Honey and bodybuilding - a very useful product for an athlete

What is honey made of?

The composition of honey is very complex - it contains over 300 substances, some of which have not yet been identified. Almost 80% of the product consists of carbohydrates:

Glucose - up to 36%. Main energy supplier.
Fructose - up to 33–42%. It is superior to other carbohydrates in sweetness and, under certain conditions, is converted into glucose.
Disaccharides - from 5 to 10%, mainly presented in the form of sucrose (up to 6%) and maltose (4-6%). Their concentration in honey is determined by its type; most maltose is present in linden honey, and significantly less in sunflower honey.
Dextrins. The result of the breakdown of starch as a result of interaction with bee enzymes. Slows down the crystallization of honey.

The proportion of water in the product varies from 15 to 21% and depends on maturity, type, climatic conditions, storage temperature.

Protein substances

Their concentration is 0.04–1.56%. Protein substances enter honey along with plant pollen or are formed as a result of exposure to bee saliva and are represented by the following enzymes:

invertase - ensures the breakdown of sucrose into fructose and glucose;
amylase - promotes the breakdown of starch;
catalase is an enzyme through which oxidation and reduction processes occur.

Enzymes perform the function of biocatalysts, helping to accelerate and more actively occur the reaction.

Important! When heated, enzymes lose activity and the beneficial properties of honey disappear!

Amino acids

The special value of honey is that it contains an almost complete set of essential amino acids (valine, isoleucine, lysine and others), that is, those that the human body cannot produce on its own. These substances are needed for biochemical transformations; without them, protein synthesis, the main building material for muscles, will not occur.

Organic acids

The proportion of organic acids in the product can reach 0.1%. They have a significant impact on taste and smell. Fruit and lactic acids give honey a pleasant sourness, promote long-term storage, and enzyme activity lasts longer. The acidity of honey mainly depends on the place of collection.

Minerals

The mineral substances present in honey, and this is up to 0.02–0.8%, are enough to fully provide the body with vital elements and minerals. 100 g of product contains 4% of the daily value of zinc, which is not so often found in foods, and copper, about 7% of iron (promotes the formation of red blood cells), potassium and manganese, approximately 25% of cobalt. To fully saturate the body with minerals, it is enough to consume 1 tablespoon of honey every day.

Vitamins

Honey contains a complex of B vitamins, vitamin C, nicotinamide, retinol, tocopherol, vitamin K. It is noteworthy that they retain beneficial properties for several years. The concentration of vitamins depends on the properties of pollen.

Other substances

In addition to carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins, honey contains pollen, phytoncides - which provide the antibacterial effect of the product, aromatic and coloring substances, as well as hormones. The latter have a positive effect on the cardiovascular system. The product also contains fungal organisms and yeast, which cause fermentation.

What is the composition of honey

Here’s another interesting thing about food in bodybuilding:

I believe that it is no secret to you that honey contains many useful substances, such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, glucose and even amino acids. The calorie content of this product is 300 kilocalories per 100 grams, which gives the athlete enough energy for training. Consumption of honey helps to activate the body's defenses and increases the athlete's body's resistance to various viruses and infections, even during epidemics.

Let's look at the composition of honey:

water volume – 18%;
glucose – 30%;
fructose – 35%;
other sugars account for 12%;
amino acids, vitamins and mineral compounds make up 5%.

Consuming this product can quickly restore strength and satisfy hunger. This product is especially preferred by athletes who train for endurance. And bodybuilders too!

The benefits of honey for the body

The healing properties of honey have been known for a long time - it is recommended to use it not only for treatment, but also for the prevention of diseases and strengthening the immune system. Main beneficial properties:

saturating the body with useful substances: vitamins, minerals, phytoncides;
antioxidant effect, provided by acids and flavonoids - reduce the likelihood of cancer and cardiovascular diseases, diabetes;
lowering blood pressure - it is enough to use honey instead of regular sugar, a side effect is a decrease in the level of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood;
pronounced antibacterial effect - honey is used to treat dermatological pathologies, including psoriasis;
activation of metabolic processes, normalization of acidity in the stomach, correction of the microflora of the gastrointestinal tract;
strengthening the immune system.

