Health Update

Honey is more than just a sweetener. It’s a highly nutritious food that offers tremendous antioxidants. Honey contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids which acts as antioxidants scavenging and eliminating free radicals.

Composed primarily of carbohydrates and water, honey also contains three important minerals according to the Philippine Food Composition Table: Calcium for strong bones and teeth; phosphorous for energy and bone muscle growth; and iron for healthy blood.

Honey is also used for beauty and well-being. According to the National Honey Board of the US, cosmetic manufacturers have used honey in everything from hand lotions and moisturizers to bar soaps and bubble baths.

One reason they use honey is for its all-natural image; more and more consumers are demanding cosmetics and personal care products made from natural ingredients.

As a humectant, honey attracts and retains moisture. This makes it natural fir in a variety of moisturizing products including cleaners, creams, shampoos and conditioners.

Honey also acts as an anti-irritant, making it suitable for sensitive skin and baby care products.

Research is currently under way to develop a process using honey to create alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs). AHAs are an important ingredient in many skin creams and moisturizers because they help exfoliate the skin.

Increased exfoliation, or renewal of the skin cells, can give skin a younger, more vibrant look.

Gardenia’s Honey Oat Loaf for instance, created in partnership with Quaker Oats, combines all nutritive goodness of honey and oats in one loaf.

Moreover, daily consumption of honey raises blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in humans. This is according to research presented at the 227th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, California.

On the other hand, quakeroatsmeal.com said oats offer many nutritional benefits by lowering one’s risk of developing heart disease and certain types of cancers and promotes satiety, an important component of weight management.

Research conducted over the past 40 years show that eating at least three grams of soluble fiber daily from oatmeal, paired with a diet low in saturated fat cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering total cholesterol and LDL (bad) cholesterol, keeping arteries clean and healthy.

This is the first heart health claim approved by the US Food and Drug Administration

Source: Manila Bulletin