Honey :---A Ram Ban Medicine

Today’s western scientists also accept honey as a "Ram Ban" (very effective) medicine for all kinds of diseases without producing any side effects. Today, honey is produced in most of the countries of the world and is therefore available worldwide. Honey as 'the natural sweet substance produced by honeybees from the nectar of flowers or from secretions coming from living organisms feeding on plants, that bees gather, transform and combine with specific ingredients, store and leave to ripen in the combs of the hive.
In Ayurveda honey is called as "Madhu". Its qualities are explained as follows.
Types of Honey:
Acharya Charak described 4 types (Pouttika, Bhramara, Kshoudra, Makshika) of honey and Eight types of honey is described in Sushrut Samhita depending on the type of bee, which collects it. They are Pouttika, Bhramara, Kshoudra, Makshika, Chatra, Arghya, Oudalaka, Dala etc.

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Pouttika - This honey is collected by very large bees from the nectar of poisonous flowers. It increases vata, causes gout and burning sensation in chest. It is also sedative and reduces fat.
 Bhramara - This honey is collected by large bees and sticky in nature.
 Kshoudra - (Honey collected by medium sized honey bees) light and cold in nature. Dissolves Kapha.
 Makshika - (Honey collected by small honey bees) very light and dry natured. Usefull in VataKapha diseases and kapha diseases.
 Chatra - Heavy and cold in nature useful in gout, Leucoderma (Shwitra).
 Arghya - Good for eyes but causes arthritis.
 Oudalaka - Useful in skin diseases, and helps in modulation of voice.
 Dala - Dry and reduces vomiting.
Amongst all the above "Makshika" is considered as the best type with immense medicinal properties.

Properties of Honey
"Vaatalam guru sheetam cha raktapittakaphapaham |
Sandhatri chchedanam ruksham kashayam madhuram madhu ||"
"It has sweetness (madhura rasa) with added astringent as end taste (Kashaya anu rasa). It is heavy (guru guna), dry (ruksha) and cold (sheeta). Its effect on doshas is as follows It aggravates vata, scrapes kapha and normalizes pitta and rakta. It promotes healing process."
In Ashtanga Hridaya the great classic of ayurveda, the therapeutic uses of honey are explained as follows.
"Chakshushayam Chedi tritshleshmavishahidmaasrapittanut |
Mehakushtakrimicchardishwaasakaasaatisaarajit ||
Vranashodhana sandhaanaropanam vaatalam madhu ||"(A.H.Su.5/ )
 Honey is very good for eyes and eye sight.
 It quenches thirst.
 Dissolves kapha.
 Reduces effects of poison.
 Stops hiccups.
 It is very useful in urinary tract disorders, diabetes, leprosy, worm infestations, vomiting, bronchial asthma, cough, diarrhea and nauseaomiting.
 Cleanse the wounds.
 It heals wounds.
 Helps in quick healing of deep wounds.
 Initiates growth of healthy granulation tissue.
 Honey which is newly collected from bee hive increases body weight and is a mild laxative.
 Honey which is stored and is old helps in metabolism of fat and scrapes Kapha.
In Ayurveda honey is called as "Yogavahi" . The substance which has a quality of penetrating the deepest tissue is called as Yogavahi. When honey is used with other herbal preparations it enhances the medicinal qualities of those preparations and also helps them to reach the deeper tissues.
The contents of Honey:
1. Sugars like fructose, glucose, sucrose, maltose, lactose and other disaccharides and trisaccharides.
2. Proteins, fats, vitamins, minerals, enzymes and amino acids.
3. Volatile aromatic substances.
4. Ashes and water etc.
Table:-Components of Honey

Nutritional Values Average amount in a portion Average amount in 100 g
Water 3.6 gr 17.1 gr
Total carbohydrates 17.3 gr 82.4 gr
Fructose 8.1 gr 38.5 gr
Glucose 6.5 gr 31.0 gr
Maltose 1.5 gr 7.2 gr
Sucrose 0.3 gr 1.5 gr