Honey is actively used to treat viruses and colds - alone or together with other natural products.

The effect of honey on the body

In sports nutrition for people seeking to build muscle mass through bodybuilding, honey is valued due to the following properties:

When used regularly, it does not cause glycemia and prevents the release of glucose and insulin into the blood under increased stress.
Stabilizes blood sugar levels.
Easily digestible protein compounds of amino acids contribute to the construction and restoration of muscle tissue.
Normalizes sleep.
Lowers cholesterol levels.
Positively affects metabolic processes.
Strengthens general immunity.

Pre-workout honey

To maximize the effect of exercise, it is necessary to provide the body with a sufficient supply of energy, that is, you should consume carbohydrates. Honey is considered their best source for a number of reasons:

fast digestibility - up to 60 minutes;
increased activity and endurance - the athlete tolerates stress better;
high concentration of carbohydrates - up to 80%, with a complete absence of fats;
A sharp decrease in blood sugar, which can cause loss of consciousness, is excluded.

It is preferable to use an aqueous solution of honey, the optimal dose is 1 g per 1 kg of body weight. Experts recommend taking it 30–60 minutes before the start of your workout. As a result, the bodybuilder is able to exercise longer and more productively, and feels less fatigue.

Why do bodybuilders need honey?

For bodybuilders, the bulk of honey's valuable nutrients come from quickly digestible carbohydrates. It is considered necessary to consume honey during intense training due to the protein components it contains, enzyme components, minerals, macroelements, and a complex of vitamins that are essential for the human body.

The high concentration of carbohydrates and valuable substances determines the unique nutritional value of honey, amounting to 1379 J per 100 g of pure product. For comparison, 90 g of butter, 225 g of fish oil, 120 g of nuts, 175 g of meat have the same nutritional value.

Just 100 grams of honey eaten per day provides the body with the daily norm of copper, zinc, iron, potassium, manganese, and cobalt. Supplies the body with the required amount of pantothenic and ascorbic acid, biotin, vitamins A and B.

Honey after sports training

Promotes active restoration of muscle cells after exercise; it is recommended to use it after exercise or in the evening, before bed (on the day of training). Benefits of honey for athletes:

normalization of energy metabolism after physical activity;
slowing down catabolism (the process of cell destruction);
providing the body with the nutrients necessary for muscle growth;
antioxidant effect, removal of breakdown products.

After strength exercises, it is recommended to combine honey with protein foods, in particular beef, chicken, cottage cheese, and egg whites. Tea with honey after a workout helps to quickly restore strength - keep in mind that nectar retains its beneficial properties at temperatures up to 40 ⁰C.

How is honey useful in strength sports?

We can talk endlessly about honey and its beneficial properties for the body, but we are interested in those that are important for a bodybuilder. Among these qualities we highlight the following:

enriches the body of a strength athlete with the necessary amount of microelements and vitamins;
helps restore strength after long and difficult workouts;
if you replace sugar with honey, you can get rid of extra pounds;
helps normalize sleep when consumed at night with milk;
thanks to the immunoglobulins included in its composition, it leads to an increase in the body’s immune defense;
normalizes metabolic processes;
increases strength, endurance and performance.

Of course, honey cannot replace pharmacological drugs for a strength athlete, but it will complement their effect. And studies conducted on volunteers showed that taking this product increases performance by 15% and improves athletic performance.

Honey during workout

It is recommended to drink honey water if the main goal of training is to gain weight. In this case, it is necessary to provide the body with fast carbohydrates to avoid the destruction of muscle cells. Trainers recommend consuming honey during the most active part of the workout - about 1–1.5 teaspoons. Honey should be dissolved in warm, but not hot water.

Also, honey during training will be useful for bodybuilders prone to hypotension (low blood pressure) - during the period of peak exercise they may experience dizziness and weakness, which can result in fainting. Thanks to “feeding”, you will be able to avoid such phenomena and train to the maximum of your physical capabilities.

Which type of honey is better to choose?

Preferably varieties with a high protein content are predominantly dark. In terms of its composition and properties, buckwheat honey, which has a characteristic dark brown color, stands out among them. It has a rich, bright aroma, and after drinking in its pure form it often causes a sore throat.

