CHAPTER 3: HONEY AND WHOLE GRAINS
Synopsis
Over the years honey has been proven to the one sustaining power behind the energy circle. Benefiting the human body in various areas it is foremost still unrivaled in its energy producing entity. Honey is nature’s most natural energy booster. It also acts as an effective immunity system builder while providing the natural remedy to a host of varied ailments too.
Energy is very important to the smooth flowing natural of a daily life cycle of any human being. Therefore, finding energy sources that are both consistent and healthy are important to keeping fit and happy.
A Good Pair
The natural benefits of honey has been widely acknowledged and accepted. Besides its great taste, honey is also a natural source of carbohydrate, which is an energy maker for boosting performance, endurance and reducing levels of muscle fatigue.
This is especially useful for athletes. The sugar content in the honey helps to play a role in preventing fatigue during exercise sessions and also during training sessions for sports enthusiast. These sugars make ups are divided into glucose and fructose and functions in different but complimenting ways.
The glucose content in the honey is generally absorbed at a faster rate and gives off an immediate energy boost while the fructose works at a slower pace for a more sustainable and prolonged energy disbursement. When it comes to addressing blood sugar levels in the body system, honey has been known to help keep the levels constant.
As honey is a pleasant food product and it’s natural in its form, consuming it is not a very difficult exercise. People of all ages are generally quite willing to consume honey in any of its accompanying forms. It’s even popular with children.
The energy produced from consuming a small amount of honey daily helps children cope with the physical strains of daily school activities and sports commitments.
For the adults too consuming a daily small dose of honey can go a long way in keeping the energy levels at its best during a demanding day at work. Making sandwiches with honey accompanied with other fillings is one way of creating a pleasant snack.
Applying honey on a freshly toasted slice of bread is also a welcome breakfast alternative. Adding honey to drinks instead of using sugar is encouraged. Most people today want a quick fix for their energy boosting needs and this usually comes in the unhealthy forms of sports drinks, coffee and refined carbohydrates like sugar and while bread.
Though these produce the desired heightened energy levels, it should be noted that this energy is fairly short lived and the tiredness that follows is usually more acutely felt. Therefore opting to consume some form of whole grains is not only a better alternative but is also much healthier.
Whole grains provide the energy that comes in a more complex form which breaks down over a longer period of time. This then creates the platform for sustaining the energy levels for longer periods.
Because of its more complex make up the whole grains come with an array of beneficial elements like minerals, vitamins, phytonutrients, and fiber which are also rich in fiber. Adding the whole grain ingredients is any dish often completes the flavor or enhances it altogether. Whole grains can the various forms such as wheat, oat, barley, maize, brown rice, faro, spelt, emmer, einkorn, rye, millet, buckwheat, and many more.
These can then be made into various other products like whole wheat flour, whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, rolled oats or oat groats, triticale flour, popcorn and teff flour.
The benefits of consuming whole grains consistently can help decrease the risk of heart disease, lower cholesterol levels protect against many types of cancer and assist in weight management. Whole grains should not be confused with its lesser and more refined “cousin”. Though refined grains have some benefits it is always better to opt for the whole grain alternatives.