Harmful Honey Combinations: Six Things Not to Mix with Honey

Honey can provide many health benefits. Maybe it’s even better if you combine it with superfoods. However, there are some things you shouldn’t mix with honey.

Honey is a sweet product obtained from nectar by bees. Bees collect nectar from flowers and turn it into honey, which is golden in color and sweet in taste. It can provide many health benefits, such as sweetness in food and relief from cold and flu. But don’t go ahead and add honey to anything you want. Some honey combinations can do more harm than good. One mistake people make is mixing honey with hot water and drinking it on an empty stomach. There are many ingredients you shouldn’t mix with honey!

What are the health benefits of honey?

Honey is made up of carbohydrates. But it also has other nutrients. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), 100 grams of honey contains 82.4 grams of carbohydrates, 17 grams of water, and other nutrients such as calcium (6 mg), potassium (52 ​​mg), and vitamin C (0.5 mg).

Here are some of the health benefits of honey:

• Honey can help clear excess mucus from the nose and throat. It can help prevent colds, coughs, and strengthen the body.
• It can help eliminate free radicals and reduce oxidative stress in the body.
• Honey has antibacterial properties that help prevent infections and speed up wound healing.
• It also has prebiotic effects that help improve gut health to improve digestion.
• Experts say that people who are pre-diabetic, diabetic or have symptoms such as acidity, heartburn should not drink honey.

What is the reason to avoid the harmful honey combinations?

Some contact with honey can make it poisonous. Here are some of them:

1. Take honey with hot water

Honey can be harmful to your health if added to hot water. According to a 2010 study published in AYU (International Ayurvedic Research Quarterly), honey becomes toxic at a temperature of 140 degrees. Scientists also found that because honey contains natural sugars, heat releases 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, or HMF, which can be carcinogenic.

2. Honey and garlic

Honey should not be mixed with garlic because it can cause stomach upset or serious gastrointestinal problems in some people. Garlic has strong antibacterial properties and when mixed with honey, it can affect how the body processes the combination.

3. Honey and cucumber

Is honey used to make a better nutritious salad? Make sure there is no cucumber in it. Do not mix honey with cucumber, which has cooling and diuretic properties. Cold cucumber can cause skin problems or digestive problems when mixed with honey.

4. Honey and ghee

Mixing honey with ghee or sugar can clearly cause poisoning. A 2020 study published in Toxicological Reports fed mice equal amounts of honey and ghee. They were found to be incompatible. Researchers found that after consuming honey and ghee, the mice lost hair, lost weight, and developed red bumps on their ears.

5. Mix honey with meat and fish

Honey should not be consumed with protein foods such as fish and meat. Not only will the taste be different, but mixing them together can delay digestion and cause stomach upset.

6. Honey with sweet fruits

Drip honey into a bowl of fruit, such as mango, increases the sweetness. Do not mix honey with sweet fruits like pineapple and mango. Since they are sugar, they can cause blood sugar levels to rise in people, especially those with diabetes.

What is the best honey combination?

Certain combinations can enhance the benefits of honey. Such as:

1. Honey and lemon

Honey plus lemon has a soothing effect on the throat and helps treat sore throat and cough. Lemon and honey contain vitamin C, which has powerful anti-inflammatory properties. Vitamin C plays an important role in the production of white blood cells, which help your body fight infections, according to research published in the Annals of Nutrition and Metabolism in 2006.

2. Honey and ginger

Honey and ginger are a great combination for improving digestion. They’re also a good home remedy for getting rid of nausea. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties that help with digestion and reduce inflammation.

3. Honey and cinnamon

Both ingredients have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. The combination of honey and cinnamon can be used effectively to strengthen immunity and control diabetes.

4. Honey and nuts

Mixing honey with nuts like almonds or walnuts makes for a delicious and healthy snack. Nuts provide healthy fats and protein that complement the natural sugars in honey. So eat this mix instead of unhealthy snacks.

Honey is not compatible with all ingredients. Find a combination that enhances the properties of honey and other ingredients for a more enjoyable and healthy experience.