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Lemonades aren’t the same without a dash of honey, as are your gut health goals!
Think of the foods you eat—pancakes, salads, and teas. Doesn’t a spoonful of golden goodness enhance their taste? Besides being a natural sweetener, honey has fulfilled many medicinal purposes, from healing sore throats and coughs to curing burns and wounds. But did you know honey is good for gut health as well?
If you’ve experienced gut issues like bloating, constipation, or diarrhoea, you might be looking for ways to overcome the discomfort. The good news is that the solution can be sweeter than you think. Honey, with its long history of medicinal use, offers surprising benefits for your gut health. Let’s see how this golden nectar can improve your digestive well-being!
Is honey good for gut health?
A dollop of honey definitely sweetens your day, but it’s your gut that acquires its real taste. Raw honey, in particular, offers a range of benefits for your digestive system. By incorporating raw honey into your diet, you can support a healthy gut microbiome, improve digestion, and reduce the risk of digestive disorders. Here’s how honey benefits your gut:
- Indigestion: If food is not digested properly, you might experience discomfort or pain in the upper abdomen. It’s often caused by excess stomach acid, and indigestion can lead to heartburn, bloating, and nausea. Raw honey, with its slightly alkaline pH, can help neutralise stomach acid, providing relief from these symptoms. This alkaline effect can create a more balanced environment in the gut, promoting healthy digestion and reducing the risk of acid reflux.
- Acid reflux: Acid reflux, also known as heartburn, occurs when stomach acid flows back into the oesophagus. It can cause a burning sensation in the chest and throat and other uncomfortable symptoms. The alkaline properties of raw honey help ease inflammation in the oesophagus lining and reduce the frequency and severity of acid reflux episodes.
- IBD: Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic condition that causes inflammation of the digestive tract. It can lead to symptoms like abdominal pain, diarrhoea, constipation, and fatigue. While more research is needed, some studies suggest that honey may have anti-inflammatory properties that can help manage symptoms of IBD.
Knowing that honey benefits your gut, you might be tempted to buy the small bottles of honey lining up on supermarket shelves. However, store-bought honey is pasteurised, meaning it’s put under high heat to enhance its colour and texture and improve its shelf life. During pasteurisation, honey loses its natural components and nutrients. Hence, always opt for unprocessed raw honey to support your gut.
So, is honey good for gut health? Definitely! However, you must note that honey is not a substitute for medical treatment, even though it helps calm your symptoms. Always consult your doctor before experimenting with new remedies.
Honey as a prebiotic
Though it’s said that honey is good for your gut, do you know what makes it suitable? You might be familiar with the trillions of beneficial bacteria in your gut that offer several health benefits. What do you think helps them thrive? It’s the prebiotics, which are non-digestible fibers that feed the beneficial bacteria. And guess what? Honey acts as a natural prebiotic that promotes the growth of these bacteria.
Honey contains a variety of non-digestible oligosaccharides, including fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and inulin. These compounds pass through your digestive system undigested, reaching your colon and serving as a food source for beneficial bacteria. Bacteria consume oligosaccharides and produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which play a vital role in maintaining gut health by:
- Improving digestion: SCFAs can help regulate bowel movements and prevent constipation.
- Reducing inflammation: SCFAs have anti-inflammatory properties that can help protect the gut lining.
- Boosting immunity: SCFAs can help strengthen your immune system by supporting the function of gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT).
However, it’s important to choose raw honey to enjoy prebiotic benefits, as it contains more enzymes and antioxidants than processed honey. Additionally, consuming honey in moderation can help ensure your gut microbiome receives a steady supply of prebiotic fibers.
Did you know eating fiber can improve longevity? Our expert discusses how including fiber-rich foods in your diet can reduce the risk of premature death with science-backed evidence. Listen and get ready to increase your lifespan!
Raw honey and antibiotics
Do you occasionally experience urinary tract infections and take antibiotics? If so, your gut health might be in jeopardy. Though antibiotics are essential for treating bacterial infections, they can disrupt the delicate balance of your gut microbiome, leading to an overgrowth of harmful bacteria.
So, how can you restore gut balance? Probiotics and prebiotics are your best bet! If probiotics bring beneficial bacteria to your gut, prebiotics act as food for them, promoting their growth. We’ve already seen honey is prebiotic, so you can add a dollop of this sweet nectar to your toasts and herbal teas to nourish your gut microbiome. But little do you know that honey has antibacterial properties.
By consuming raw honey during antibiotic therapy, you can:
- Support gut health: Honey can help restore the balance of your gut microbiome, reducing the risk of digestive side effects.
- Promote beneficial bacteria: Honey's prebiotic properties can encourage the growth of healthy bacteria.
- Combat harmful bacteria: Honey's antibacterial properties can help prevent the overgrowth of harmful microorganisms.
Honey is like a double-edged sword that fights harmful bacteria and nurtures the growth of beneficial ones. But before using it as an antibiotic, consult a healthcare professional. They can recommend appropriate dosages and guide you on the best way to incorporate honey into your treatment plan.
If you need an alternative remedy to boost your gut health, The Good Bug’s Gut Balance is ideal. This product contains essential probiotic strains that help improve digestion and maintain gut balance. Many users have found this product beneficial. Read their reviews and testimonials here.
Ways to consume honey for improved gut health
Whenever we hear something is good, we tend to increase our intake, hoping to achieve faster results. Is that practice acceptable? Though honey is good for gut health, having two tablespoons after every meal is not recommended. Remember, anything in excess can also lead to poor health.
Though there's no definitive recommended daily intake for honey, most health experts agree that consuming a moderate amount is generally safe. A typical serving size is about 1-2 tablespoons per day. However, it's essential to listen to your body and adjust your intake accordingly.
So, can honey be only consumed as it is? Not at all! Let’s look at a few delicious ways to add honey to your meals:
- Direct consumption: The best and easiest way is to enjoy a spoonful of raw honey on its own. However, do not go overboard and limit your honey intake to 1 tablespoon daily.
- Beverages: Ditch the sugar and embrace the sweetness of honey to make your beverages even tastier and healthier. Add honey to tea, coffee, or lemon water to create a perfect drink.
- Toppings: Here’s another delicious way to consume honey if you’re fond of cereals, pancakes, toast, smoothies, or oatmeal. Just drizzle a few drops of honey for that extra sweet kick.
- Baking: Do you love baked goods? There is no need to compromise on your gut health while having cakes or cookies, either. Use honey as a sugar substitute to bake your favourite treats.
Now that you know the benefits of honey, it’s time to see how effective this gut health match made in heaven truly is. By incorporating honey into your diet, you're not just treating yourself to a delicious treat but also nourishing your gut microbiome and improving your digestive health. Explore different ways of adding honey and feel the difference!
Are you ready to sweeten your gut health journey? The Good Bug is here to support you in every step towards better gut health. We provide a range of probiotic and prebiotic products, along with helpful resources and tips for a smooth, effortless ride. Visit our website and book a free consultation with our expert nutritionists to start your journey!
References
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9367972/
https://academic.oup.com/fqs/article/1/2/107/3860141
https://freshhoneycomb.com/blogs/the-buzz/honey-and-gut-health
https://balqees.com/blogs/stories/how-raw-honey-can-improve-gut-health
https://nectahive.com/blogs/honey-blog/what-is-gut-microbiome-and-how-can-honey-help
https://www.webmd.com/diet/honey-health-benefits
https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/top-raw-honey-benefits
