How Honey Can Help With Diabetes
"Don't eat honey!" is what doctors and nurses tell diabetic patients. They are right.... if they mean the sugary syrup sold in supermarkets labelled "honey."
But raw organic honey is different to the sugary syrup "honey" sold in supermarkets.
Over the past few years, raw organic honey has become a popular supplement for patients with diabetes. The research suggests that it could help improve blood sugar levels in people who have type 2 diabetes.
A university study in Turkey found that people with type 2 diabetes who ate 5 grams of raw organic honey daily for four months reduced their Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) level. HbA1c is a measure of blood sugar control over recent months.
Diabetes is a serious disease that affects millions of people. It's important to always consult your doctor if you suffer from diabetes, but there are other ways to treat it that are worth exploring as well. Raw organic honey could be one of those tools that can help with managing diabetes.
What Causes Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease that causes high blood sugar. It affects all ages, races, and genders. Diabetes can be caused by genetics or lifestyle factors (like eating too much sugar, childhood trauma or years of stress).
The pancreas is an organ that produces insulin, which helps control the amount of glucose in your blood stream. If you don't have enough insulin to process glucose from food, your body will shut down its ability to do so and begin storing excess sugar as fat for future energy needs instead. This is why people who have diabetes tend to gain weight—their bodies are trying to store energy for when there's not enough coming in.
Why It Is Important To Treat Diabetes
Diabetes is a dangerous disease that compromises your immune system and can cause serious problems, including amputations and blindness.
Diabetes can also cause heart disease and kidney disease, which are some of the leading causes of death in the United Kingdom. In fact, it's estimated that diabetes will affect about 1 in 10 people globally by 2030.
If you have diabetes, it’s important to take your medication as prescribed and see a doctor if you have any problems with your diabetes. If left untreated, diabetes can cause serious health problems, including heart disease and stroke.
The Research
A study published in the Journal of Diabetes Research suggests that raw organic honey can be a useful tool for managing diabetes. The research team found that consuming raw organic honey was able to lower blood sugar levels and improve insulin sensitivity (the ability of cells in the body to process glucose).
These results support previous studies on the effects of natural sugars on health. In particular, they support the recommendation from Diabetes UK that diabetics should limit processed sugar intake in order to decrease risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease.
It also adds evidence to existing research suggesting that unprocessed forms of natural sweeteners are beneficial for both diabetics and those without diabetes alike.
In another study, researchers found that raw organic honey helped reduce blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes by about 20%. It also reduced cholesterol and triglyceride levels. The study was done on rats, but the results were promising enough to warrant further investigation into whether it could be effective for humans as well.
In addition, another study conducted on diabetic patients who already had some insulin production and required only tiny doses of synthetic insulin, beeswax (which is present in unfiltered raw honey) raw organic honey actually increased their body's own production of insulin by 16%. This means they needed less medication to control their blood sugar levels.
How Can Raw Organic Honey Help With Diabetes?
If you're a diabetic, raw organic honey might be even more useful for you than it is for people who aren't. Raw organic honey contains glucose and fructose, both of which are naural sugars, which can be absorbed more slowly than processed sugar.
This means that the insulin your body produces won't spike as quickly when you eat it, so your blood sugar levels will remain steady long enough to give your pancreas time to produce more insulin if needed.
Did you know that white rice is more harmful to a diabetic than raw organic honey?
Yes. The glycemic index of white rice is 72 whereas the glycemic index of raw organic honey ranges from 35-55 depending on the type of honey.
Does Raw Organic Honey Contain Artificial Sweeteners?
There is a common misconception that raw organic honey contains artificial sweeteners. This is not the case; in fact, there's no added sugar or sweeteners of any kind in raw organic honey.
For raw organic honey to contain added sugar it would mean that the beekeeper, organic certifier inspectors and government officials in several countries would have to come together and plan a conspiracy. It's highly unlikely.
There are other ways to manage diabetes too. The most common is with medication. Prescription medications can help regulate blood sugar levels and lower the risks of microvascular complications, but they often come with unpleasant side effects. If you're taking medication, it's important to consult your doctor about what foods may interfere with its effectiveness and how often you need to take it before eating something that contains sugar.
You may be prescribed insulin which helps with digestion and regulates blood sugar levels by removing excess glucose (sugar) from your bloodstream after you eat foods high in carbohydrates such as pasta, bread or cereal.
Another alternative treatment for diabetes involves decreasing your insulin resistance through exercise and weight loss—but this isn't always easy or possible if you're already overweight or struggling with a sedentary lifestyle.
Therapy such as EMDR to address unresolved childhood trauma has also been shown to reduce type 2 diabetes in adults. When stress is reduced, the liver slows down the release of sugar into the bloodstream.
How Do You Take Raw Organic Honey For Diabetes?
Only use real honey, not fake honey.
Remember that the honey you use must be real honey. Commercially processed cheap honey such as that found in supermarkets has lost most of its properties. It is no better than sugar in water. It can be very harmful to diabetics.
If it's not raw, it's not honey.
If it's not organic, it may contain chemicals harmful to humans.
Only use raw organic honey. Raw means the honey is unpasteurised and has not been heat treated. Organic means the honey is independently certified to be free of chemicals and antibiotics harmful to humans.
Did you know that there is a honey produced by bees feeding on a fruit which helps manage diabetes?
Yes, it's the pink lychee fruit.
A 1986 study in China found that lychee extract improved insulin resistance when given to type 2 diabetic patients.
A 2010 study published in the British Journal of Nutrition found that oligonol, a compound occurring naturally within lychee fruits, reduced liver damage associated with diabetes.
And guess where you can get the best Raw Organic Pink Lychee Honey in the world? A honey harvested with love and care by a Mexican woman beekeeper on the Atlantic coast. It is the only honey of its type in Mexico.
Only at the Latin Honey Shop of course. :)
So how do you take it?
Take one teaspoon of Raw Organic Pink Lychee Honey From Mexico mixed in a glass of warm water on an empty stomach 30 minutes before breakfast.
Water activates the nutrients and properties of raw organic honey. The 30 minutes allows the body to fully absorb the honey before anything else enters it.
So one teaspoon in water, once every morning before breakfast, no more.
Do not take raw organic honey without consulting your doctor if you have type 1 diabetes (take insulin) or unstable blood sugar (hypos).
Conclusion
With the right amount of raw organic honey, you could potentially improve your blood sugar levels and reduce your risk of diabetes. Talk to your doctor about how much raw organic honey is right for you (we recommend no more than one teaspoon in water a day), but do not forget to make other lifestyle changes like exercise, healthy eating habits and EMDR therapy.
Eat a diet low in refined carbohydrates and high in fiber (such as whole grains), and exercise regularly by walking at least 20 minutes per day at moderate intensity or doing more vigorous exercise like running or swimming for 30 minutes three times per week, and get sufficient sleep (7–8 hours per night).
Raw organic honey offers yet another alternative treatment option for people living with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), which affects more than 400 million people worldwide according to World Health Organisation estimates.
It’s important to talk to your doctor about using raw organic honey as an additional treatment option for diabetes. If you do choose this method, keep in mind that it should not replace any prescribed medication or other treatments for your condition.