Honey is a viscous, sweet liquid stored in the honeycombs of honeybees. You may have already heard about its health benefits, like how it’s full of essential antioxidants that fight off free radicals in your body which would otherwise result in serious ailments like heart disease, or certain types of cancer at a later stage. Now you’re thinking: besides supplements, how else can I unlock the benefits of honey for myself? Incorporating it into your diet is an easy way to do so. Not only does it taste delicious and can be seamlessly incorporated into many recipes, it’s also an easily accessible ingredient with no expiry when stored properly! Here’s 10 ways you can sweeten up your diet for a healthier you.
1. Consume a spoonful of honey daily. This is for the simple person that prefers a life without the fuss. If you’re looking for more creative ways to eat honey, read on.
2. Swap out sugar for honey. Besides its antioxidants, this is the other key reason you should eat more honey: Honey is a healthier substitute to sugar with a lower position on the Glycemic Index (GI). You may have heard this term being thrown around by friends who are trying to lose weight, and you are wondering why does the GI matter. In short, a low GI food doesn’t spike your blood sugar levels as much, so you’re less likely to feel hungry or peckish in between meals, thus helping you control your appetite. That being said, honey is still essentially sugar and should be consumed in moderation. But a little goes a long way, and you can start being healthier by swapping out sugar with a teaspoon of honey in your cup of tea!
3. Honey and oats granola bowl. Enjoy an easy-to-make breakfast or mid-day snack with a yummy honey granola bowl that is rich in protein, fiber, and micronutrients (iron, magnesium, zinc, copper, vitamin B… we could go on!). All you need is granola (can be store bought or homemade) and a drizzle of honey. If you appreciate some tanginess in your diet, add a spoonful of Greek yogurt and it will also greatly boost the protein content of your bowl! Adding fruits is also another way to make this more nutritious than it already is.
4. Overnight oats. We just love fully customizable and fuss-free breakfast recipes that we can grab-and-go in the morning. Overnight oats is a no-cook method of preparing oats, and you only need uncooked, rolled oats stored in a jar, some milk (your favourite – oat, soy…) for the oats to soak in in the fridge, and a drizzle of honey. Anything else is just icing on the cake for this recipe!
5. Honey granola cookies. If you’re a passionate baker, this is one fun way to incorporate honey into your diet! Indulge in the delicious sweetness of a cookie with a fraction of the sugar content, and have it your desired way (with peanut butter, dried cranberries, etc)! What is awesome about cookies is that they can be stored for up to a week in airtight containers and shared with friends! Sharing is indeed caring!
6. Honey granola bars. A great snack when you’re on the go between meetings or off to a fitness class after work. Easy to store and carry along throughout the day, make your own granola bars without the processed ingredients found in store bought ones.
7. Honey-drizzled toast. A simple and delectable breakfast is a honey-drizzled, crispy toast that is fresh out of the oven!
8. Honey lemon water. When you combine two powerful and natural ingredients together, what you have a is a health-promoting concoction. Consumed either hot or chilled, just mix half a lemon’s worth of juice and a teaspoon of high-quality honey for a soothing and detoxifying drink. This drink is probably also more effective than your over-the-counter cough syrups when your throat is itching. What’s less known about this drink is that it helps to ease constipation by deeply hydrating our body and improving gut health. Now we know why our parents have been nagging at us to have a cup of honey lemon all the time!
9. Honey as a salad dressing. Another fuss-free way to eat honey, at the same time swapping out that thousand island dressing with little nutritional value (it’s mainly made up of mayonnaise and ketchup anyway).
10. Eat it with cheese. Pairing a tablespoon of honey with your selection of cheese (we recommend goat’s cheese or ricotta) gives you a delectable savoury-sweet cheese snack. In fact, if the proportions are right, you might even come up with a unique cheese dip!