep and lose weight (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/honey-and-weight-loss.html) at the same time by using our biology and working with our bodies, rather than against them – “recovery biology”. A new approach to fat metabolism, it requires no straining from aerobics exercise, (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/resistance-exercise.html) no wearing out on a treadmill and no pounding it out in the gym.

Sounds too easy, too miraculous or too far-fetched to be believable?
Natural honey when taken prior to bed is believed to be able to fuel the liver, speed up fat-burning metabolism, (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/metabolism.html) ease stress (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/cortisol.html) hormones and help us get a better night's sleep. This oldest natural sweetener (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/natural-sweetener.html) also contains a wide variety of vitamins, including vitamins B6, B1, B2 and B5, and minerals such as calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, sodium and zinc, anti-oxidants (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/antioxidant.html) and amino acids, the building blocks of proteins.
This is what I learnt about the Hibernation Diet: due to its 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose, honey is the most ideal food that can provide a fuelling mechanism for the body at night, keeping blood sugar levels balanced and letting your recovery hormones get on with burning fat stores. This proposition that honey reduces blood glucose level was published in the Journal of Medicinal Food in April 2004. However, to most people, eating before bedtime, in this case eating sugars seems to defy common sense. Moreover, eating late at night is often discouraged by many people who believe that during bedtime, metabolic rate is low and the body cannot burn calories and would easily put on weight. Being a honey enthusiast, I naturally wanted to know more about how the hibernation diet works scientifically for the good of the body.
http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/images/honeydropping.jpg I read that when sugars are absorbed from the gut into the blood they are first absorbed by the liver, which is the only organ in the human body with the fructose enzyme to process this sugar. In the liver the fructose is converted into glucose, stored as liver glycogen or human starch, and released only if and when blood glucose falls.
Fructose also triggers the glucose enzyme in the liver allowing the liver to take in as much glucose as it requires. This has been referred to as the Fructose Paradox. In other words, fructose lowers the Glycemic Index of glucose; (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/glycemic-index-of-honey.html)fructose enters the liver and opens the gate for glucose entry preventing a rapid rise in blood glucose. This natural blood glucose regulator found in fruits, vegetables and honey, regulate blood glucose levels and stabilize blood glucose to maintain a regular supply of glucose to the brain.


Some simple questions that the hibernation diet expert asks to check if the liver has fuelled up well for the night:

- Do you wake regularly during the night?
- Do you have night sweats?
- Do you experience acid reflux during the night?
- Do you get up to go to the bathroom during the night?
- Do you feel nauseous in the early morning?
- Do you wake up exhausted?
- Do you have a dry throat in the morning?
- Do you get night cramps?
- Do you feel weak in the early morning?

If “yes” is the answer for any of these questions, it could mean that instead of burning fat and repairing muscles, your body has produced a stream of stress hormones while you've slept.
The hibernation diet also goes on to explain how fructose in honey fuels the brain which is the most energy demanding organ, burning up to 20 times the fuel of any other cell in the body. We become exhausted after having to concentrate for a lengthy period. That’s why we often hear that mental exhaustion is worse than physical exhaustion. The brain needs glucose to survive, however glucose occupies a large amount of storage space and there is no room in the brain. And the liver is the only organ that can both store and release glucose into the circulation. This is why looking after your liver glycogen amount by ensuring that the liver and the brain are well provided for both in the day and at night is so critical. Any fall in blood glucose is detrimental for the brain. The adrenal glands to be activated and the adrenal hormones if overproduced can lead to conditions such as heart disease, osteoporosis, obesity, diabetes, poor immune function, depression and other distressing health problems.

http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/images/pillows_small.jpg What I find inspiring to read is that we burn an amazing 70% fat during rest, 35% during low level exercise, 20% during moderate exercise, and a low 10% during intense exercise. During sleep we should burn fats. However, if the liver is not fuelled prior to bed, we release stress hormones from the adrenal glands which raise our heart rate and blood pressure. These hormones instead of burning fat, (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/body-fat.html) degrade muscle and bone. The liver must deliver 10 grams of glucose every hour -- 6.5 to the brain, 3.5 to the kidneys and red blood cells. As the liver capacity is only 75 grams, most people go to bed with a depleted liver, activating the adrenal glands and do not recover. And if you do not recover you do not burn fats. The hibernation diet essentially aims to encourage people to reap the benefit of your body's own natural recovery system and optimize their recovery biology or fat burning biology, as explicitly termed by the author who believed that this diet is not only to a healthy weight but unlocking energy resources you never know you had. So, if you interested to have a more in-depth account of this honey diet, check out the book "The Hibernation Diet" in which you will find details of the suggested diet plans for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and the different types of resistance exercises described in clear steps.

