Yet another benefit of honey – it delays ageing

20 September, 2007

Honey may combat the effects of ageing, including memory decline and anxiety.

Studies conducted on mice recently found that those on diets including honey had better spatial memory and were less anxious.

Lynne Chepulis and Nicola Starkey of the University of Waikato in Hamilton, New Zealand, raised rats on diets containing either 10% honey, 8% sucrose, or no sugar at all for 12 months.

The rats were two months old at the start of the trial, and were assessed every three months using tests designed to measure anxiety and spatial memory.

The results showed that honey-fed rats spent almost twice as much time in the open sections of an ‘assessment maze,’ which the researchers say suggests that they were less anxious.

They were also more likely to spend time in new sections of a Y-shaped maze, suggesting that they knew where they had been before and had better spatial memory.

Nicola Starkey said diets sweetened with honey might be beneficial in decreasing anxiety and improving memory during ageing.

The researchers propose that honey may boost memory because of its antioxidant properties, which help prevent free radicals damaging cells in the body.

The findings were presented at the meeting of the Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour at Newcastle University.

The many advantages of honey also include improving one’s eyesight, especially if one sits for long hours before computers.

To improve eyesight, one should mix two teaspoons of honey with carrot juice and consume regularly.

According to research conducted by Madeep Kaur, of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Samrala in Punjab, India, there are plenty of home remedies from honey. Iimprovement of the eyesight is only one such cure.

Those suffering from cold, cough, and chest congestion can benefit from two teaspoons of honey with equal quantity of ginger juice consumed frequently.

According to Madeep Kaur’s research paper, one spoon of fresh honey mixed with the juice of half a lemon in a glass of lukewarm water taken first thing in the morning is very effective for constipation, hyperacidity, and obesity.

Regular use of two teaspoons of honey mixed with one teaspoon of garlic juice helps control blood pressure.

A mixture of honey, ginger juice, and black pepper powder in equal quantities when consumed thrice daily helps relieve symptoms of asthma.

Mandeep Kaur’s research paper, while highlighting the positive aspects of honey, has warned that honey should not be heated and that honey should not be consumed when working in hot environment when one is exposed to too much heat.

The paper strongly warns that honey should never be mixed with hot and spicy foods and fermented beverages like whisky, rum or brandy.

Honey includes nectar of various flowers, some of which may be poisonous, and when it is mixed with hot and spicy foods, the poisonous properties get enhanced.