Is Honey good or bad for Diabetes, Pregnancy, Children? Benefits & Sise effetcs
How much honey should
you consume every day?
Children
For children who are lesser than one
year old, it is recommended that they should not be given honey unless it has
been certified that it is free of spores.
It is better not to give honey to
children under one year since they will be sensitive to specific microorganisms
which might be present in honey. In certain rare cases, these organisms might
cause serious problems to which adults would be immune to.
For children between the age of one and
three, we can give two to four small spoons of honey a day. For children
between three and six years, we can give four to six small spoons per day.
Children over 6 years should consume up
to 5 small teaspoons of honey per day and teenagers must consume up to 8-10
teaspoons of honey per day (approximately to 50-70g)
Adults
Honey has the similar characteristics to
that of sugar – such as the sweetness and chemical structure. Hence, the
suggested serving quantity of honey is the same as that of normal sugar. One
serving equals one tablespoon - it is not advised to take more than 10
tablespoon per day. This recommendation takes into account even added sugars -
including what is present in packaged foods.
Honey is prescribed as a curative and a
prophylactic method - if it is consumed at the following quantity – per day
dose of 80 grams which could be increased up to 120 grams.
Note - Darker honeys such as Dandelion honey, Buckwheat
honey, red gum, rewarewa is better than the lighter honey.
Can a Diabetic Eat
Honey?
It has been scientifically proven that
pure honey is a better choice for diabetic patients than regular sugar or other
sweeteners. Honey has a lower Glycaemic Index than sugar, which means that
honey does not increase the sugar levels in blood as fast as normal sugar.
Honey also involves lower levels of insulin when compared to common white sugar.
Honey also involves lower levels of insulin when compared to common white sugar.
Nevertheless, the most important concern
is the total carbohydrates in one’s diet and not the quantity of sugar.
A tablespoon of honey has roughly 17 grams of carbohydrates. Honey is sweeter than normal sugar and also has higher calories. Hence, one can add lesser amount of honey in order to get the same sweetness.
A tablespoon of honey has roughly 17 grams of carbohydrates. Honey is sweeter than normal sugar and also has higher calories. Hence, one can add lesser amount of honey in order to get the same sweetness.
Caution: One should use pure and unadulterated honey.
Honey in Pregnancy
Ingesting honey with garlic towards the
end of pregnancy is a good way to avert group B strep and to increase one’s
immunity. Honey used for this purpose should be local and raw; if the honey
contains propolis it is much better.
Pregnant women can consume honey safely.
An adult’s intestine is more acidic than that of a baby's. An adult intestine
contains certain useful bacteria that prevent the spores from emerging into
botulism-causing bacteria.
Any adult (even pregnant women) are commonly exposed
to botulism spores without getting sick. Any botulism spores that honey could
contain will be killed in a pregnant woman's intestines. Hence these spores
will not reach the bloodstream nor will they be passed on to the unborn baby.
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Caution: It is advisable that pregnant woman do not consume
unpasteurized honey in order to reduce the risk of getting exposed to the
botulism spores.
Risk in consuming too
much Honey
If one consumes more than 10
tablespoons, it could lead to gastric problems such as bloating, stomach cramps
and even diarrhea. Due to honey's fructose content, too much of it could
interfere with the ability of one’s small intestine to absorb nutrients. This
could lead to abdominal discomfort until the honey is eliminated from the
system.
