Ikarian honey comes from Ikaria, one of the most famous Greek islands located in the east of the Mediterranean.
Interestingly enough, Ikaria is part of the 5 “Blue Zones” where the world’s healthiest people live into their 100s and experience low rates of chronic diseases that plague the majority of developed nations.
Ikarian honey may be one of main reasons why Ikaria is often called the "Island of Youth" and the reason locals are thriving and surpassing life expectancies.
Ikarian honey is not your average honey found on supermarket shelves. Unlike other commercial honeys that are contaminated with pesticides, chemicals and added sugars, Ikarian honey is pure honey.
Even more, Ikarian honey is unheated, unfiltered, and unpasteurized – processes which can destroy enzymes, vitamins, minerals and more.
Ikarian Honey Nutrition Facts
Given that Ikarian honey is raw and pure, all the nutritional information comes from the honey itself.
In just one tablespoon, one serving of Ikarian honey has 64 calories, packing in 16 grams of carbohydrates and 0 grams of fat and protein.
It also has a rich vitamin and mineral profile, rich in vitamin A, C, D, and E. Furthermore, it is abundant in B vitamins including thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and other amino acids. B vitamins play a role in your metabolic processes, energy levels and brain function.
Health Benefits of Ikarian Honey
1. RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS
Ikarian honey is abundant in antioxidants including flavonoids, phenolic acids, carotenoid derivatives, organic acids, amino acids and more. These antioxidants have several preventative effects against health diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory disorders, neurological degeneration and aging in general.
Antioxidants help to fight free radicals in your body. Free radicals come from the regular metabolic processes that occur in your body, but can also be generated from external variables including UV radiation, poor diet, and air pollutants.
For this reason, consuming honey may help block damage to cells and over time, prevent age related diseases. Furthermore, unlike synthetic compounds that provide antioxidants, Ikairan honey is a natural product that contains no side effects.
2. CONTAINS ANTI-CANCER PROPERTIES
Because of its antioxidant properties, Ikarian Greek honey can benefit you as an anticancer agent. Recently, pure honey has been shown to have anti-cancer properties in cell cultures and in animal models. Before diving into how honey plays a role in treating cancer, you will need to understand several of the causes of cancer.
These causes could include low immune status, chronic inflammation, accumulation of free radicals and many others that have yet to be researched and discovered. Therefore, its strong antioxidant properties enables your body to fight free radicals.
Furthermore, the variants of polyphenols in honey are reported to have anti-proliferative properties against cancer. These anti-proliferative properties mean that it prevents the spread of malignant cells, which is how cancer develops.
Additionally, honey is a natural immune booster. Oral intake of honey was found to increase antibody productions in primary and secondary immune responses (Fukuda et al., 2009). Primary immune response refers to the reaction of your immune system when it contacts an antigen for the first time and secondary immune response is the reaction of the immune system when it contacts it the second time and any more times.
3. WOUND HEALING PROPERTIES
Ikarian Greek honey also contains wound healing properties. Its antioxidant, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties means that it can help promote recovery and improve healing.
In one study, through randomized controlled trials using natural honey, it was found that the use of honey led to improved wound healing in acute cases, pain relief in burn patients and decreased inflammatory response in such patients.
4. MAKES AN EFFECTIVE COUGH REMEDY
Treating colds with honey has been a standard recommendation by doctors for many years. This could be due its stickiness and viscosity, which soothes the throat. Ikarian Greek honey's antioxidant properties also makes it even more effective.
Besides, an advantage of using honey is that it will not leave you with negative side effects, that cough and cold medications can cause. Besides, it tastes delicious!
5. BOOSTS ENERGY
Honey is made up of a combination of glucose and fructose, which are fast digesting sugars. Hence, honey is absorbed by the body quickly, providing you with an immediate source of energy.
Also, because it contains fructose, it has a moderate Glycemic Index, which is lower than sugar. The Glycemic Index is a number that indicates how quickly a food raises blood sugar levels.
Therefore, your body converts the carbohydrates into glucose at a slower rate when compared to sugar. This means that it also provides sustained energy as the fructose is absorbing much slower.