Nutritional Contents
Total calories (kilocalories) 64 304
Total calories (kilocalories) (as fat) 0 0
Total fat 0 0
Saturated fat 0 0
Cholesterol 0 0
Sodium 0.6 mg 2.85 mg
Total carbohydrate 17 gr 81 gr
Sugar 16 gr 76 gr
Diet fibres 0 0
Protein 0.15 mg 0.7 mg
Vitamins
B1 (Thiamine) < 0.002 mg < 0.01 mg
B2 (Riboflavin) < 0.06 mg < 0.3 mg
Nicotinic acid < 0.06 mg < 0.3 mg
Pantothenic acid < 0.05 mg < 0.25 mg
Vitamin B6 < 0.005 mg < 0.02 mg
Folic acid < 0.002 mg < 0.01 mg
Vitamin C 0.1 mg < 0.5 mg

Minerals
Calcium 1.0 mg 4.8 mg
Iron 0.05 mg 0.25 mg
Zinc 0.03 mg 0.15 mg
Potassium 11.0 mg 50.0 mg
Phosphorus 1.0 mg 5.0 mg
Magnesium 0.4 mg 2.0 mg
Selenium 0.002 mg 0.01 mg
Copper 0.01 mg 0.05 mg
Chromium 0.005 mg 0.02 mg
Manganese 0.03 mg 0.15 mg
ASH 0.04 mg 0.2 gr
Precautions to be taken before using honey:
Madhu choshnamushnaartasya cha madhu maranaay.Madhusarpishi
samghrite , madhu vari chantariksham samghritam, madhu pushkarbijam,
madhu pitvoshnodakam………..viruddhani(CH. Su 26/84)
 Honey should not be mixed with hot foods
 Honey should not be heated.
 Honey should not be consumed when you are working in hot environment where you are exposed to more heat.
 Honey should never be mixed with rain water, hot and spicy foods, and fermented beverages like whisky, rum, brandy etc, ghee and mustard.
 Honey includes nectar of various flowers of which some may be poisonous. Poison has hot or Ushna qualities. When honey is mixed with hot and spicy foods the poisonous properties get enhanced and cause imbalance of doshas.
Therapeutic uses of Honey:
 As it contains sugars which are quickly absorbed by our digestive system and converted into energy, this can be used as instant energizer.
 As it is hygroscopic it speeds up healing, growth of healing tissue and dries it up.
 Honey acts as a sedative and is very useful in bed wetting disorders.
 Honey has very good antioxidant called “pinocembrin”. which restores the damaged skin and gives soft and young looks.
 Honey has antibacterial properties due to its acidic nature and enzymically produced hydrogen peroxide.
 Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacterial and viral diseases.
Few Home remedies with Honey
 Mix 2 teaspoons of honey with carrot juice and consume regularly. This helps to improve eyesight and is very helpful for those who sit before computer for long hours.
 In cold, cough and congested chest mix 2 teaspoons of honey with equal quantity of ginger juice and should be consumed frequently.
 A mixture of black pepper powder, honey and ginger juice in equal quantities, when consumed thrice daily help to relieve the symptoms of asthma.
 take one tablespoon lukewarm honey mixed with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This will cure most chronic coughs, colds and clear the sinuses.
 Regular use of one teaspoon of garlic juice mixed with two teaspoons of honey help to control blood pressure.
 One glass of warm water taken with two teaspoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice in early morning reduces fat and purifies blood.
 Consuming one spoon of honey daily help us to lead a healthy long life.
Honey and our Health:
 Honey contains vitamins and antioxidants, but is fat free, cholesterol free and sodium free!
 Honey is the only food that includes all the substances necessary to sustain life, including water.
 Honey has the ability to attract and absorb moisture, which makes it remarkably soothing for minor burns and helps to prevent scarring.
 Honey speeds the healing of open wounds and also combats infection.
 As recently as the first world war, honey was being mixed with cod liver oil to dress wounds on the battlefield.
 Modern science now acknowledges honey as an anti-microbial agent, which means it deters the growth of certain types of bacteria, yeast and molds.
 Honey and beeswax form the basics of many skin creams, lip-balms, and hand lotions.
 People remember things much better after they’ve consumed glucose, a form of sugar found in honey.
 Honey is nature’s energy booster, it provides a concentrated energy source that helps prevent fatigue and can boost athletic performance.
 Recent studies have proven that athletes who took some honey before and after competing recovered more quickly than those who did not.