Honey is not only a nutritious food but also a good medicine. Our ancestors have used honey to treat many diseases since ancient times. Li Shizhen described the medicinal functions of honey in "Compendium of Materia Medica": "It clears heat, tonifies the middle, detoxifies, moistens dryness, and alleviates pain." Modern medical research shows that taking honey can promote digestion and absorption, increase appetite, and have a sedative effect for sleep. It can also improve the body's immune function and enhance physical resistance. It is especially effective for weakness, neurasthenia, the recovery period after illness, geriatric diseases, developmental abnormalities, and malnutrition.
In health-conscious households, a jar of honey should be kept in the kitchen year-round. It is used to replace white sugar in cooking, as well as in making bread and cakes. Especially when roasting chicken or duck, using jujube flower honey is recommended for its golden color and unique flavor. Adding honey to milk can help prevent and treat colds, coughs, constipation, and other illnesses.
Honey should not be mixed with boiling water. Boiling water can cause the amylase in honey to break down, destroy 20% to 50% of its vitamin C, and alter other nutrients. The color will also change from light to dark, reducing the original nutritional value of honey.