Buckwheat honey contains significantly more protein and iron (it is this that can give the product its characteristic reddish tint). Flower nectar collected from chestnut trees or meadow nectar has similar properties.

How and when is it better for a bodybuilder to take honey?

Nutritionists offer several ways for weightlifters to take honey. It can be eaten an hour before the start of training, which will contribute to the influx of a large amount of energy, and the athlete will not feel tired for a long time.

After all, carbohydrates are the main source of energy for our body. The second way to consume honey is after a workout. In this case, the athlete’s energy reserves will quickly be replenished (due to the closure of the protein-carbohydrate window), which will help to quickly overcome fatigue and restore strength.

If a bodybuilder has problems sleeping due to long, frequent and exhausting workouts, then honey and milk will again come to his aid, which should be eaten half an hour before bedtime. When taken this way, it will not only provide you with a full, healthy sleep, but will also help your body recover overnight.

This miracle product can be eaten throughout the day with tea or coffee, which can be added instead of sugar. The main thing is not to put honey in too hot water (more than 60° C), because it will lose its healing properties and even become harmful.

I’ll add one more nice quality of honey: despite the fact that it is a very sweet product, it has a low glycemic index (does not stimulate a sharp release of insulin by the pancreas) and does not lead to a sharp increase in blood sugar levels.

You can eat honey in different ways: in its pure form from a spoon, stirring it in liquid (water, black or green tea, milk), and also with cottage cheese. By the way, some believe that honey allows calcium to be better absorbed.

It is interesting that honey is offered to athletes both for gaining weight and for losing (drying) muscles. If you want to lose weight, then after training you should not eat this product so that the body uses glycogen from the muscle depot. After 18.00 it is also better to eat protein foods and complex carbohydrates, which honey does not include.

Alas, dishonest sellers manage to add useless additives to this wonderful product that reduce the beneficial qualities of honey (sugar, starch, flour). Such a mixture will not give anything useful to the athlete. So, don’t be tempted by the low price of this product, find a good, trusted supplier - it’s worth it!

That's it, friends: your desire for achievements in sports is quite compatible with tasty foods, if they are healthy. The only contraindication to consuming honey is an allergy to bee products. - Shall we try?

So, my dear subscribers, I am again glad to welcome you to my website. And today we will talk about such a well-known product as honey. Its benefits and harms have been discussed since time immemorial, but personally, having dug up a bunch of information on the Internet, I could not find a single reasonable argument on the topic of the harm of honey for an athlete and therefore I will tell you exclusively about its benefits, dispel a couple of myths and tell you about honey recipes that will help you grow faster, be healthy and strong! Go.

How does honey affect muscle gain?

After consuming honey, glucose is released gradually during exercise. Due to this, it is possible to significantly reduce the consumption of glucogen during exercise, and as a result, the body feels less fatigue. The athlete is able to train longer with maximum loads.

If you supplement your body with a portion of honey during the most difficult exercises, your muscle power will increase, which means you will be able to exercise to the limit of your capabilities. Thus, it is possible to achieve a better result. Drinking flower nectar after an intense workout partially neutralizes catecholamine, glucogen and cortisol - these hormones are produced more intensely than usual during times of exercise. Another reason for honey after training is closing the carbohydrate window. This effect is especially pronounced when the product is combined with proteins (meat, cottage cheese, egg whites).

Regular consumption of honey before, after and during physical activity helps to gain muscle mass. Including due to the active restoration of cells, the regular supply of nutrients necessary for their full development. Another plus is that the protective properties of muscle cells increase.

If you have an individual intolerance or allergy, you should avoid consuming honey.

Honey in bodybuilding: an encyclopedia of a sweet tooth

I think I won’t be opening America if I say that a bodybuilder’s diet is quite low in simple carbohydrates—various treats and sweets. Offhand, it would be a stretch to include various dried fruits - dried apricots, dates, sports bars (including in the form of halva) and, of course, honey. It is this carbohydrate that is designed to properly sweeten the completely sugar-free life of bodybuilders and fitness ladies. In our previous articles, in particular in this one, we talked about what you need to pay attention to when choosing fast (and not so fast) energy sources. So please kindly pay your respects to this note before continuing to read this one.