http://ec1.images-amazon.com/images/P/0285637371.01._AA_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg (http://www.benefits-of-honey.com/cgi-bin/counter.pl?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eamazon%2Ecom%2Fg p%2Fproduct%2F0285637371%3Fie%3DUTF8%26tag%3Dbenef itsofhon-20%26linkCode%3Das2%26camp%3D1789%26creative%3D932 5%26creativeASIN%3D0285637371&referrer=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Ebenefits-of-honey%2Ecom%2Fhibernation-diet%2Ehtml)http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=benefitsofhon-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0285637371



A Honey Fan Wrote...

A regular visitor of Benefit of Honey wrote to me and shared about his positive experience in using the hibernation diet and I am excited to post it here for all(with his permission of course!):

"I have been practising the hibernation diet for twenty months, and I'm still getting a wonderful effect on weight loss. All I exactly have to do is to consume honey one hour before bed as well as to have healthy meals everyday. I usually take two tablespoonful of honey or three and literally "it works while I sleep". I weighed 85.6kg at the beginning of November in 2006 when I began this diet. After twenty months, my weight hovers around 70kg these days. I lost about 16kg without doing any exercises in only twenty months! It's amazing! In addition it helps me get up immediately in next morning by taking honey before bed. Fueling the liver with honey before bed is really beneficial. Also, I happened to take a blood test half a year before I started the diet, the amount of triglyceride or neutral fat in the blood was 585mg/dL. It was a shocking value. And recently I took a blood test again. The result showed that the amount of neutral fat has drastically dropped to 157mg/dL in only two years! I believe it is an effect of the hibernation diet.
When it comes to the meals, I usually have a slice of toast, a vegetable salad, and of course honey as a toast spread almost every morning. And for dinner I often have the Japanese style meal, which may somewhat be traditional, mainly rice, vegetables, fish, tofu and so on.
Among other benefits, I was able to integrate this diet very easily and comfortably as part of my lifestlye and the best thing is I could actually continue with the diet for so long. What I do to lose weight and stay healthy is to just consume honey before bed!"

Fumi, Japan

[Triple-H_2005]

Horse shit.

Only thing that would be more entertaining than this "science" would be a Vince Goodrum Bee Pollen advertisement.

This is not directed at the OP, just the educated idiot that originally penned this drivel.

[ArabMuscle]

Horse shit.

Only thing that would be more entertaining than this "science" would be a Vince Goodrum Bee Pollen advertisement.

This is not directed at the OP, just the educated idiot that originally penned this drivel.

No offense bro, my thoughts exactly. Couldn't find any legit and recent studies on the claims above.

[jtg987]

ill stick with my acv

[Justin198922]

We need Dave'sconfirmation to be 100% sure, but I'm agreeing with u fellas.

[retwa]

We need Dave'sconfirmation to be 100% sure, but I'm agreeing with u fellas.

You're incapable of thinking for yourself? How do you know what to wear each morning without e-mailing Dave first?:dunno:

[doubleogordo]

you never know...

[MITM]

you never know...

I'm no scientist .. but isn't honey loaded with sugars? Why would anyone want to take a massive carbhit before going to bed? Wouldn't that only turn into fat by morning-time?

I mean it's bad enough we're catabolic during the night, but the risk of fat-gain seems like adding insult to injury.

I wish Jumbo Palumbo would weigh in on the honey-before-bed argument, but he's friggin busy as hell -- so prolly not.

[ArabMuscle]

I'm no scientist .. but isn't honey loaded with sugars? Why would anyone want to take a massive carbhit before going to bed? Wouldn't that only turn into fat by morning-time?

I mean it's bad enough we're catabolic during the night, but the risk of fat-gain seems like adding insult to injury.

I wish Jumbo Palumbo would weigh in on the honey-before-bed argument, but he's friggin busy as hell -- so prolly not.

Agreed. Nonetheless, I couldn't find any recent studies on this. I mean, this says what it wants us to hear it says, yet it seems too much of a risk.

[doubleogordo]

I'm no scientist .. but isn't honey loaded with sugars? Why would anyone want to take a massive carbhit before going to bed? Wouldn't that only turn into fat by morning-time?

I mean it's bad enough we're catabolic during the night, but the risk of fat-gain seems like adding insult to injury.

