The Benefits of Greek Honey

Overview

Greece has a long history of bee-keeping, surpassing all European countries when it comes to beehives per acre.
Over the centuries, people worked hard to optimize the quality of Greek honey, which made it one of the finest types of honey on the planet today.

In this article, we will briefly discuss the benefits of Greek honey and how it can improve your health.

What are the benefits of Greek honey?

It provides the body with nutrients

Greek honey is extremely nutritious for your body as it contains several vitamins, minerals, and co-enzymes.
One tablespoon of Greek honey (20 grams) has approximately 65 calories, with more than 17 grams of carbohydrates.

The major carbs found in honey are:

Fructose
Glucose
Maltose
Sucrose

Note that Greek honey does not contain any protein, lipids, or fiber.

However, it shines when it comes to bioactive compounds and antioxidants since it’s one of the richest natural substances in these molecules.

It reduces oxidative stress

Oxidative stress is the result of an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) and antioxidants.
Typically, molecules that have oxygen atoms with an uneven number of electrons (oxidized compounds) are called ROS. These compounds can trigger a vicious cycle of oxidative reactions that damages the cells, leading to apoptosis (i.e., cell death).

For this reason, scientists refer to this phenomenon as oxidative stress.

Fortunately, Greek honey is rich with antioxidants, which include organic acids and polyphenols (e.g., flavonoids).

Researchers state that the synergetic (i.e., added) effect produced by these two antioxidants makes honey a potent neutralizer of ROS.Additionally, the regular supply of antioxidants to your body reduces the risk of many diseases, including coronary artery disease, diabetes, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Finally, researchers found that Greek honey has potent antimicrobial properties.

It balances lipid metabolism

High serum levels of LDL (bad cholesterol) is a major risk factor for myocardial infarction (i.e., heart attack), ischemic stroke, and peripheral artery disease.

LDL is the cornerstone of atherosclerosis’ pathogenesis since it forms the fatty buildups that interrupt blood circulation to vital organs, such as the brain and heart.Fortunately, studies showed that honey can interfere with the metabolism of cholesterol to balance its serum levels.In one study, researchers found that the regular consumption of honey reduces total LDL and increases HDL (good cholesterol).Similar to LDL, high levels of triglycerides also contribute to atherosclerosis and heart disease.

Interestingly, studies found that replacing your sugar with Greek honey is a great way to reduce the risk of blood vessel obstruction and type 2 diabetes.In fact, one study concluded that replacing honey with sugar helps patients reduce their triglyceride concentration by up to 19%, which is significant!