Bodybuilding imposes certain restrictions on the standard food basket, although these are most likely not restrictions, but simply the very philosophy of proper nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. So, girls suffer the most, because it is simple carbohydrates (muffins, cakes, candies, etc.) that have the right of veto. And as you know, representatives of the fair sex have a terrible sweet tooth, so they have the hardest time enduring various deprivations associated with the exclusion (or minimal consumption) of the above-mentioned delicacies.

On the other hand, people who have embarked on the path of fitness and bodybuilding are aware of the existence, which opens immediately after training. During this period, you can throw almost any sweets into the body’s furnace, and it will grind it all without being deposited in fat. Many people prefer to drink water with jam/sugar or white bread with jam, etc. However, the healthiest and most effective (including) dressing will be honey. Why? We will find out about this now.

First, let's figure out what honey is.

What is honey

Honey is a natural beekeeping product, nectar partially digested in the bee's crop. Nectar is collected by striped workers from various plants (melliferous flowers), honeydew and other sugary substances. Then he “drags” into the hive, where a swarm of bees casts a spell over him, performing various physical (for example, the breakdown of complex sugars into simple) and chemical (for example, the evaporation of water) rituals.

Note:
Buying in a store 1
kg of honey, remember that to collect it, the bee visited more than
10
million flowers and brought/processed about
4
kg of nectar.

Honey is also one of the few natural sweeteners with distinct health benefits. He contains:

natural antioxidants;
enzymes and minerals (including iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium);
vitamins: B6, thiamine, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin.

Honey (at least in theory) consists of the following components.

The chemical composition and nutritional value are reflected in more detail in the tables.

Honey in bodybuilding: beneficial properties

Now let's move on to its beneficial properties, which include:

unlike sugar, it does not cause a surge in blood sugar levels and increased insulin release;
provides ready reserves of clean energy in the form of liver glycogen, which makes it an ideal source of energy both for morning refueling and before/after training;
helps wound healing by reacting with body fluids and creating an unfavorable environment for the development of bacteria;
honey, if replaced with sugar, promotes weight loss;
contains many antioxidants (including flavonoids), which helps maintain the balance of the body's health;
amino acids in honey are in the easily digestible form of protein blocks, which contributes to their high-quality and rapid absorption by the body for the construction/restoration of muscle tissue;
promotes restorative sleep, because slowly releases glycogen necessary for basic body functions during night glanders;
Honey with milk helps the brain produce the hormone melatonin, which is necessary for deep sleep.
strengthens the immune system and helps restore tissue during periods of rest (due to the action of melatonin);
2
diabetes , heart disease, stroke and arthritis.
promotes the health of women's eggs;
normalizes metabolism and promotes healthy skin color;
increases sperm production (by 50%
) in men with low sperm count;
stimulates neural stem cells, which influence brain growth, the speed at which it processes signals and the storage of data in memory;
Helps maintain constant blood sugar levels and restore glycogen reserves after exercise.
effectively removes free radicals from the body.

Well, in my opinion, an impressive list of usefulness, and all this from one product.

Honey in bodybuilding: myths

It must be said that there are many bee myths surrounding bee products and honey, here are the main ones.

Myth No. 1. Honey is poisonous because... it contains toxins

This is wrong. Botulinum, a toxin used in cosmetic medicine to help reduce wrinkles, is actually produced from honey. Honey itself is a harmless and non-toxic product.

Myth No. 2. Children should not eat honey

This primarily depends on their age. Nutritionists and doctors prohibit giving honey to babies and toddlers until they reach 2-3

summer age.
Children in kindergarten or elementary school can easily consume this healthy sweet in moderate doses ( 1-2
teaspoons per day), provided that they are not allergic to bee products.

Myth No. 3. Honey is full of sugar

The assumption is somewhat erroneous. Despite its sweetness, this bee product contains relatively little sugar ( 70-80

g per
100
g), and the sugar there is mainly in the form of fructose (fruit sugar), followed by glucose and sucrose. After consuming honey, your blood sugar increases, but it is more effective than sucrose or maltodextrin in maintaining blood glucose levels.

