Honey is something found in every household. A natural sweetener gifted to us by mother nature is not only a sweetener but much more than that. But not many are aware of the amazing benefits of honey. When we go to a grocery store to buy honey, we never look up the type of honey. Many of you must be wondering is there any type of honey? Yes, and not one but up to 300 varieties! One of them is clover honey which is a top favourite among the honey enthusiasts. Let’s know why:
Where does this Clover Honey come from?
Like any other honey, clover honey is a sweet syrup made by honeybees by taking up nectar from flowers. What makes it different is the nectar collected from clover plants also known as Trifolium. These clover plants are very common and found almost everywhere; all thanks to their weather hardy nature. These plants are among the highly grown pastures around the world and hence feed as fodder for cattle and livestock.
Honey bees tend to be quite fond of clover plants. They tend to pollinate these plants more efficiently as compared to other plants. So, the plant crop increases in return and bees get more flowers to get nectar from. In this way their relationship thrives and clover honey becomes an abundantly available option.
Clover honey tastes mildly sweet and floral while the colour is water white to light amber. As much as it looks aesthetically pleasing to the eyes, it tastes even better and the benefits of it are very wide ranging as well.
Nutritional Profile of Clover Honey
Clover honey is the most common type of honey in the US and quite a favourite among Americans. Let’s look at the nutritional profile of this amazing golden nectar:
One serving is 1 tablespoon and here is what it contains:
- Total calories: 64
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Protein: 0.06g
- Fats: 0g
- Sodium: 1mg
Benefits of Clover Honey
Clover honey has long been used as part of home remedies and also in medicines for cough and cold. Its culinary uses are no less as it is part of different varieties of food from baked goods to savoury foods. Let’s get familiar with the benefits of it:
1. Healing Power
Honey has long been used in for healing purposes. Apitherapy is a branch of alternative medicine that is based on honey bee products and has been giving promising results since the ancient times. Honey has been blessed with natural anti-inflammatory power. It has low water content and an acidic pH along with potassium, copper, iron as well as vitamin C. All of these properties together speed up the healing process.
2. Antioxidants
Clover honey is naturally packed with a bounty of antioxidants. Antioxidants are quintessential for normal body functions. Hence, they reduce the damage caused by free radicals in the body and also alleviate the risk of certain diseases. Flavanol and phenolic acid are two primary antioxidants present in clover honey and both of them help to improve the functioning of heart and liver.
3. A great substitute of Sugar
As compared to the table sugar, clover honey can be a great alternative as it has been found to be safer as compared to the former. A study was carried out in which the participants consumed honey for six weeks. The results showed that those who added honey to their daily diet, they had lower cholesterol as compared to the ones consuming table sugar. Also, studies showed that it improved the heart health of its consumers and also managed weight.
4. Regulate Blood Pressure
Regular intake of clover honey in the morning has shown to lower blood pressure. The best way to do so would be adding one to two teaspoons of clover honey in your tea.
5. Antibacterial Effects
It is a known fact that clover honey has antibacterial effects on the human body. A study was carried out in which the antibacterial action of 16 different varieties of honey were compared against Staphylococcus aureus. It was found that clover honey had the highest score. The effect was equal to a 2.2mg dose of kanamycin an antibiotic. Moreover, in case of burns and scratches, applying clover honey on the spot develops a resistance against bacteria. Moreover, in order to study the anti-bacterial effect, a study was carried out over a period of 3-months that included 30 different diabetic people each with a foot wound. There was seen a reduction in size of 43% wounds along with bacterial count while 43% wounds showed a complete healing.
6. Anti-viral Effect
In addition to anti-bacterial effect, anti-viral effect of clover honey is no less. As part of a study, 5% clover honey solution was applied on the skin cells that had been infected with chicken pox. There was seen a decline in the survival rates of the virus by a great deal.
7. A Natural Moisturizer
Not only does this cater your sweet tooth but also adds to your beauty a great deal. The use of honey for skincare purposes dates back to ancient times. Honey is a natural moisturizer; so, applying it to skin will not only keep your skin moisturised but also rejuvenate it, regulate its pH, treat acne as well as remove the wrinkles.
Side Effects of Clover Honey
Raw honey has no expiry date. But there are some side effects that need to be kept in mind before consuming it:
- Some people have pollen allergy so they might experience some reaction to honey in their body like vomiting, wheezing, weakness, nausea fainting, arrythmias and excessive perspiration.
- Diabetics should be careful as it may fluctuate the blood sugar levels.
- Giving honey to infants under the age of 1 may cause a serious gastrointestinal disorder known as botulism.
Final Verdict
As much as clover honey is tasty and beneficial for the health, one must keep in mind the rule of moderation. Diabetics should consult their doctor before incorporating this golden honey into their diets.
