Honey’s health benefits have been lauded since antiquity, and modern research backs them up. Now, a Canadian company introduces gummies made with natural honey.
It’s never been more important to guard our immune systems, as anybody who’s been paying attention to the news for the past year and a half knows all too well. Pathogens like COVID-19 aren’t the only things directly threatening our health. Psychological stress, which has been on the rise for most people, carries real physical risks. Unfortunately, stress can wear down the immune system at the time it’s needed most.
It turns out that a natural way to support the body’s defences is also one of the oldest. Honey — that sweet, sticky liquid we know and love for its delectable flavour and numerous culinary applications — has been the centre of many scientific studies for its anti-bacterial and antioxidant properties. Take it from Democritus, a Greek philosopher who lived to be 109 years old: “The secret of my health is applying honey inside and oil outside,” he once said. Or, take it from many of the modern studies looking at its long-prized health benefits. Free of additives, naturally antimicrobial honey stays fresh indefinitely, which is probably what first sparked the attention of ancient thinkers like Democritus.
The immune-supporting benefits of honey are pretty sweet
Naturally, immunity is an incredibly complex, multifaceted system. Its key players, in simple terms, are white blood cells (also known as lymphocytes). Made in bone marrow, these cells move through the body scouring for harmful intruders — namely bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. This is here honey comes in: research shows that honey has antibacterial and ntiviral properties. 1 That’s pretty impressive for something that delicious.
If that weren’t enough, honey contains flavonoids and antioxidants that neutralize free radicals, which damage our cells, including the structures that make up the immune system. This damage can lead to chronic disease. Stress is another major cause of oxidative stress (another way to say free radical damage), making it more important to increase our regular consumption of powerful antioxidants like honey. Honey also happens to be a natural source of carbohydrates that’s lower on the glycemic index than high-fructose corn syrup and refined sugar, making it a great pre- and post- workout choice for those who want to reduce refined sugar intake and reap additional health gains while doing so.
Gummies made with honey as the first ingredient
While the power of honey is clear, not everyone is into eating tablespoons of it every day. Honibe, an innovative Canadian brand, created a line of gummies where pure Canadian honey is the number one ingredient.
For essential vitamins along with a daily dose of honey, try the citrus-flavoured Complete Multivitamin + Immune gummies. This multivitamin covers your nutritional bases and gets a boost from vitamin C, echinacea, zinc—and of course, pure honey as the #1 ingredient. Like all other Honibe products, it’s free from all the things you don’t want in a multivitamin: gluten, dairy, soy, artificial colours, flavours, sweeteners, and high fructose corn syrup.
No immune-supporting health regimen is complete without a good night’s sleep. Honibe’s strawberry-flavoured Melatonin Gummie Bees, with 2.5 milligrams melatonin per gummy, are designed for consumers who need a little extra help hitting the hay.
References
1 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6589292/#:~:text=Honey%20exhibits%20a%20broad%2Dspectrum,both%20media%20and%20in%20culture. https://europepmc.org/article /med/25860226
Viuda-Martos, M. et al (2008) Functional Properties of Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly Food Sci 73(9): R117-R124
Abdulrhman, M. et al (2013) Effects of honey, sucrose and glucose on blood glucose and C peptide in patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus Comp Ther Clin Practice 19:15-19
Boden Institute of Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise and Eating Disorders and Charles Perkins Centre, University of Sydney Glycemic Index Research and Index Database: https://glycemicindex.com/gi-search/
