Madu bermanfaat bagi kesehatan dan kecantikan. Hal ini sudah dibuktikan dengan banyaknya produk kecantikan dan obat-obatan yang memakai madu sebagai bahan dasarnya. Bahkan madu juga dijadikan sebagai bahan campuran di beberapa makanan dan minuman.
Madu memiliki rasa manis yang khas karena mengandung unsur monosakarida fruktosa dan glukosa yang lebih baik ketimbang gula. Madu mengandung kalori gula yang dapat menyerap lemak dengan baik, terutama apabila dikonsumsi bersamaan dengan air hangat.
Madu memiliki campuran senyawa fruktosa (38.5 persen) dan glukosa (31 persen). Selain itu, hasil produsen lebah ini juga memiliki kandungan karbohidrat seperti sukrosa, maltrosa, dan karbohidrat kompleks lainnya.
Madu juga mengandung anti-oksidan dari senyawa chrysin, pinobaksin, vitamin C, katalase, dan pinocembrin. Semua kandungan tersebut tentunya sangat bermanfaat bagi kesehatan tubuh.
Berikut adalah sederet manfaat madu bagi kesehatan dan kecantikan, seperti dirangkum dari Health Line, Rabu (23/10/2019).
Manfaat Madu bagi Kesehatan
1. Mencegah Diabetes
Madu dapat mencegah diabetes. Penyakit yang satu ini disebabkan kadar gula darah yang terlalu tinggi lantaran banyak mengonsumsi makanan atau minuman manis. Oleh karena itu, madu adalah solusinya.
Anda sebagaiknya mengganti gula dengan madu sebagai pemanis. Madu memiliki kombinasi fruktosa dan glukosa dapat membantu tubuh mengatur kadar gular darah.
2. Mencegah Kanker dan menyehatkan jantung
Madu mengandung antioksidan tinggi yang dapat menangkal pertumbuhal sel-sel jahat dalam tubuh, termasuk kanker.
Tak hanya bermanfaat untuk mencegah kanker, madu juga bisa meningkatkan kesehatan jantung berkat kandungan antioksidan dan flavonoid. Madu juga dapat membantu mencegah pembentukan gumpalan darah, sehingga mengurangi risiko stroke dan penyakit jantung.
3. Memperkuat Sistem Kekebalan Tubuh
Menurut penelitian di School od Medicine, Cardiff University, Inggris, madu dapat merangsang produksi sel-sel kekebalan tubuh. Berkat nutrisi dalam madu, metabolisme dan stamina tubuh akan meningkat.
Madu turut andil dalam mendetoks bakteri yang dapat membuat tubuh mudah terserang penyakit. Itulah mengapa madu dapat meningkatkan sistem kekebalan tubuh dan menangkal segala penyakit.
4. Menyembuhkan Luka
Madu tidak hanya baik dikonsumsi dari dalam tubuh, tetapi bisa dimanfaatkan sebagai obat luar. Madu dapat mengobati luka luar, termasuk luka akibat jatuh dan luka bakar.
5. Menurunkan Kolesterol dan Berat Badan
Madu sejak dulu memiliki beragam manfaat bagi kesehatan tubuh, termasuk mengecilkan perut buncit.
Madu juga dipercaya mampu menurunkan badan. Anda bisa mencampurkan madu dengan air hangat dan perasan lemon atau jeruk nipis. Kedua bahan tersebut ampuh mengecilkan perut secara alami.
Madu dan jeruk nipis mampu mendorong pembakaran lemak secara efektif. Selain itu, bahan ini juga dapat melancarkan sistem pencernaan. Sehingga lemak dan sisa makanan tidak terlalu lama mengendap dalam tubuh.
Manfaat Madu bagi Kecantikan
Tak hanya bermanfaat bagi kesehatan tubuh, madu juga berkhasiat untuk kecantikan, mulai dari kulit, bibir, dan rambut. Anda bisa menjadikan madu alami sebagai masker rutin. Berikut adalah manfaat madu bagi kecantikan:
- Melembapkan kulit
- Mengangkat sel kulit mati
- Menghilangkan komedo
- Menyamarkan noda bekas jerawat
- Menghilangkan flek hitam
- Mengecilkan pori-pori wajah
- Menghaluskan wajah
- Mengobati jerawat
- Mencegah penuaan dini dan membuat awet muda
- Menyamarkan garis halus atau keriput
- Melembapkan bibir
- Mengatasi bibir pecah-pecah
- Memerahkan bibir
- Menguatkan rambut
- Membuat rambut lebih berkilau
- Menghitamkan rambut
- Membasmi kutu rambut
Sumber: Health Line
Disadur dari Bola.com (Penulis Novie Rachmayanti, Editor Yus Mei Sawitri , Published 23/10/2019)
10 Surprising Health Benefits of HoneySince ancient times, honey has been used as both a food and a medicine. It’s very high in beneficial plant compounds and offers several health benefits. Honey is particularly healthy when used instead of refined sugar, which is 100% empty calories. Here are the top 10 health benefits of honey. Honey is a sweet, thick liquid made by honeybees. The bees collect sugar — mainly the sugar-rich nectar of flowers — from their environment (1). Once inside the beehive, they repeatedly consume, digest and regurgitate the nectar. The end product is honey, a liquid that serves as stored food for bees. The smell, color and taste depend on the types of flowers visited. Nutritionally, 1 tablespoon of honey (21 grams) contains 64 calories and 17 grams of sugar, including fructose, glucose, maltose and sucrose. It contains virtually no fiber, fat or protein (2). It also contains trace amounts — under 1% of the RDI — of several vitamins and minerals, but you would have to eat many pounds to fulfill your daily requirements. Where honey shines is in its content of bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants. Darker types tend to be even higher in these compounds than lighter types (3Trusted Source, 4).