Myth No. 4. Honey with white foam (crust) is bad

White foam is an indicator of the quality of honey. The foam crystallizes when pure honey sits for some time. If you see candied foam, this means the honey is natural and collected relatively recently.

Myth No. 5. Dark thick honey is not as good as soft and lighter honey

Bullshit:) Different types of honey have different colors and textures, and each has its own unique healing effect. Therefore, even if the smell/look of dark honey repels you, this does not mean that it is less useful than its light counterparts.

Well, actually, the introductory theoretical part is over, let’s move on to the most delicious part...

Honey in bodybuilding: the practical side of the issue

Due to the popularity of honey, especially in Russia, and due to the dominance of the latter on domestic shelves, it is very important to learn how to determine which product you are looking at - real or bullshit. Now we will learn how to do this.

What to hide, people love to get pleasure through sweets, and therefore are ready to pay in hard cash for it. Manufacturers and careless sellers understand this and try in every possible way to screw up the buyer, i.e. You. In particular, they can sell stale honey or honey diluted with water, or they can even sell some kind of surrogate. The price per kilogram of product sometimes stings and bites and can easily reach 2000

rubles

I think the consumer (you and I) is not very pleased to pay such money and in fact receive a “naked” product. Therefore, you need to learn how to correctly determine where honey is natural and where it is fake (in the sense of fake) honey. To do this, you need to arm yourself with the following information.

In order to increase profits, some manufacturers/sellers dilute honey with sugar syrup and molasses. To make it thick, they add flour, starch or chalk. Therefore, to be sure of the quality of the product, it is necessary to conduct some home experiments.

Apply these tips, and then you will always eat only natural products.

Well, in conclusion, let’s look at the use of honey in bodybuilding.

IN 2007

year, the journal “International Society of Sports Nutrition” examined the effectiveness of honey after training. The results showed that honey is an excellent post-workout recovery aid and does not lead to hypoglycemia.

The glycemic index of honey is lower than that of many sugars - this leads to a longer and more sustainable increase in glucose levels compared to “sugar” analogues.

During exercise, blood sugar levels drop significantly. This happens because your muscles use available glucose stores for energy. Post-workout carbohydrate intake is an important part of the recovery process. During it, your muscles replenish their internal reserves of glucose and glycogen. If blood sugar levels are not available to the muscles during this time, the body will not be able to recover adequately.

Honey in bodybuilding: in what quantities and when to eat?

Because Since the product belongs to the category of fast carbohydrates, it is useful for bodybuilders immediately before (after 60-90

minutes) /after (within
30
minutes) training.

Consuming honey before exercise allows for a slow and steady release of glucose into the blood. This can keep your body from using stored glycogen stores for fuel. By sparing muscle glycogen, fatigue can be delayed.

Taking honey during exercise can also be effective. In this case, it affects the increase in muscle power output and also affects the improvement of performance. You can also use it in the morning (after waking up), diluted in a glass of warm water.

Note:
After physical activity in the gym, make it a rule to eat high-protein foods (cottage cheese, chicken, lean meat) along with honey. This combination will help you recover most effectively.

2
tsp a glass of water in the morning on an empty stomach;
2
tbsp before/after training (can be done together with);
during training – 1
tsp +
0.5
l. water + lemon juice.

Afterword

Today we worked hard and looked at a rather tasty topic - honey in bodybuilding. I am sure that now your gym life will be not only productive, but also sweet. That’s all for now, all the best and see you in the open spaces “”.

PS.

Don’t be lazy and write down your comments, questions, wishes, additions and other miscellaneous things.

P.P.S.

Did the project help?
Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100
points to your karma, guaranteed.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov

Experienced athletes often drink water with sugar after training, some drink the solution during the process. The ritual is explained by the content of a large amount of carbohydrates in the sweet drink, which are necessary for the normal nutrition of muscle tissue. It is this element that gives the body energy during physical exercise, so sweetened water during exercise acts like an energy drink.

It should be noted that sweet water has several effects during bodybuilding exercises, so it must be consumed taking into account the main tasks assigned to the athlete.

Is it possible to eat honey when dried?

