Honey for Diabetes

Diabetes is a condition that refers to the basic disorder of metabolism, mainly that of carbohydrates. Because of diabetes, the carbohydrates, starches and sugars that have been ingested, can’t be utilized properly. People who are obese are at a much higher risk of diabetes, than people who are thin. Diabetics suffer from reduced amounts of insulin, secreted in response to any form of glucose introduced into their blood. Therefore, diabetic patients have to follow restricted food varieties and quantities. Sugar and its forms should be banned from the diet of a diabetic patient. However, to add some sweetness to their food or drinks, diabetics use synthetic sweeteners such as Aspartam. This synthetic chemical agent actually contains no nutrients and is also combined with starch derivatives at times, which releases glucose into the blood. Therefore, in many countries, people suffering from diabetes use honey in lieu of sugar. One of the most important reasons of this is that honey is almost three times sweeter than sugar. Therefore the amount of honey used to sweeten any food item will be a lot less than the amount of sugar used. By substituting sugar with a small quantity of honey, you can reduce the overall number of calories and fat you consume, helping you to lose weight, which is highly recommended in diabetes. Honey and diabetes problems should be discussed with your doctor as it may not be a suitable option for some people.

Diabetic patients are recommended to increase their intake of vitamins and nutrients like B1, B6, B12, C and E as well as Biotin. Unfiltered summer honey is a good source of all these vitamins and minerals. Another important fact is that honey contains vitamins and nutrients that sugar does not. When you consume foods with sugar in them, the vitamins and nutrients from your body are utilized, for digestion. Ingesting sugar deprives your body of the vitamins required to dissolve fats and cholesterol. Consuming a moderate amount of honey instead of sugar will allow your body to preserve the vitamins, mineral and nutrients, therefore helping you to lose weight. Consumption of limited amounts of honey is believed to control diabetes; however, it is important to consult a doctor before adopting this practice. You can take up to two tablespoons of pure, organic honey, three times a day, for about three to four months continuously.

However, when purchasing honey for diabetes controlling purposes, please make sure that it is pure, raw and organic honey. Using honey that has been adulterated by starch, glucose, sugar care or even malt can actually cause more harm.