A Honey Spoonful a Day Keeps the Free Radicals at Bay!
There have been many reports that honey lowers cholesterol.
Now,
what exactly is cholesterol? It is a type of lipid or fat produced by
the liver needed to make vitamin D and some hormones, build cell walls,
and create bile salts that help you digest fat. Our liver produces
enough of this waxy substance (about 1,000 milligrams a day), so we
don't have to worry if there is need to get supplements. In fact, many
foods contain cholesterol and sometimes it's hard to ensure that we
don't get an excessive intake of cholesterol that could lead to serious
health problems. Eggs, meats, and whole-fat dairy products (including
milk, cheese, and ice cream) are loaded with cholesterol, whereas
vegetables, fruits, and grains contain none. Because cholesterol can't
travel alone through the bloodstream, it has to combine with certain
proteins, which pick up the cholesterol and transport it to different
parts of the body. When the cholesterol and protein are combined, a
lipoprotein is formed. Most cholesterol is LDL/bad (low-density
lipoproteins) cholesterol which can narrow the arteries and clog the
blood vessels that supply the vital organs such as the heart, brain,
kidneys and intestines. This is why it's so important to start paying
attention to our cholesterol levels by maintaining a healthy weight,
keeping an exercise regime to strengthen your heart, avoiding foods that
are high in saturated fat and trans fat and following a at a diet that
contains many low-cholesterol foods such as fruits, veggies, whole
grains (like breads and cereals), legumes (beans), and fish. When you
eat more of these carbohydrate-rich foods, you will eat less of the
foods higher in fat and cholesterol.
Honey and cholesterol-free
recipes are often associated in the world of healthy foods. Not only is
honey free of cholesterol, it has been reported that adding small
amounts of it in the daily diet could even help keep cholesterol levels
in check. High in minerals such as potassium, calcium and sodium and B
complex vitamins, honey is known to be a cholesterol fighter - honey
lowers cholesterol in our blood! The antioxidants in honey prevent
cholesterol from being moved out of the blood and into the lining of the
blood vessels.
Daily consumption of this natural sweetener could
raise blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in the body. It
is believed that honey contains about the same range of antioxidants as
green vegetables, such as broccoli and spinach and also comparable to
fruits such as apples, bananas, oranges and strawberries. And the
antioxidant level in mead , a wine made with honey is believed to be
comparable to white wine in terms of its antioxidant capability.
Generally, it's been known that dark honey lowers cholesterol more
effectively than lighter honey. For instance, Buckwheat honey contains
the highest levels of antioxidants. The intake of honey and cinnamon,
mixture also has been reported to have innate healing characteristics
that appear to help diabetics control both blood sugar and cholesterol
levels.
So, see if honey lowers cholesterol by kick starting your
day with this honey and lemon home remedy, cleansing tonic: mix a
spoonful or two of honey and the juice of half a lemon into a cup of hot
water and drink each morning before breakfast. Incorporate honey in
more places where you might be using table sugar, and use it often as a
home remedy, in no time, you may find a significant increase in the
amount of antioxidant chemical compounds in your body.
By
Ruth Tan