The main goal of drying the body is to get rid of subcutaneous fat, which improves muscle definition and makes the body look more toned and slender. A similar result in bodybuilding is achieved as a result of hard training and special, carbohydrate-free nutrition with accurate calorie counting.

The carbohydrate content in natural honey can reach 80%. Thus, this product is contraindicated during the drying period, so if the desire to taste something sweet has become simply unbearable, it is better to use aspartame, saccharin and other sugar substitutes.

TOP 5 recipes with honey

Honey with milk and banana. Heat 300 ml of milk to a temperature of 38–42 ⁰C, add 1 tablespoon of flower nectar, banana pieces. Beat with a blender until smooth. Use after physical activity.
Honey with nuts and kefir. Ingredients: raw chicken egg, 1 tablespoon each of honey and walnuts, 200 ml of kefir. Mix all products and beat with a mixer. The cocktail is intended for use after training.
Honey (50 g) with nut mix (30 g). Nuts can be any: almonds, walnuts, cashews, hazelnuts. Grind the ingredients and mix with 1 glass of orange or grapefruit juice. A great drink after a cardio workout. Drink at least 30 minutes before meals.
Mix a clove of chopped garlic with 1 tablespoon of honey. Use the resulting mass before bedtime. Stimulates the synthesis of growth hormones and testosterone.
Curd cocktail with honey. 100 g of cottage cheese, finely chopped banana, 1 tablespoon of honey and oatmeal, pour 1 glass of milk, beat into a homogeneous mass. Drink 60 minutes before training.

Acceptable standards and how to take honey

Interesting fact! According to research results, when consuming 1 g of honey nectar per 1 kg of body, productivity increases by 15%, the body is in good shape, and a surge of strength and energy is felt.

For the best effect of honey nectar on the body, it is best to take it 1 hour before the start of training and approximately half an hour after it. The type in which the sweetness will be consumed depends on the preferences of the athlete. Many people simply eat it with a spoon, some add it to tea, protein drinks, milk, or simply dilute it in water. Avid sports fans, professional bodybuilders and athletes recommend eating honey nectar along with bee pollen, which has the ability to improve the beneficial properties of the product.

Of course, there are some restrictions on taking honey, which depend directly on the athlete’s diet. As a rule, the recommended rate is calculated according to the proportion of 1 gram of nectar per 1 kilogram of weight. However, the maximum daily dose should not exceed 200 grams of a sweet product.

Nutritionists and trainers are unanimous in the opinion that when cutting or on a diet, it is better to limit the consumption of honey. But for muscles, at the stage of mass gain, beekeeping products will be very helpful. Its peculiarity is that honey after training will be very useful both for the body as a whole and for the expected result. Fructose, which is contained in large quantities in honey, quickly fills glycogen costs, helping to recover.

Important to remember! Regardless of your diet and exercise schedule, water should always be present during and after training. You need to drink more than two liters of clean water per day.

Can bodybuilders and people actively involved in sports eat honey? Definitely yes! And then we will describe several good and very healthy recipes, using which you can introduce honey into your diet, having a positive effect on the body, achieving good weight gain, recovery and preparation and training. In fact, there are a huge number of recipes with honey nectar, of which the following are the most popular:

Honey-wine tincture with aloe. First you need to prepare the leaves of the plant: cut them off, wrap them in a paper towel and put them in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Then grind and squeeze out the juice. Add 150 grams of the resulting product to 250 grams of honey and 350 ml of red wine. It is recommended to take Cahors. Mix everything thoroughly and put it in a cool, dark place for a week. After this period, take the mixture half an hour before meals 3 times a day.
Morning porridge with honey nectar. As you know, athletes often have cereals and cereals for breakfast. Adding 1-2 tablespoons of honey will help diversify the taste. You can also eat honey with cottage cheese, bread and crackers.
Honey with garlic. The secret of this, at first glance, terrible combination is that both of these ingredients, interacting with each other, allow you to produce growth hormone to a greater extent, as well as increase testosterone levels by 2-3 times. To prepare the garlic mixture, 1 clove of garlic, grated on a fine grater or chopped in a blender, and 1 tablespoon of honey are enough. It is recommended to take it a few minutes before bedtime.
Ginger honey with dried fruits and cranberries. 200 grams of ginger root should be grated or in a blender, add 2 unpeeled lemons to the resulting pulp, continuing to grind in the blender. Then you can add figs and dried apricots, 100 grams of each ingredient and 1 cup of cranberries. Add 200 grams of honey to the resulting mass and mix well with a spoon until the honey nectar is completely and evenly distributed. You need to take this paste 1 teaspoon in the morning with tea or other drinks.
Honey-nut mixture. Such gruel will be an excellent source of energy, since nuts have high energy value. For this mixture you need to use 100 grams of almonds, cashews, pine nuts, 50 grams of anise seeds and 20 grams of black pepper grains. Next, grind everything and add 100 grams of honey of any kind.