I wish Jumbo Palumbo would weigh in on the honey-before-bed argument, but he's friggin busy as hell -- so prolly not.
did you read the above article? a tablespoon or two is not a "massive carbhit."

[Yolo]

Take your liver to bed empty, and your body can’t get to work with those hormones because it’s desperately trying to sort out your blood glucose levels.

lol @ this

[Pheedno]

been using a tablespoon of honey a day for years to prevent allergies(has to be local honey)

didn't read the article but I'd lend to say it's not going to catch on anytime soon

[KeepGoing]

I'm sure spiking blood sugar before going to bed will do wonders...:no:

[PJ BRAUN]

There is nothing wrong with Taking honey for bed. In fact I use a tbs with my greek yogurt at night all the time. Honey is a unique food that does alot of positives in the body...it has powerful anti allergy affects as Pheedno stated as well as many other benefits. Its definitely not going to negatively effect you in any way. Now would I do it few weeks before a show...NO.

[lomox]

Something else to think about... Below is an article by Charles Poliquin, a guy who's advice has yet to fail me. He doesn't explain the "why" here, but check out the end.

My Dietary and Supplement Plan 2010
by Charles Poliquin

People on Facebook often theorize on what my dietary intake is like. I will tell you what I eat and use for supplements when I am in the US, Sweden, Canada, or Dominican Republic. In other countries, it is harder to meet my dietary goals. So, instead of theorizing up, here it is:

Meal 1 (breakfast)

300-350 grams of wild meat (buffalo, elk, moose, wapiti) or seafood (lobster, scallops, shrimp, mussels, etc…) or salmon, or artic char
100-125 grams of nuts (varies enormously)

Berries (varies) or an apple

Coffee with which I take

2 Resveratrol Px
2 Vascular Guard Px
1 Ultra HCL 4.0
2 Sinew Plex
2 Über DHA
1 Über C

The fish oil and multi are varied every week.



45 minutes before workout:

5 Yang R-ALA
4 Java Stim
3 Alpha GPC
3 Arginine 2.0
3 Focused Response (soon to be released, I am using the initial batch for now)

During workout:

40-50 BCAA Excellence
10-20 Beta Alanine
5 Carnitine Synergy
washed down with 1 liter of water where 2 packs of Electrolyte Px is added to
After workout:

100-150 grams of Quadricarb blended in a liter half and half mixture of water and juice (grape, mango, apple etc..). Total time under tension determines the carb intake,
20 grams of glutamine
5 grams of creatine

with this liquid I take 40 Amino Acid Supreme, and 5 Carnitine Synergy, one Über C, 5 caps if Yin R-ALA

Lunch:

300-350 grams of fowl or fish
Various vegetables or a salad.
2 Resveratrol Px
2 Vascular Guard Px
1 Ultra HCL 4.0
2 Sinew Plex
2 Über DHA
1 Über C
Afternoon snack:

3 scoops of medical food in about 1 liter of water
200 grams of my own mix of nuts and dried fruit.

Or

3 tablespoons of Primal Red, Primal Green, or Phyto Px, mixed in ¾ liter of water, I take 10 BCAA and 20 Amino Acid Supreme with that.

Dinner:

300-350 grams of meat or fish, or 12 pieces of sushi
Various vegetables or a salad.
1 starch: sweet potato or rice

2 Vascular Guard Px
1 Ultra HCL 4.0
1 Über C
4 Über Mag
1 Perfect E 3.0

Evening snack:

40 grams of Whey Stronger mixed with Icelandic yogourt or mixed in with 300 grams Sticky Rice with Mango Or 4-6 of my home made protein pancakes

High glycemic carb: Grapes, figs,dates or banana

1 Ultra HCL 4.0
1 Über C
4 Über Mag
4 pumps of Topical mag


Extra comments:

Twice a week, I take 10-20 caps of D3 Excellence, depending of present vitamin D3 status.

[Triple-H_2005]

We need Dave'sconfirmation to be 100% sure, but I'm agreeing with u fellas.

Really?

If something stinks, is brown & mooshy and you SAW it fall out of a BULL'S ass-HOLE, do you REALLY need someone to tell you that it's bullsiht?

[Triple-H_2005]

There is nothing wrong with Taking honey for bed. In fact I use a tbs with my greek yogurt at night all the time. Honey is a unique food that does alot of positives in the body...it has powerful anti allergy affects as Pheedno stated as well as many other benefits. Its definitely not going to negatively effect you in any way. Now would I do it few weeks before a show...NO.

