You are on a diet and have to stay off sugar. You don’t want the usual sugar-free sweetener either. Go honey. Not only will it cut the calories and make your fare just as sweet, it will also keep you going on the energy circuit.

Nutritionists across the world have traditionally favoured honey as a source of energy vis-à-vis sugar for the innumerable benefits it offers. Honey has carbohydrate compounds that are singularly acceptable and practical and is considered most effective to generate heat, create and replace energy and furthermore, form certain tissues.

The chief rooting factor is that honey is a pure food, no chemicals are used in its production, and so, it is entirely utilised by the digestive tract. Refined sugar (that we eat), on the other hand, is what’s left of raw sugar after it is washed, filtered and bleached. Compared to sugar, honey has a healthier Glycemic Index (GI) which measures the negative impact of a given food on the blood-glucose level. The lower the GI rating, the slower the absorption and infusion of sugars into the bloodstream and hence a more gradual and healthier digestion process.

Besides that, honey has several anti-oxidants and has been shown to improve cholesterol and other blood lipid levels. According to chief dietitian and consultant at Fortis La Femme, Dr Kanupriya Khanna, “honey like spinach, apples or oranges contains antioxidants which combat the free radicals which can damage cells…It has a mild protective effect.” Honey’s therapeutic properties are also well known. When mixed in carrot juice it helps improves one’s eyesight. It also protects against colds , cough, and helps cure a sore throat and a runny nose if added in ginger juice.

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