There are various benefits of honey for children, ranging from relieving coughs and colds, boosting the immune system, to helping heal wounds. However, honey should not be given to children carelessly. you know. The selection of the type of honey must also be considered, so that the benefits obtained can be maximized.
Honey has many benefits for children thanks to its diverse nutritional content, such as sugar, carbohydrates, vitamin C, B vitamins, amino acids, iron, zinc, and potassium. Besides being delicious, this sweet liquid produced by bees is also rich in flavonoid antioxidants and polyphenols. Honey is also known to have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.
Benefits of Honey for Your Little One
Honey has long been used traditionally to maintain health and treat various medical complaints and diseases. The following are some of the goodness and benefits of honey for children:
1. Source of energy to support its activities
The first benefit of honey for children is as a source of energy. Honey contains natural sugars, namely fructose and glucose. This sugar content comes from carbohydrates which are needed as fuel or energy so that children are more enthusiastic about carrying out their activities.
2. Boost the immune system
Honey also contains substances that play a role in increasing the body's resistance. Antioxidants in honey are also proven to be able to ward off free radicals that cause various diseases.
3. Relieves coughs and colds
Cough, runny nose, and sore throat are some of the symptoms of inflammation of the respiratory tract. Children often experience this when they have the flu or ARI. nowAccording to several studies, honey is proven to be able to relieve coughs and colds in children and relieve inflammation in the respiratory tract.
In relieving coughs, the benefits of honey even seem to have the same effect as cough medicine. Children who were given 1.5–2 teaspoons of honey at bedtime seemed to be able to rest more comfortably and sleep more soundly because their coughs were reduced after being given honey.
4. Good for digestive health
Honey contains natural prebiotics that can increase the number of good bacteria in the digestive tract. The benefits of honey are important for maintaining the digestive health of your little one. Honey can also help increase your little one's appetite.
The results of studies from several studies show that honey is able to relieve digestive disorders, such as constipation and abdominal pain in children.
5. Heal wounds faster
Children tend to be active when playing, so they are prone to falling and getting injured. nowHoney can also be used to help the wound healing process and prevent infection in the wound.
How to use it is very easy, after the wound is cleaned, apply honey on the injured skin area. Honey can be applied 2-3 times a day until the wound heals.
Maximize the Benefits of Honey for Children in this Way
In addition to the benefits of honey, it is also necessary to know that giving honey to children should not be arbitrary. Honey should only be consumed by children older than one year.
Giving honey to babies who are not even one year old is very dangerous and has the risk of causing infant botulism. This is because the digestion of infants or children under one year of age is not perfect and has not been able to fight bacteria Clostridium botulinum contained in honey.
To get the optimal benefits of honey, choose quality honey, such as raw honey or pure honey, because pure honey is honey that does not go through a filtering process and is not mixed with other ingredients. Therefore, this type of honey has a higher nutritional content.
Although honey is safe for consumption for children over 2 years old, there are some children who may be allergic to honey. So, it's a good idea to consult a doctor first before giving honey to your child, especially if your child has certain medical conditions, such as allergies.