I agree, great general health benefits and I use it as a sweetener in the offseason, but to "burn fat while you sleep"? I'm not buying that one, either!

[F.M.]

Not sure if it's true or not, but I'd wake up starving even more than I already do! I'll just stick to my casein protein and fibre - thanks all the same.

[beezy13]

I agree, great general health benefits and I use it as a sweetener in the offseason, but to "burn fat while you sleep"? I'm not buying that one, either!


I'm not saying it does burn fat but who knows. But the article states that it is being used by athletes not bodybuilders. now we know the two are different, diet training rest everything is different so while it may not be the best thing for a BBer getting ready for a show a regular joe or endurance athlete may see benefits. best way to find out is try it. Now I know every guy on here thinks they are the next Mr. O (HHH you're excluded cause I've seen your thread and you obviously bust your ass) but you have all these guys talking about what they will or won't do based on what tops pros say when they shoud just find out what works and this just might. Not saying it does but you never know.

[CUNTAMINATED]

You're incapable of thinking for yourself? How do you know what to wear each morning without e-mailing Dave first?:dunno:

lmao! the stupid bull shit dave puts up with on a daily basis

[rcp1936]

Don't know about honey before bedtime but Carbs ain't the problem for fat gains

http://anthonycolpo.com/?p=694

[Nitro Fueled Barbie/Mel Marx]

I am so gonna do this on my cheat nights.......I love me some honey.....

[hulkish808]

it helps me to go to sleep :)

[GENESIS]

I think there is some truth to this. Of course for the avid trainer who eats clean, trains hard, and watches what they eat, there wont be too big of a difference. But, for regular folk increasing their consumption of any real food is a good thing. I do think it should be raw or organic honey, aka something locally found like Pheendo stated.

[ArabMuscle]

My power breakfast:
1/2 cup of Old Fashioned Oatmeal
10g of Psyillium Husk
15g of Flaxseed
1 tablespoon of Raw Honey (original mix included 1 banana and Stevia)
1 Scoop of Chocolate WPI
+ 3 boiled eggs on the side

After taking out the banana & Stevia and adding in raw honey, the mixture tasted 10X better!

[ArabMuscle]

Another great find below. Highlighted a few points that concern us bodybuilders/athletes:

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96
Honey

This wonderfully rich golden liquid is the miraculous product of honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar. Although it is available throughout the year, it is an exceptional treat in the summer and fall when it has just been harvested and is at its freshest.
The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees' saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive where they deposit it into the cells of the hive's walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the moisture's content making it ready for consumption.

http://www.whfoods.com/foodchart.php?id=96
This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Honey provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Honey can be found in the Food Rating System Chart (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#nutritionalprofile). A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Honey, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#healthbenefits)
Description (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#descr)
History (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#historyuse)
How to Select and Store (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#purchasequalities)
How to Enjoy (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#howtouse)
Individual Concerns (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#safetyissues)
Nutritional Profile (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#nutritionalprofile)
References (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=96#references)
Health Benefits

In addition to its reputation as Nature's nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey's unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant. Raw Honey - An Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal Substance

The health benefits of honey - like all foods - depend on the quality of the honey. But in this case, the situation is even more extreme, because the pollen that collects on the bees' legs as they move from plant to plant is only as healthful and as diverse as those plants. In addition, the processing of honey often removes many of the phytonutrients found in raw honey as it exists in the hive. Raw honey, for example, contains small amounts of the same resins found in propolis. Propolis, sometimes called "bee glue," is actually a complex mixture of resins and other substances that honeybees use to seal the hive and make it safe from bacteria and other micro-organisms. Honeybees make propolis by combining plant resins with their own secretions. However, substances like road tar have also been found in propolis. Bee keepers sometimes use special screens around the inside of the hive boxes to trap propolis, since bees will spread this substance around the honeycomb and seal cracks with the anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal resins. The resins found in propolis only represent a small part of the phytonutrients found in propolis and honey, however. Other phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.
Is the Cough from an Upper Respiratory Infection Keeping Your Child Awake? Try a Dose of Buckwheat Honey

