Introduction: Winter is a dry season, but drinking plain water doesn't seem to quench thirst. At this time, drinking some honey water can have a great moisturizing effect.
Benefits of Drinking Honey Water
1. Drinking honey water can have antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, and promote tissue regeneration
High-quality honey does not spoil even when left at room temperature for several years, indicating its extremely strong preservative effect. Experiments have confirmed that honey has a strong inhibitory effect on Gram-positive bacteria such as streptococci, staphylococci, and diphtheria bacilli.
Usage: When treating a wound, applying honey to the affected area can reduce exudate, alleviate pain, promote wound healing, and prevent infection.
2. Drinking honey water can promote digestion
Research has proven that honey has a regulatory effect on gastrointestinal function and can normalize gastric acid secretion. Animal experiments have confirmed that honey can enhance intestinal peristalsis and significantly shorten defecation time.
Usage: Honey is effective for colitis and habitual constipation without any side effects. Honey can relieve stomach pain and a burning sensation in the stomach, and increase red blood cell and hemoglobin counts. For people with gastric and duodenal ulcers, regular consumption of honey can also be helpful.
3. Drinking honey water can enhance immunity
The various enzymes and minerals in honey can work synergistically to improve human immunity. Experimental research has shown that feeding mice with honey can enhance their immune function.
Usage: It is commonly used to treat colds and pharyngitis. The method is to add 2 tablespoons of honey and 1/4 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice to a glass of water, and drink 3-4 cups daily.
4. Drinking honey water can promote longevity
Scholars from the former Soviet Union once investigated more than 200 centenarians, of whom 143 were beekeepers, confirming that their longevity was related to regular consumption of honey. The mechanism by which honey promotes longevity is complex, involving a comprehensive conditioning of the human body rather than simply acting on a specific organ.
5. Drinking honey water can improve sleep quality
Honey can relieve nervous tension, promote sleep, and has a certain analgesic effect. Glucose, vitamins, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, etc. in honey can regulate the nervous system and promote sleep.
Usage: For people with neurasthenia, a spoonful of honey before bedtime can improve sleep. Apple honey, collected from apple blossoms, has a more prominent sedative effect.
When is the best time to drink honey water
When is the best time to drink honey water? Generally, it's better to drink it in the evening rather than in the morning. That is, drinking a cup of honey water before bed is better than drinking a cup after waking up! In traditional Chinese medicine, there is a saying for health preservation in early autumn: "Salt water in the morning, honey soup at night." This means: drink light salt water on an empty stomach after waking up every morning, and drink honey water before going to sleep every night. The reason is: drinking light salt water in the morning can dilute the thick blood after a night's sleep, and it has a slight anti-inflammatory effect, moisturizing the intestines and promoting bowel movements; drinking honey water at night helps with beauty and nourishment, and supplements various trace elements. Therefore, a more scientific approach is to save the honey water for the evening and drink light salt water in the morning.
Let's look at why it's better to drink it in the evening. It is not advisable to drink honey water as the first thing on an empty stomach. The reason is that honey water contains sugar, not in the form of plain water. After drinking it, the fructose in the honey must be metabolized into glucose by the body before it can be absorbed and utilized. This way, it loses the effect of the first glass of water in the morning cleansing the body's internal environment.
So when should we drink honey water? Drinking a glass of honey water daily can make the skin smoother and fairer. As the first glass of water, honey water cannot effectively replenish water for the body's cells. The time for the kidneys to excrete urine is relatively slower than with plain water, reducing the body's detoxification function. At this time, the body has not yet cleared waste products, and is now accepting new, high-quality (honey) substances. The new substances provided by the body then mix with the metabolic waste from the night, resulting in a mixed metabolic absorption process of old and new substances in the body. This prevents the full absorption of the nutrients in the honey, and the re-metabolism of the waste is even more detrimental to health. Therefore, drinking plain water first, and then consuming honey water after ten minutes, is more conducive to maximizing the nutritional value of the honey.
In addition, honey water contains various nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, and biological enzymes, which have certain effects on beauty, moisturizing the intestines, and promoting bowel movements. Therefore, after drinking plain water in the morning when the body is relatively clean, drinking honey water is more conducive to its preventive and therapeutic effects. To not affect appetite, you can eat the honey directly or with bread. It can also be mixed with yogurt, fruit and vegetable juice, etc., and the time can be arranged as needed.
However, the saying that it's better to drink honey water in the evening rather than in the morning is a general guideline and not suitable for everyone. It depends on individual physical conditions. For example, if someone has difficulty with bowel movements, then drinking honey water in the morning can help with bowel movements, so for them, drinking honey water after waking up is better.
A glass of honey water before bed is not suitable for everyone either. The reason is that drinking honey water usually causes blood sugar to rise quickly, and it is absorbed before midnight, making it difficult to relieve hypoglycemia in the middle of the night. Furthermore, cells are already dehydrated during sleep, and blood viscosity is correspondingly higher. Drinking honey water, which is not conducive to diluting blood viscosity, is like adding fuel to the fire and is also not conducive to preventing cardiovascular and cerebrovascular accidents. Therefore, for middle-aged and elderly people and those with abnormal blood lipids, it is more appropriate to choose plain water. They should give up the habit of drinking a glass of honey water in the morning and evening, so that the nutritional value of honey can be more effectively utilized.
So, regarding the best time to drink honey water, it still depends on your individual constitution. If you really want to focus on health preservation, it's best to go to a traditional Chinese medicine hospital, find a doctor, explain your situation, and follow the doctor's advice!
Another small tip: Honey should not be consumed hot, as this will destroy vitamins and deactivate biological enzymes, reducing its original nutritional value. It is best to consume honey with lukewarm water at about 60°C. My usual practice is to mix hot water and lukewarm water to a suitable temperature before brewing the honey.