There are many rumors circulating in the community regarding how to increase the chances of pregnancy, one of which is the benefits of honey to fertilize the womb. However, is honey really proven to be effective as a fertiliser? Check out the full explanation below!
Honey has long been known as a natural herbal food and medicine. Thanks to its abundant nutritional and antioxidant content, honey is also considered good for increasing fertility. Honey is even believed to be used to increase the chances of pregnancy.
Getting to Know Honey and Its Relation to Fertility
Honey contains various substances that have antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Flavonoids and polyphenols are the main antioxidants found in honey.
In addition, honey also contains a variety of nutrients, such as:
- Fructose
- Glucose
- Protein
- Minerals, including magnesium, potassium, phosphate, calcium, sodium, and iron
- Vitamins, namely vitamin C and vitamin B
Because of its high nutritional and antioxidant content, honey has long been used as a herbal remedy to treat various health problems.
Associated with fertility, honey has long been believed to increase male and female fertility. The following are some of the benefits of honey as an herbal remedy to increase fertility:
Maintain healthy ovaries and egg quality
Several studies show that honey is considered to be able to improve the quality of eggs and maintain healthy ovaries (ovarian). That's thanks to the vitamins, iron, minerals, and antioxidants in honey.
Improve sperm quality
In men, the antioxidant content as well as minerals and vitamins contained in honey are known to treat infertility conditions in men. Honey is believed to increase testosterone production and improve sperm quality.
Strengthen libido
Honey is one of the herbal ingredients that have an aphrodisiac effect or increase sexual desire. This is thanks to the boron content in honey which is known to increase the testosterone hormone. This hormone can then increase a person's libido.
Unfortunately, the various benefits of honey as a fertilizing agent above are only limited to small-scale studies or research in the laboratory. So far, there has been no research that can prove that honey is effective in fertilizing the womb and is effectively used as a drug to treat fertility disorders.
Therefore, the benefits of honey as a fertilizing agent still need to be investigated further. Apart from the efficacy of honey for fertility which has not been clinically proven, honey does have various health benefits, for example for the treatment of wounds, diabetic ulcers, and herpes.
Honey is also known to reduce the risk of certain diseases, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Tips to Increase Fertility
Because it has not been proven effective for increasing fertility, you can try several other ways to increase fertility, such as:
1. Increase consumption of fruits and vegetables
Increase your intake of fertilizing foods, fruits and vegetables that contain antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta carotene, folate, and zinc. Antioxidants can fight free radicals that can damage sperm and eggs.
2. Increase calorie intake in the morning
Increase calorie intake at breakfast and limit calorie intake at night. This method can increase the amount of hormone production that plays a role in fertility, both in women and men.
3. Limit foods or drinks that are too sweet
Foods or drinks that are too sweet can make blood sugar levels out of control. This condition can cause interference with the hormone insulin, which is a hormone that affects fertility. Therefore, limit consumption of sweet foods or use natural sweeteners such as honey.
4. Consume healthy fats
Avoid foods that contain lots of bad fats, such as trans fats and saturated fats, because these types of fats can make you gain weight quickly. Excess weight is one of the factors that can interfere with fertility.
Instead, eat foods rich in healthy fats, such as olive oil, corn oil, or virgin coconut oil.
5. Pay attention to the amount of carbohydrate consumption
Limit carbohydrate intake and multiply high-fiber foods. It can improve hormone levels that support fertility, especially in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).
6. Replace animal protein with vegetable
Limit your intake of foods that contain animal protein and replace them with plant protein foods, such as nuts and whole grains. Also consume low-fat dairy products.
7. Do exercise regularly
To overcome fertility problems, try to regularly exercise as much as 150 minutes per week or 30 minutes per day, and accompany it with a healthy diet. Sports to choose from include leisurely walks, swimming, yoga, and cycling.
Those are the facts about the content of fertilizing honey products. So, from now on you can reconsider the use of honey, yes!
For more information related to fertility and what tips are really effective for increasing fertility for you and your partner, try consulting a gynecologist.