In a study involving 105 children aged 2-18 years with upper respiratory tract infections of 7 days or less and night-time coughing, a single night-time dose of buckwheat honey was an effective alternative treatment for symptomatic relief of nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty, compared to a single dose of dextromethorphan (DM).
Researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine asked parents to give either honey, honey-flavored dextromethorphan (DM), or no treatment to the children. The first night, the children did not receive any treatment. The following night they received a single dose of buckwheat honey, honey-flavored DM, or no treatment 30 minutes before bedtime. The trial was partially blind as parents could not distinguish between the honey and the medication, although those administering no medication were obviously aware of the fact. Parents were asked to report on cough frequency and severity, how bothersome the cough was, and how well both adult and child slept, both 24 hours before and during the night of the dosage.
Significant symptom improvements were seen in the honey-supplemented children, compared with the no treatment group and DM-treated group, with honey consistently scoring the best and no-treatment scoring the worst. Based on parental "symptom points," children treated with honey improved an average of 10.71 points compared with 8.39 points for DM-treated children and 6.41 points for those who were not treated. These results might be good news for parents of children two years and older, since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended that children under six should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, due to potentially harmful side effects. However, it's important to note that this study did not attempt to test the potential benefits of buckwheat honey for children under two, and recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other children's health organizations for a total avoidance of honey by children one year and younger still make good sense. (The AAP's major concern here is unnecessary risk of infantile botulism that might result from the presence of Clostridium botulinum bacteria in the honey).


An International Symposium Discusses Likely Benefits of Honey

Speakers at the First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health, held in Sacramento, CA, January 8, 2008, presented a number of research papers. (Fessenden R. Report to the Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health) Findings include:

Different varietals of honey possess a large amount of friendly bacteria (6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria), which may explain many of the "mysterious therapeutic properties of honey."
Lactobacilli, which deliver protective and beneficial benefits to bees as well as humans, were not found in the bees' honey stomach during the winter months when the bees under investigation were fed sucrose, indicating that certain bee-feeding practices may have dangerous and unwanted effects on bees.
Honey may promote better blood sugar control. Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose. Fructose "unlocks" the enzyme from the liver cell's nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones - adrenalin and cortisol - in order to convert muscle protein into glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity.
Experimental evidence indicates that consumption of honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to other sweeteners. The body's tolerance to honey is significantly better than to sucrose or glucose alone. Individuals with greater glucose intolerance (e.g., those with mild diabetes and Type 1 diabetes) showed significantly better tolerance to honey than sucrose. In addition, the antioxidants in honey, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, frequently by a larger factor than can be explained by their actual amount, may be beneficial for diabetics and help to improve endothelial function (the function of the cells that make up the lining of our blood vessels) and vascular health.
In a year-long animal study comparing the effects of sucrose, honey and a low glycemic index (GI) sugar-free diet, rats on the honey-based diet showed: reduced weight gain and percentage of body fat, decreased anxiety, better spatial recognition memory, improved HDL cholesterol (15-20% higher than rats fed sugar or sucrose diets), improved blood sugar levels (HA1c), and reduced oxidative damage.
Honey has been shown to be a more effective cough suppressant for children ages 2-18 than dextromethorphan (see "One Study Finds Buckwheat Honey To Be a Successful Cough Medicine" earlier in this Health Benefits section)
Honey boosts immunity. Research conducted in several hospitals in Israel found honey effective in decreasing the incidence of acute febrile neutropenia (when high fever reduces white blood cell count) in 64% of patients. Honey also reduced the need for Colony Stimulating Factor (a compound produced in the cells lining the blood vessels that stimulate bone marrow to produce more white blood cells) in 60% of patients with acute febrile neutropenia; increased neutrophil count (another type of white blood cell), decreased thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), and stabilized hemoglobin levels at >11 gm/dl (a bit low but way better than full blown anemic).
32% of the cancer patients involved in the above immunity research reported improved quality of life.
First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health (http://www.prohoneyandhealth.com/UserFiles/Image/Symposium%20Report.pdf) Practical Tip: Look for honey produced in the summer by flower-fed bees-it's most likely to contain friendly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

Improve Athletic Performance and Heal Wounds with Honey?

