Did you know that cinnamon and honey have been used as a natural remedy in medicine? There are so many amazing benefits that honey provides for the body. But, does honey actually boost and support your immune system? I answer these questions, plus also share my delicious immune system honey drink recipe made with cinnamon, honey, ginger, cardamom, and cloves.
In the last 10 years, a movement towards achieving health through more natural means has become widespread.
More and more people learn about the ways in which people cared for injuries and infections, and have been shocked to discover that our world provides various natural solutions.
But what kinds of natural substances can aid our health?
In their search, a few items found in the home have come to stand out, and this article will discuss the ways that honey and cinnamon can help your immune system.
Does Honey Boost Your Immune System?
I am often asked in the winter, “Does honey boost your immune system?”
The answer is a big yes. This golden substance produced by bees has long been associated with healing and health. For thousands of years, people have used honey for application on bandages.
Science now reveals the secrets to its marvelous properties. Studies have shown honey contains powerful antioxidants.
These vitamins and trace minerals help break down free radicals that can cause massive damage to cells. Thus, possibly protecting against many possible ailments.
So, the answer to “Is honey good for your immune system?” is yes.
Honey is also prebiotic, in that it contains fibers that only the probiotics in your system can break down. This means it is food for the bacteria in your gut, which helps control the metabolism in the body.
As honey is digested, the microflora deposit themselves into the stomach and large intestine to aid digestion function. As well as provide a buffer against harmful microbes by attacking them and destroying their membranes.
So, honey is an outstanding addition to support your immune function within your body.
How Honey is Antibacterial?
The antibacterial properties of honey come from its many compounds.
Some of these include phenolic compounds. Phenolic compounds are acids that have a strong ability to kill bacteria on contact. The acidic nature of honey is also important in its antibacterial properties.
Honey can kill bacteria on contact. It remains this way for a long time once it has been applied to the bacteria.
This is due to its acidic nature and high sugar content, in which excess sugar prevents bacterial growth and hinders their metabolism.
Remember earlier, I mentioned how honey is good for your immune system?
Well, these work hand in hand. The immune boosting properties of honey and antibacterial benefits help the body protect and heal.
How Honey is Antifungal?
Honey, a natural antibacterial treatment used for ages. It is believed to have originated from trees, shrubs and flowers, and is made from nectar collected by bees.
Honey has been used for medicinal purposes since pre-historic times, when it was discovered it had antibacterial properties.
Honey is an effective natural antifungal treatment due to its high sugar content. The antimicrobial properties of honey are due to various compounds contained within it.
These include phenolic compounds, hydrogen peroxide and various other acids. Honey contains up to 20% phenolic compounds, which are responsible for its antimicrobial properties.
What Are the Ways You Can Use Honey and Cinnamon?
I put honey in everything!
You can use it as a marinade for meat, as a sweetener for unflavored yogurt and oatmeal. I even put in my pancake batter.
Just mix them both together!
The best way to enjoy these two impressive ingredients will be to eat them raw. Honey and cinnamon are much more effective when consumed in their natural state.
I personally like to mix them with some coconut yogurt.
I prefer to buy Manuka honey. Manuka honey is not as sweet as the other honey I have found, but it is still sweet. The taste is a little different from the local honey I usually find due to the difference in the processing.
Whichever honey you can find still benefits the body in many ways. Local honey is also great if you suffer from seasonal allergies.
What are the Benefits of Eating Manuka Honey?
Does it matter which honey supports your immune system?
Manuka honey has been shown to be more beneficial in boosting one’s immune function. This is due to the higher concentrations of the active component, methylglyoxal.
The research data has confirmed that Manuka honey’s antibacterial activity, compared to non-Manuka honey, is due to a higher phenolic and methylglyoxal content (1).
Manuka honey is a type of honey produced from the nectar of manuka flowers. It has antibacterial properties. It may also help fight infections like MRSA and skin irritations.
Researchers have been studying the antimicrobial properties of Manuka honey for many years, and they’ve discovered it has antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects.
The antibacterial effects of manuka honey have been known for a long time, but the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits were only recently discovered.
It’s possible that manuka honey benefits and helps fight more than simply infections.
So far, there’s evidence it might help fight cancer too. One study found that manuka honey could “significantly reduce” the growth of head and neck cancers in mice(2).
In another study, researchers found the honey could “inhibit growth and induce apoptosis” in human colorectal cancer cells (3).
And a third study found that manuka honey could help fight prostate cancer. They found that honey significantly inhibited and reduced the growth of human prostate cancer cells. This is likely to be related to a blocking of the adhesion process, shown to be strongly down-regulated by honey(4).
Other studies on the beneficial effects that manuka honey found could help reduce the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis by as much as 80 percent (5).
And a recent study found that manuka honey could help relieve symptoms of asthma, eczema, and dermatitis (6).
