You may have liked honey for so long for its amazing weight loss properties and the other health benefits it provides you with, or you might simply have a sweet tooth. Like it or not, honey has always been a staple of your kitchen and your diet. But now that you are pregnant, you are left wondering whether you should continue to consume honey, even in little bits, after all, your body is changing, and the new hormones being released each day into your system are not agreeing with everything you have done regularly for so long.
So, yay or nay for the honey?
Thankfully, the answer is yay. Honey has some amazing health benefits that continue to work even when you are pregnant. Unless you are allergic to it, there is no reason to stop eating a little bit of honey every day just because you are carrying a child. But, you are carrying a child, and there is nothing more important right now than the health of the two of you. So, like everything else, it is important that you consume honey in moderation during those nine months.
Helps you sleep
A lot of women face the problem of insomnia at different stages of pregnancy. This can be attributed to changing hormones that affect sleep patterns or just anxiety, something that affects pregnant women everywhere. Honey is a great reliever of insomnia because of its hypnotic effects. Mix a spoonful of honey in a glass of warm milk or water, and you will find yourself drifting off to sleep in no time at all. But be careful not to overdo it; honey releases quite a bit of heat, and too much of it will leave you sweaty and unable to sleep.
Prevents digestive disorders
No pregnant woman is a stranger to digestive and gastrointestinal issues. When drunk with water, honey can help in the regrowing of tissues and repairing damaged mucosa in the stomach lining. Apart from this, it also helps prevent gastroenteritis and diarrhea, which can become pretty common during pregnancy. Apart from this, honey also contains a little bit of dietary fiber that helps in keeping bowel movements smooth.
It provides antioxidants
You need to be at the best of your health during the nine months of your pregnancy. Honey is, therefore, a good thing at this point, considering how pumped full of minerals and vitamins it is. Honey contains dietary antioxidants, along with riboflavin, both of which increase the antioxidant levels in your body. This helps in keeping you healthy and energetic and keeps your baby in great health as well.
All said and done, however, there are certain factors that you have to keep in mind. You can and should eat honey during pregnancy, but there are restrictions.
Pasteurized honey
Raw honey is considered more nutritious than pasteurized honey, and it is probably true. However, even pasteurized honey contains ample nutrients that are almost as beneficial as raw honey. While it is not clear whether raw honey contains bacteria that can be potentially harmful to the baby and the mother, it is best to be safe and buy pasteurized honey instead. Pasteurized honey is bold and processed enough to ensure that no bacteria are living inside it.
Gestational diabetes
Gestational diabetes is a rare kind of diabetes that sets in only when a woman is pregnant, and all signs and symptoms are gone once the baby has been delivered. Gestational diabetes can be very dangerous for both the mother and the baby resulting in premature births, stillbirths, and miscarriages, so you must be very cautious of it. Steer clear of honey if you have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes. Honey contains high amounts of sugar, which can be very dangerous in this condition. It is best not to consume any honey at all if you have been diagnosed.
How to eat honey
A couple of spoons of honey each day make for a pretty good diet. If you are afraid that you might put on too much weight, have some honey with breakfast, or with some warm water first thing in the morning. This will give you the necessary nutrition and energy, and you will also have the time to burn off the calories from sugar through the rest of the day. It is also great to consume honey when you catch a cold during pregnancy; not all medicines will be suitable for you at this point, and honey is a naturally potent reliever of colds and sore throats.