Primarily honey has been used as an energy source, but recent research has examined the use of honey as an ergogenic aid (a food or ingredient that helps an athlete's performance) and wound healing agent, both of which were once considered merely age-old anecdotes.
In the time of the ancient Olympics, athletes were reported to eat special foods, such as honey and dried figs, to enhance their sports performance. Recently, however, one group of researchers has investigated the use of honey as an ergogenic aid in athletes. The study involved a group of 39 weight-trained athletes, both male and female. Subjects underwent an intensive weight-lifting workout and then immediately consumed a protein supplement blended with either sugar, maltodextrin or honey as the carbohydrate source. The honey group maintained optimal blood sugar levels throughout the two hours following the workout. In addition, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration (carbohydrates stored in muscle) was favorable in those individuals consuming the honey-protein combination.
Sustaining favorable blood sugar concentrations after endurance training by ingesting carbohydrates before, during and after training is important for maintaining muscle glycogen stores (glycogen is the form in which sugar is stored in muscle as ready-to-use fuel), so that muscle recuperation is more efficient and the athlete is ready to perform again at their highest level the next day. The best-studied ergogenic aid is carbohydrates because they are necessary for maintaining muscle glycogen stores. For now, honey appears to be just another source of carbohydrates that can help athletes perform at their best, rather than a superior choice over any other carbohydrate.
The wound healing properties of honey may, however, be its most promising medicinal quality. Honey has been used topically as an antiseptic therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcers, burns and wounds for centuries. One study in India compared the wound healing effects of honey to a conventional treatment (silver sulfadiazene) in 104 first-degree burn patients. After one week of treatment, 91 percent of honey treated burns were infection free compared with only 7 percent receiving the conventional treatment. Finally, a greater percentage of patients' burns were healed more readily in the honey treated group. Another study examined the wound healing benefits of honey applied topically to patients following Caesarean section and hysterectomy. Compared to the group receiving the standard solution of iodine and alcohol, the honey treated group was infection free in fewer days, healed more cleanly and had a reduced hospital stay.
Several mechanisms have been proposed for the wound healing benefits that are observed when honey is applied topically. Because honey is composed mainly of glucose and fructose, two sugars that strongly attract water, honey absorbs water in the wound, drying it out so that the growth of bacteria and fungi is inhibited (these microorganisms thrive in a moist environment). Secondly, raw honey contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase that, when combined with water, produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic.
In addition to the specific enzymes found in honey, which may help in the healing process, honey also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. One antioxidant in particular, pinocembrin, which is unique to honey, is currently being studied for its antibacterial properties. One laboratory study of unpasteurized honey samples indicated the majority had antibacterial action against Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria found readily in our environment that can cause infections, especially in open wounds. Other reports indicate honey is effective at inhibiting Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Darker honeys, specifically honey from buckwheat flowers, sage and tupelo, contain a greater amount of antioxidants than other honeys, and raw, unprocessed honey contains the widest variety of health-supportive substances. A Spoonful a Day Keeps Free Radicals at Bay
Daily consumption of honey raises blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in humans, according to research presented at the 227th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, CA, March 28, 2004. Biochemist Heidrun Gross and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, gave 25 study participants each about four tablespoons buckwheat honey daily for 29 days in addition to their regular diets, and drew blood samples at given intervals following honey consumption. A direct link was found between the subjects' honey consumption and the level of polyphenolic antioxidants in their blood.

Honey Helpful for Healthy Individuals and Those with High Cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes

In a series of experiments involving healthy subjects and those with either high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, honey has proved itself the healthiest sweetener.
For 15 days, 8 healthy subjects, 6 patients with high cholesterol, 5 patients with high cholesterol and high C-reactive protein (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease), and 7 patients with type 2 diabetes were given solutions containing comparable amounts of sugar, artificial honey or natural honey.
In healthy subjects, while sugar and artificial honey had either negative or very small beneficial effects, natural honey reduced total cholesterol 7%, triglycerides 2%, C-reactive protein 7%, homocysteine 6% and blood sugar 6%, and increased HDL (good) cholesterol 2%. (Like C-reactive protein, homocysteine is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.)
In patients with high cholesterol, artificial honey increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, while natural honey decreased total cholesterol 8%, LDL cholesterol 11%, and C-reactive protein 75%. And in patients with type 2 diabetes, natural honey caused a significantly lower rise in blood sugar than either dextrose or sucrose (refined sugars). So, enjoy a little honey in your morning coffee, lunchtime yogurt or afternoon cup of green tea. Looks like a daily spoonful of honey may help your need for medicine go down.


