We may think that it is fun and useful when temperatures drop to add a little honey to a hot drink, but this preventive initiative may not be effective in alleviating winter diseases despite its popularity.
To correct the information in this context, the French newspaper Le Figaro invited four specialists to assess common mistakes.
The newspaper said that we can take with each sore throat a spoonful of honey, as it is anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, conditioner for wounds and tonic, and even the benefits of this golden liquid - which bees absorb by the nectar of flowers - are not counted.
In ancient Egypt, the belief in honey was so great that it was presented to the gods, the paper says, but we are nevertheless - to take advantage of its healing properties - it is better to avoid putting it in tea, because the heat breaks its active elements.
According to the newspaper, the effect of honey as an anti-bacterial and antiseptic results from the synergy of several factors, starting with acidity, as its low pH prevents bacteria from multiplying, and its high sugar content (80%) and its low water content (15 to 18%) They help absorb vital water molecules of bacteria to better destroy them.
In honey we also find defense enzymes that are transmitted by bees, such as glucose oxidase, which produces the famous antiseptic hydrogen peroxide used to heal small sores.
However, bringing the honey closer to the boiler - as the newspaper says - destroys this microcosm and disrupts its smooth operation, because "honey is very sensitive to oxidation and heat," notes the nutritionist Hafeez Halul, as the higher the temperature, the more enzymes deteriorate.
"Over 42 degrees Celsius, all vital activities are destroyed, just as they do for the human body," said Dr. Doctor, a beekeeper, and the head of the French Therapy Association, Albert Becker.
Cold tea
However, it is always possible to drink tea with honey without exposing the body to risks and taking advantage of some of its benefits, by waiting for the tea to cool and then adding honey before drinking it, according to Albert Baker.
However, pharmacist Olivia Mittral believes that this idea aims to preserve the sweet taste of honey in addition to its anti-inflammatory properties, but not its natural anti-infectious properties, because “if you dilute honey with water, the pH and sugars concentration will change, and thus its effect on bacteria.”
But if hot water and honey are used separately, they are very effective, especially in flu-like cases, where nutrition science doctor Nikola Cardino says that "hot drinks between 37 and 38 degrees Celsius increase the expansion of the vessels around the mouth," so "feel free to Take a hot cup of honey with a tablespoon of honey before bed. "