Cinnamon and Your Immune System
There are many natural remedies that you may have heard before to treat the common cold, like garlic and ginger. But cinnamon, a warming spice, has been used as medicinal use for centuries.
Cinnamon is known to boost the immune system naturally. Cinnamon is considered a medicinal herb. It’s used a lot in traditional medicine for treating many types of illness.
Since it has antibacterial and antiviral properties, you can use cinnamon as an alternative to medication when you have a cold. That is why I love using cinnamon to boost my immune system.
Cinnamon, an intriguing spice, comes from the inner bark of trees belonging to the genus of Cinnamomum. This flavorful and festive spice is well-known for its warming contributions to recipes.
But it has many hidden properties, making it an important player in the world of natural health.
For one, cinnamon is full of antioxidants, which can help with healthy aging. They also help repair cells damaged by cancer-causing agents.
Cinnamon As Natural Medicine Use
It has powerful anti-inflammatory properties.
In addition, it can reduce many risks associated with heart disease, including high cholesterol and high blood pressure.
Having less stress on the body also means a more efficient immune system. This allows the body to fight infection.
Cinnamon has other medicinal benefits, including diabetes, hypertension and poor blood circulation in the circulatory system.
Cinnamon is also considered an aphrodisiac.
So, if you want to boost your sex drive, you can use cinnamon in a food or drink. You can buy cinnamon bark and grind it into powder form.
When honey and cinnamon are combined, their antimicrobial power is strengthened. The combination of these two powerful antimicrobials and antioxidants may even help prevent some sickness in people.
They also work together by stimulating white blood cell production.
Cinnamon, Honey and Ginger Powerful Combination
This combination of cinnamon, ginger and honey has been commonly used together. All ingredients you will find in my delicious honey drink recipe.
It is a simple way to fight colds, with ginger being a natural decongestant.
One study showed that honey and cinnamon each alone had antibacterial properties. However, the combination was much more powerful. That is why I created my simple honey drink recipe.
Honey Cinnamon Immunity Drink Recipe
I love to make this honey drink, which is a beverage I commonly use during cold and flu season, when my immune system needs extra support.
Don’t forget that honey benefits the body and the immune system naturally.
So if anyone asks you, “Does honey and cinnamon boost your immune system?” You can tell them yes and recommend this immunity drink to them.
Immune-Support Honey Cinnamon Hot Tea Recipe
INGREDIENTS
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 8 ounces of hot water
DIRECTIONS
- Combine the cinnamon, ginger cardamom, and cloves together.
- Mix all the spices with the honey, and in a large mug pour 8 ounces of hot water over the mixture.
- You can also prepare this mixture and refrigerate to drink this tasty honey drink cold over ice cubes. Add fresh orange slices for a boost of vitamin C.
Let’s Discuss Your Immune System, Honey, and Cinnamon!
I hope this information on honey and cinnamon used to support your immune system helped you out.
Now you can stop wondering “What are cinnamon and honey benefits?” and “Does honey boost your immune system?”
So, hurry, and give my honey drink recipe a try today.
Let me know in the comment section below once you try this recipe.
I would also love to hear what you think, or take a photo and tag me @Eat_Your_Nutrition on Instagram. I love seeing your photos. #EatYourNutrition #LauraVillanueva
REFERENCES
- Johnston M, McBride M, Dahiya D, Owusu-Apenten R, Nigam PS. Antibacterial activity of Manuka honey and its components: An overview. AIMS Microbiol. 2018;4(4):655-664. Published 2018 Nov 27. doi:10.3934/microbiol.2018.4.655
- Rao S, Hegde SK, Rao P, et al. Honey Mitigates Radiation-Induced Oral Mucositis in Head and Neck Cancer Patients without Affecting the Tumor Response. Foods. 2017;6(9):77. Published 2017 Sep 6. doi:10.3390/foods6090077
- Erejuwa OO, Sulaiman SA, Wahab MS. Effects of honey and its mechanisms of action on the development and progression of cancer. Molecules. 2014;19(2):2497-2522. Published 2014 Feb 21. doi:10.3390/molecules19022497
- Abel SDA, Dadhwal S, Gamble AB, Baird SK. Honey reduces the metastatic characteristics of prostate cancer cell lines by promoting a loss of adhesion. PeerJ. 2018;6:e5115. Published 2018 Jul 3. doi:10.7717/peerj.5115
- Minden-Birkenmaier BA, Meadows MB, Cherukuri K, et al. The Effect of Manuka Honey on dHL-60 Cytokine, Chemokine, and Matrix-Degrading Enzyme Release under Inflammatory Conditions. Med One. 2019;4(2):e190005. doi:10.20900/mo.20190005
- Aw Yong PY, Islam F, Harith HH, Israf DA, Tan JW, Tham CL. The Potential use of Honey as a Remedy for Allergic Diseases: A Mini Review. Front Pharmacol. 2021;11:599080. Published 2021 Jan 26. doi:10.3389/fphar.2020.599080
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