Although our food ranking system did not qualify honey as a dense source of traditional nutrients, it did emerge as a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese. Description

Honey is a delicious viscous sweetener made naturally by bees for their own nourishment. The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees' saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive, where they deposit it into the cells of the hive's walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the honey's moisture content, making it ready for consumption.
Honey comes in a range of colors including white, amber, red, brown and almost black. Its flavor and texture vary with the type of flower nectar from which it was made. While the most commonly available honeys are made from clover, alfalfa, heather and acacia flowers, honey can be made from a variety of different flowers, including thyme and lavender. History

Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 BC. For many centuries, honey was regarded as sacred due to its wonderfully sweet properties as well as its rarity. It was used mainly in religious ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods, as well as to embalm the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. For a long time in history, its use in cooking was reserved only for the wealthy since it was so expensive that only they could afford it.
The prestige of honey continued for millennia until one fateful event in culinary and world history - the "discovery" of refined sugar made from sugar cane or sugar beets., Once these became more widely available, they were in great demand since they provided a relatively inexpensive form of sweetening. With their growing popularity, honey became displaced by sugar for culinary use. Since then, although honey is still used for sweetening, much of its use has become focused on its medicinal properties and its use in confectionary. How to Select and Store

Honey is sold in individual containers or in bulk. It is usually pasteurized, although oftentimes at farmer's markets you can find raw honey. Raw honey that has not been pasteurized, clarified, or filtered - provided it is of the highest organic quality - is your best choice. Look for honey that states "100% pure." While regular honey is translucent, creamy honey is usually opaque and is made by adding finely crystallized honey back into liquid honey. Specialty honeys, made from the nectar of different flowers, such as thyme and lavender, are also available. Remember that the darker the color, the deeper the flavor.
You might also look for darker-colored "honeydew" varieties produced by bees that collect the sugary secretions insects leave on plants, which is called honeydew.
While all honey has impressive levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, a recent study of Spanish honey varieties shows that honeydew honey has even higher levels of antioxidant polyphenols than honeys bees make from nectar. (Perez RA, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture) Spanish researchers looked at 36 varieties of Spanish honey in two groups: clover honey, which bees make from the nectar of flower blossoms, and honeydew honey, made by bees from a sweet, sticky substance secreted by insects such as aphids that live off plants. Honeydew honey tends to be darker and more acidic than clover varieties. Although harder to find than clover honey in the U.S., honeydew honey produced in America should also provide higher levels of antioxidants, noted study co-author Rosa Anna Perez, a researcher with the Instituto Madrileno de Investigacion y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario in Madrid.


It is important to keep honey stored in an airtight container so that it doesn't absorb moisture from the air. Honey stored this way in a cool dry place will keep almost indefinitely. One reason for this is that its high sugar content and acidic pH help to inhibit microorganism growth. Honey that is kept at colder temperatures tends to thicken, while honey that is kept at higher temperatures has a tendency to darken and have an altered flavor. How to Enjoy
Tips for Cooking with Honey:

If your honey has crystallized, placing the container in hot water for 15 minutes will help return it to its liquid state. Do not heat honey in the microwave as this alters its taste by increasing its hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. To prevent honey from sticking to measuring cups and spoons, use honey that is in its liquid form.
Honey makes a good replacement for sugar in most recipes. Since honey is sweeter than sugar, you need to use less, one-half to three-quarters of a cup for each cup of sugar. For each cup of sugar replaced, you should also reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by one-quarter of a cup. In addition, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF since honey causes foods to brown more easily. A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Use honey in place of table sugar as a sweetener in your tea.
Drizzle apple slices with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.
To enjoy sweetened yogurt without excess sugar, mix a little honey into plain yogurt.
A delicious sandwich that is enjoyed by kids of all ages is a combination of peanut (or almond) butter, with bananas and honey.
In a saucepan over low heat, combine soymilk, honey and unsweetened dark chocolate to make a deliciously nutritious chocolate "milk" drink. Individual Concerns

Remember that the quality of honey is a function of the plants and environment from which pollen, saps, nectars and resins were gathered. Other substances found in the environment - including traces of heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotics - have been shown to appear in honey. The amount varies greatly. Do not feed honey-containing products or use honey as a flavoring for infants under one year of age; honey may contain Clostridium botulinum spores and toxins that can cause infant botulism, a life-threatening paralytic disease. Honey is safe for children older than 12 months and adults.
Nutritional Profile

For an in-depth nutritional profile click here: Honey (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=53). In-Depth Nutritional Profile
In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Honey (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=53) is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.
Introduction to Food Rating System Chart
In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling." Read more background information and details of our rating system (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=faq&dbid=22).

