THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO KICKING SUGAR by Flora Zhao - HTML preview

Chapter 3

NATURAL SUGARS: HONEY, MAPLE, AND COCONUT

Naturally Superior to Antibiotics

operative wound infections, burns, necrotizing fasciitis, nonhealing wounds, boils, venous ulcers, diabetic foot ul-

“Bacteria quickly learn how to fight off the effects of the cers, eczema, psoriasis, and dandruff. Additionally, it has antibiotic drugs, but they don’t have honey resistance,”

proven effective in both preventing and treating infec-

Nural Cokcetin, a research fellow at the Australian Institions caused by multidrug-resistant microorganisms.

tute for Microbiology and Infection in the science faculty In vitro studies have shown that honey can kill Heli-at the University of Technology Sydney, said in an inter-

cobacter pylori. Furthermore, eating honey can reduce the view with The Epoch Times.

duration of bacterial diarrhea.

Honey has been used to treat skin problems and

wound infections for thousands of years. For instance, ancient Greeks and Egyptians would apply honey topically

to the skin to treat wounds and burns. Honey’s effectiveness in treating wounds and eczema was also documented

in Persian traditional medicine. Interestingly, the concept of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi causing

wound infections during those historical periods might

not have even been known.

The broad-spectrum antibacterial activity of honey

has been increasingly recognized and substantiated. In

recent years, the prevalence of wound infections caused

by antibiotic-resistant bacteria has become a major global health care challenge. Honey can disrupt biofilms that are (Africa Studio/Shutterstock)

formed by these resistant bacteria and sometimes pene-

trate the biofilm structure to eliminate the embedded bac-Key Antimicrobial Components

teria. An article published in the journal of the American Society for Microbiology in 2020 reported no document-

The antibacterial properties of honey originate from its in-

ed cases of bacteria developing resistance to honey.

herent characteristics and a diverse array of components

In clinical settings, medical-grade honey has been derived from both nectar-producing plants and bees them-utilized in various ways. It’s formulated into topical oint-selves. Additionally, some of these components are formed ments, dressings, and bandages for the treatment of post-during the maturation process of honey.

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Chapter 3

NATURAL SUGARS: HONEY, MAPLE, AND COCONUT

High Viscosity and pH

in honey originating from the honeybee’s hypopharyngeal

gland.

Honey has a high sugar content, reaching up to 82.5 per-

Bee defensin-1 is an antimicrobial peptide that can

cent. As a result, it has a viscous and syrupy consistency, kill various bacteria and microorganisms. Specifically, the exhibiting hygroscopic properties (ability to absorb mois-defensin protein has been shown to create pores within

ture) and high osmolarity. Bacteria that come into contact the bacterial cell membrane, leading to cell death.

with honey undergo dehydration and ultimately perish.

Additionally, bee defensin-1 can aid in wound healing

Honey is acidic due to its various organic acids, with

by stimulating keratinocytes, the most common type of

a pH value ranging from 3.2 to 4.5. Bacteria can’t survive skin cell.

in honey; their optimal pH typically ranges between 6.5

and 7.5.

Manuka Honey: Enhanced

Honey’s Weapon: Hydrogen Peroxide

Antibacterial

An important enzyme in honey derived from bees facili-

Manuka honey is often mentioned in studies regarding tates the oxidation of glucose, resulting in the production the antibacterial effects of various kinds of honey. As a of hydrogen peroxide.

globally recognized honey with high antibacterial poten-

Hydrogen peroxide is an effective bactericidal agent

cy, it possesses a unique natural component called meth-that can inhibit and kill microorganisms.

ylglyoxal (MGO).

Interestingly, water is necessary to induce honey’s

After honeybees gather nectar from the flowers of

hydrogen peroxide production. The maximum level of hy-

manuka trees, a natural substance that’s found in the trees drogen peroxide can be obtained by diluting honey to a

undergoes spontaneous dehydration, leading to the for-

concentration of 30 percent to 50 percent, according to a mation of MGO in the honey.

paper in the International Journal of Microbiology.

“The more of [methylglyoxal] there is, the more anti-

bacterial that honey is,” Dee Carter, a professor from the School of Life and Environmental Sciences at the Univer-Bee Defensin-1

sity of Sydney, told The Epoch Times.

MGO exhibits remarkable antibacterial properties by

Bee defensin-1 is another natural antibacterial component itself. It can alter the structure of bacterial fimbriae and 56

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