Harm and contraindications

The bee product has many beneficial properties, however, in some cases it can be harmful. Contraindications:

allergies and individual intolerances;
some kidney diseases - you should consult a doctor;
gastritis in a state of exacerbation;
acute pancreatitis;
asthma.

Women should use honey with caution during pregnancy. The daily intake should always be taken into account, as exceeding it can cause serious health problems.

Honey in sports, myths

Wanting to compile a full review, I searched many resources for information about why honey can be harmful. And, to be honest, the only thing I came across was the fear of gaining excess weight due to excessive consumption of honey. Allegedly, honey contains a huge amount of carbohydrates, which will certainly be deposited as a solid layer of fat under your skin. My friends, this is nonsense! Honey consists of fast carbohydrates without sucrose impurities, which means that it is a unique energy drink and nothing more. With reasonable consumption and stable training, it can, on the contrary, reduce the level of subcutaneous fat if used instead of sugar.

The only real disadvantage of honey is that if you consume it excessively, there is a very high probability of developing an allergy. Since honey itself is a product of complex processing, it must be consumed wisely. Let's just say that nothing bad will happen from 100 grams of honey per day, but if you eat half a kilogram of it a day, it will already be fraught with consequences.

By the way, honey also has a number of useful properties, depending on the quality, color and where the apiary was located. Thus, even the most ordinary wild honey will strengthen your immune system and stimulate metabolic and anabolic processes in the body. And for those who suffer from chronic diseases of the trachea and lungs, it will be an ideal medicine when consumed with tea or milk. But more on that later.

Popular myths about honey

Recently, on the Internet and in print media you can find information about honey that is not true. We decided to debunk the 10 most common myths:

Honey is an analogue of sugar. In fact, the difference is huge. The only similarity is the nutritional value. Honey has a set of beneficial vitamins and minerals, antibacterial properties, and improves immunity—sugar does not have such properties.
Natural honey crystallizes within 4-6 months. The rate of hardening depends on the composition: the more fructose, the longer the product remains liquid.
Honey from an apiary is inferior in healing properties to that obtained by wild bees. In fact, there is only one type of bee that collects nectar: honey bees. The properties of the product are determined solely by climate, plants and storage conditions.
Dark honey is better than light honey. It has a slightly different composition, containing more protein and iron, which is why it is recommended for anemia, but in general, both the dark product and the light one have similar properties.
Honey is medicine. It is used for medicinal purposes, but in fact it is a food product that can and should be used as a preventive measure or as an addition to the main therapy.
When honey is heated, it becomes poisonous as toxic substances are formed. This is not true, since it initially does not contain elements that could harm human health. One thing is certain - under the influence of high temperatures, the beneficial properties are irretrievably lost.
Honey should not be stored in transparent containers. It is not true. The main thing is the temperature regime and that the material from which the container is made does not interact with the product. Suitable glass, food grade plastic.

Conclusions: buy real honey, observe storage conditions and do not allow it to be heated to temperatures above 40 ⁰C, and then it will definitely retain its beneficial properties, taste and aroma.

Which honey is best for athletes?

It is best to use dark honey, such as buckwheat. It contains a record amount of proteins and iron. It cleans blood vessels, renews blood, increases hemoglobin, and promotes tissue healing.

The most effective combination of honey and bee pollen. A teaspoon of nectar is eaten along with 0.5-1 spoon of pollen. The mixture perfectly restores physical and mental performance in case of severe fatigue.