Honey
1.00 oz
42.38 grams
128.82 caloriesNutrientAmountDV
(%)Nutrient
DensityWorld's Healthiest
Foods RatingWorld's Healthiest
Foods RatingRuleexcellentDV>=75%ORDensity>=7.6ANDDV>=10%very goodDV>=50%ORDensity>=3.4ANDDV>=5%goodDV>=25%ORDensity>=1.5ANDDV>=2.5%
In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Honey (http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrientprofile&dbid=53) References

Al-Waili NS. Natural honey lowers plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and blood lipids in healthy, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects: comparison with dextrose and sucrose. J Med Food. 2004 Spring;7(1):100-7. 2004. PMID:15117561.
Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods & Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983.
Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210.
Fessenden R. Report to the Officers and Board of Directors of theCommittee for the Promotion of Honey and Health, January 21, 2008. http://www.prohoneyandhealth.com/UserFiles/Image/Symposium Report.pdf.
Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996.
Gribel' NV, Pashinskii VG. [The antitumor properties of honey]. Vopr Onkol 1990;36(6):704-9 1990. PMID:13980.
Gross H, Polagruto J, Zhu Q, Kim S, Schramm D, Keen C. Effect of honey consumption on plasma antioxidant status in human subjects. Paper presented at the 227th American Chemical Society Meeting, Anahein CA, March 28, 2004. 2004.
Keast-Butler J. Honey for necrotic malignant breast ulcers. Lancet 1980 Oct 11;2(8198):809 1980. PMID:13990.
Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, Shaffer ML, et al. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Dec;161(12):1140-6. 2007. PMID:18056558.
Perez RA, Iglesias MT, Pueyo E, Gonzalez M, de Lorenzo C. Amino acid composition and antioxidant capacity of Spanish honeys. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jan 24;55(2):360-5. 2007. PMID:17227066.
Rao CV, Desai D, Kaul B, et al. Effect of caffeic acid esters on carcinogen-induced mutagenicity and human colon adenocarcinoma cell growth. Chem Biol Interact 1992 Nov 16;84(3):277-90 1992. PMID:13970.
Rao CV, Desai D, Rivenson A, et al. Chemoprevention of colon carcinogenesis by phenylethyl-3-methylcaffeate. Cancer Res 1995 Jun 1;55(11):2310-5 1995. PMID:13950.
Rao CV, Desai D, Simi B, et al. Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid esters on azoxymethane-induced biochemical changes and aberrant crypt foci formation in rat colon. Cancer Res 1993 Sep 15;53(18):4182-8 1993. PMID:13960.
Tanzi MG, Gabay MP. Association between honey consumption and infant botulism. Pharmacotherapy. 2002 Nov;22(11):1479-83. 2002. PMID:12432974.
Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988 1988. PMID:15220.

[MITM]

did you read the above article? a tablespoon or two is not a "massive carbhit."

Actually, if you are doing the ketogenic diet (in that context) and given the fact it's being taken at night -- yes, I would have to say that it would be a pretty big carbhit, how about that? It'll def. take you out of ketosis -- am I wrong? I might be -- I'm asking.

PJ's take also seems interesting. Me personally, I tend to become super carb sensitive when I'm dieting/cutting -- I personally wouldn't do it, but I really am no Scott Connelly, I'm just Christian Duque == what a bummer! lol

[bigjavs]

LMAO @ fructose stabilizing blood sugar....WTF

[lomox]

LMAO @ fructose stabilizing blood sugar....WTF

LMAO @ fat not making you fat.

Don't be so dogmatic. Keeping an open mind is how we progress.

BTW - Fructose does stabilize blood sugar in diabetics when too much insulin is produced. Good thing they had OJ and candy on hand at the Vatican of Michael Corleone would have bought it right there!

[beezy13]

Actually, if you are doing the ketogenic diet (in that context) and given the fact it's being taken at night -- yes, I would have to say that it would be a pretty big carbhit, how about that? It'll def. take you out of ketosis -- am I wrong? I might be -- I'm asking.

PJ's take also seems interesting. Me personally, I tend to become super carb sensitive when I'm dieting/cutting -- I personally wouldn't do it, but I really am no Scott Connelly, I'm just Christian Duque == what a bummer! lol


yes you're wrong! 1 or 2 tablespoons will not take you out of ketosis. even if it did (which it won't) you will be back in ketosis by the morning. you can be in ketosis on 100g carbs a day. your workouts and the rest of the diet will ensure this. Unless you are 115lbs (and if you are you don't need to be on keto you need to eat) a tablespoon of hioney is no problem. Maybe for a BBer a week out it would be a bad idea but the article never said to use it that way. again like most things just try it and see if it worlks if not then stop it won't kill you.

[Suave_Howss]

Natty Organic Peanut Butter + Honey + Whole Wheat (not flour) toast = WIN

[rcp1936]

Natty Organic Peanut Butter + Honey + Whole Wheat (not flour) toast = WIN
Almond Butter for me --Allergic to peanuts