High-quality honey contains many important antioxidants. These include organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids (5Trusted Source). Scientists believe that the combination of these compounds gives honey its antioxidant power (5Trusted Source). Interestingly, two studies have shown that buckwheat honey increases the antioxidant value of your blood (6Trusted Source, 7Trusted Source). Antioxidants have been linked to reduced risk of heart attacks, strokes and some types of cancer. They may also promote eye health (8Trusted Source).
The evidence on honey and diabetes is mixed. On one hand, it can reduce several risk factors for heart disease common in people with type 2 diabetes. For example, it may lower “bad” LDL cholesterol, triglycerides and inflammation while raising “good” HDL cholesterol (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source). However, some studies have found that it can also increase blood sugar levels — just not as much as refined sugar (10Trusted Source). While honey may be slightly better than refined sugar for people with diabetes, it should still be consumed with caution. In fact, people with diabetes may do best by minimizing all high-carb foods (12Trusted Source). Keep in mind, too, that certain types of honey may be adulterated with plain syrup. Although honey adulteration is illegal in most countries, it remains a widespread problem (13Trusted Source).
Blood pressure is an important risk factor for heart disease, and honey may help lower it. This is because it contains antioxidant compounds that have been linked to lower blood pressure (14Trusted Source). Studies in both rats and humans have shown modest reductions in blood pressure from consuming honey (15Trusted Source, 16Trusted Source).
High LDL cholesterol levels is a strong risk factor for heart disease. This type of cholesterol plays a major role in atherosclerosis, the fatty buildup in your arteries that can lead to heart attacks and strokes. Interestingly, several studies show that honey may improve your cholesterol levels. It reduces total and “bad” LDL cholesterol while significantly raising “good” HDL cholesterol (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source). For example, one study in 55 patients compared honey to table sugar and found that honey caused a 5.8% reduction in LDL and a 3.3% increase in HDL cholesterol. It also led to modest weight loss of 1.3% (18Trusted Source).
Elevated blood triglycerides are another risk factor for heart disease. They are also associated with insulin resistance, a major driver of type 2 diabetes. Triglyceride levels tend to increase on a diet high in sugar and refined carbs. Interestingly, multiple studies have linked regular honey consumption with lower triglyceride levels, especially when it is used to replace sugar (9Trusted Source, 10Trusted Source, 11Trusted Source, 17Trusted Source). For example, one study comparing honey and sugar found 11–19% lower triglyceride levels in the honey group (18Trusted Source).
Again, honey is a rich source of phenols and other antioxidant compounds. Many of these have been linked to a reduced risk of heart disease (8Trusted Source). They may help the arteries in your heart dilate, increasing blood flow to your heart. They may also help prevent blood clot formation, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes (8Trusted Source). Furthermore, one study in rats showed that honey protected the heart from oxidative stress (19Trusted Source). All told, there is no long-term human study available on honey and heart health. Take these results with a grain of salt.
Topical honey treatment has been used to heal wounds and burns since ancient Egypt and is still common today. A review of 26 studies on honey and wound care found honey most effective at healing partial-thickness burns and wounds that have become infected after surgery (20Trusted Source). Honey is also an effective treatment for diabetic foot ulcers, which are serious complications that can lead to amputation (21Trusted Source, 22Trusted Source). One study reported a 43.3% success rate with honey as a wound treatment. In another study, topical honey healed a whopping 97% of patients’ diabetic ulcers (22Trusted Source, 23Trusted Source). Researchers believe that honey’s healing powers come from its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects as well as its ability to nourish surrounding tissue (24Trusted Source). What’s more, it can help treat other skin conditions, including psoriasis and herpes lesions (25Trusted Source, 27Trusted Source). Manuka honey is considered especially effective for treating burn wounds (28Trusted Source).
Coughing is a common problem for children with upper respiratory infections. These infections can affect sleep and quality of life for both children and parents. However, mainstream medications for cough are not always effective and can have side effects. Interestingly, honey may be a better choice, and evidence indicates it is very effective (28Trusted Source, 29Trusted Source). One study found that honey worked better than two common cough medications (30Trusted Source). Another study found that it reduced cough symptoms and improved sleep more than cough medication (29Trusted Source). Nevertheless, honey should never be given to children under one year of age due to the risk for botulism (31Trusted Source).
Honey is a delicious, healthier alternative to sugar. Make sure to choose a high-quality brand, because some lower-quality ones may be mixed with syrup. Keep in mind that honey should only be consumed in moderation, as it is still high in calories and sugar. The benefits of honey are most pronounced when it is replacing another, unhealthier sweetener. At the end of the day, honey is simply a “less bad” sweetener than sugar and high-fructose corn syrup.
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