How to distinguish natural honey from fake

Today there are a lot of counterfeit products on the market, usually at a slightly lower price. We offer several simple options for testing honey:

Viscosity.
The natural product is viscous, heat it to 20 ⁰C, immerse a spoon in it, then lift it and slowly rotate - the mass will stretch and wrap around it.
Wateriness.
Check with a small piece of newspaper - drop a little honey, if it doesn’t spread, it means it’s natural. Got a wet mark? This is a fake. You can also check the presence of water using a small piece of bread - dipped in natural honey it usually hardens, but in low-quality honey it softens.
Presence of impurities.
Tested with iodine. Dilute honey with a small amount of water, then add a little iodine. Blue color indicates starch or flour content.
Presence of chalk.
Add a little vinegar essence to the honey solution. If chalk is present, characteristic foam will appear, its appearance will be accompanied by hissing.
Solid impurities.
Dissolve honey in warm water; the appearance of a solid sediment is one of the signs of a low-quality product.

Be sure to pay attention to organoleptic indicators. Real honey has a pleasant taste and fragrant aroma.

Honey in sports, an ideal energy drink

It is impossible not to notice that honey, as an excellent source of energy, can be used both before and after training. Its advantage over sports nutrition and a pre-workout complex with similar properties is that, like caviar, it is absorbed almost 100% within half an hour, which cannot be compared with any artificial stimulant. Just two tablespoons of honey before training will allow you to:

— Accelerate metabolic processes and thereby improve blood circulation;
— Increase the speed of muscle cleansing from lactic acid;
— Compensate for energy and amino acid compounds;
- Concentrate better and work more efficiently;

Well, honey after a workout will allow you to reduce catabolic processes to almost zero, filling the energy exchange gaps almost instantly! And all this is thanks to the fine structure and rapid absorption of this product, due to which it not only stimulates recovery processes, but also does not irritate the flora of the intestines and stomach. But that's not all! If you combine honey with some other ingredients, you can get unique sports cocktails that even anabolic steroids cannot compare with! After all, honey is in sports

valued for the fact that it is extremely rich in B vitamins, such as B2 or B6, which are responsible for accelerating anabolic processes and can also boost the level of production of the natural male hormone - testosterone. As a result, accelerated recovery and rapid development of muscle tissue, which can be achieved in very few ways. And among other things, honey itself stimulates the speedy healing of wounds, increases the pain threshold and improves the overall tone of the body, if, as I said earlier, it is consumed in moderation. Don't forget this, my friends. As you may have already noticed, when conducting research like this time, I very often come across the fact that many foods are harmful, yes, but harmful only when consumed in excess. Therefore, let's keep the measure and everyone will be healthy!

Sports cocktails made from honey

Recipe No. 1.

In sports, honey is often used in combination with nuts, as this makes it an ideal product for closing the protein-carbohydrate window after training. Just 50 grams of honey and 30 grams of various nuts per serving can stimulate anabolic processes due to their natural properties. And if you dilute all this with freshly squeezed orange or grapefruit juice, you will also get a very good fat burner that can be consumed after cardio training, half an hour before meals.

Recipe No. 2.

Honey is also very good in combination with... garlic! Yes, yes, this is a rather old recipe, which was once used by circus strongmen, and its essence is that together, these two components actively stimulate the production of growth hormones and testosterone, including, which can increase it by as much as 2-3 times. Thus, if you grate a clove of garlic and mix it with a tablespoon of honey, taking this mixture at night, you will very soon notice that you have begun to recover many times faster!

Recipe No. 3.

Well, another simple recipe, known to all of us since childhood, but successfully ignored, is honey with warm milk. A glass of such a cocktail, which in turn can be mixed with nuts, berries and fruits, has a number of beneficial properties, ranging from a positive effect on the immune system to strengthening blood vessels in the brain.

CONCLUSION

And finally, I would like to say that all the information that I have collected for you is just the tip of the iceberg. The history of honey stretches back centuries, and if you're interested in learning more about it, check out your city's event schedule. Most likely, you will also have a honey fair, where you can learn from real experts in their field everything you can know about honey, and also purchase various varieties of honey, which, perhaps, will even help you in sports much more than classic store-bought honey. Be healthy and eat honey, have you ever seen a sick bear? That's it!