Honey for Your Sweet Tooth

Everyone likes a sweet treat now and then, but too much sugar can be a bad thing, particularly for your teeth. However, there is a natural alternative that might actually be good for your teeth: honey.

Thinking of honey as helpful for teeth may seem strange, especially since the bacteria in dental plaque, which cause tooth decay, need sugars to survive and multiply. But, according to researchers at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, honey may stop the growth of dental plaque bacteria and reduce the amount of acid that it produces. Since this acid is what causes cavities, honey may be able to combat tooth decay. So how does it work?

A potent antimicrobial agent

Honey is well-known for its antimicrobial qualities. In fact, it has been used in traditional medicine as a dressing for wounds, burns, and skin ulcers. The medical community is now rediscovering the therapeutic
value of honey.

Honey's antimicrobial power comes from an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide, a common antiseptic agent. Unlike most antiseptics that use hydrogen peroxide, however, honey is gentler on tissue and contains anti-inflammatory agents that reduce swelling and pain. It even helps cells repair themselves.

Of course, it's important to take things in moderation. While a little honey may be beneficial, too much may still cause damage to your teeth.

Types of honey

The color and taste of honey depends on what kind of nectar the bees used to make it. The lighter honeys have better aroma and taste, but the darker honeys have a greater nutritional value. The darker the honey, the more minerals it contains, including potassium, magnesium, phosphor, and iron.

The antimicrobial capabilities of the honey also depend on the what nectar it comes from. If you want to use honey for topical wounds, you can buy medicinal honey just for that purpose. You probably won't want to eat it, however. Specially made medicinal honey is not meant to be used as food.

Cooking with honey

Honey is sweeter than sugar, so you can use less honey in a recipe than you would sugar. Ideally, you should start with a recipe that calls for honey. However, you can substitute honey for sugar; use half the amount that is called for in the recipe. For example, if the recipe calls for 1 cup of sugar, use half a cup of honey.

You may also need to make a few other adjustments when you bake with honey:

. Reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup for each cup of honey used.
.Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each cup of honey used.
. Reduce the oven temperature by 25F to prevent over-browning.

Storing honey

It's best to store honey at room temperature, in a pantry or out of direct sunlight on the kitchen counter. Refrigerating honey increases the crystallization process, in which honey becomes solid. If this happens, the honey is still usable. Simply place the jar in a warm water and stir until it liquefies again. Alternatively, place the honey jar in a microwave-safe dish, remove the lid, and microwave it slowly, stirring frequently, until the crystals dissolve. Be careful not to boil or scorch the honey.

Recipes

Honey-Orange Chicken

1 whole chicken with skin
1 orange, sliced in half
3/4 cup orange juice, fresh-squeezed if possible
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 tsp paprika

Remove the giblets and stuff the orange halves into the cavity. Place the chicken in an oiled baking pan, preferably on a rack. Mix remaining ingredients and use a pastry brush to coat the chicken with the mixture. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until the chicken is cooked through (test with a meat thermometer).

Honey and Almond Cookies

1/2 cup butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 cup almonds

Cream the butter, sugar, honey, and egg. Add the vanilla and mix well. Mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Stir this mixture into the butter mixture and mix well. Stir in the almonds. Drop onto a greased cookie sheet by teaspoons. Cook in a preheated oven at 400 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Honey Lemon Tea

1 cup tea
2 tsp honey
1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Make a cup of hot tea. If you're ill, you may want to use a good herbal tea. Stir in the honey and lemon juice until honey dissolves. This is a great way to soothe a sore throat.

For information, visit www.softdental.com/about_tech.html">Houston Dentist.
SoftDental (www.softdental.com) is Houston's Top Cosmetic Dentistry.

Hot Topics In Mental Health

    Early Orthodontic Treatment Boosts Self-Esteem in Small Children

    Bullying is endemic among schoolchildren, and the effects can be devastating and long lasting. The persistently bullied kid shows a definite psychological type, with poorly developed social skills and...

    Stress In The Workplace

    In a recent survey in the United Kingdom, it was estimated that as many as 80% of industrial accidents are caused by stress. This same survey also estimated that stress was costing society upwards of ...

    Reduce Stress in Your Life With The Art of Listening

    Everyone has a story to tell. However, not everyone may be willing to listen. Sometimes, we are amazed - in an unpleasant way - over the fact that we have not been paying attention to the one speaking...

    What is Root Canal Treatment?

    Root canal treatment, also called root canal therapy, is a procedure used to treat problems of the inside of the tooth, or the dental pulp. It is a way to save teeth that might otherwise have to be pu...

    Consider Class, Color, and Comfort for Stress-Free Gown Selection

    That little black dress will work for almost any affair, but what happens when a woman tires of the same old look? Hunting for a dress or gown for different events can be a nightmare. This can especia...

    How Hypnosis Works

    Long thought of as a stage show or act of trickery by many, and as a dangerous practice which left the mind vulnerable to some, hypnosis is finding a new popularity among people these days. The growth...

    Stress Relief For Moms - What Can You Do?

    Perhaps you've always thought that a toolkit was something men liked but wasn't something you ever wanted to own for yourself. Well, if we're talking about the clanking sort that is used to repair thi...

    Protecting Yourself Psychically

    There are many energetic leeches or energetic vampires around and sometimes you may feel you need more protection. If you do need to put up a psychic shield this is one way that you can do this. I use...

    What Are Anger Indicators

    Here we will sum up the signs of anger, because even though everyone is different, there are certain comparable signs that denote this strong emotion.

    Sometimes, an angry person will verbally or ph...

    How Women Can Manage Their Fears, Depression, OCD, And Other Stresses

    Some women may experience those times when their fears, anxieties, and depression are stronger than what they can handle. There are times that no matter what they do, their fears have the best of them...

    Memory Loss - What Is Usual and What Is Not

    According to the psychologists, we tend to forget the things that we actually want to forget. But this is not always the case. Sometimes we can not remember things that we ought to. Like the other day...

    Facing our Fears - Overcoming Fear

    As human beings in the process of evolution, it is imperative that we overcome the bondage of fear so we may experience the security, peace, love, courage, faith, wisdom, understanding and fulfillment...

Most Recent Mental Health Supplements

Newly Popular Health Articles

    How To Treat Sleep Deprivation Using CPAP

    Treating sleep deprivation using CPAP is considered as an effective treatment strategy. Sleep derivation is the condition in which the patient cannot experience a continuous sleep. It is considered to...

    Plantar Warts Explained

    Warts (including plantar warts) are a viral (verruca vulgaris) infection of the skin. They are contracted by coming in direct contact with the virus.

    If you've ever stepped barefoot into a locker ro...

    Is Lasik Surgery Covered By Insurance?

    Lasik surgery is an eye vision correction method that has been growing in popularity. Lasik surgery can greatly improve eyesight, eliminating the use of eye glasses or contact lenses. It's a relativel...

    How Much Does Laser Eye Surgery Typically Cost?

    The cost of laser eye surgery can vary greatly depending on the type of surgery to be performed, the patient's prescription, the equipment used, and the doctor or surgical provider in question. There ...

    Diet And Sperm Quality

    There comes a time in most committed relationships where couples decide that they want to bring a child into the world. Visions of chubby newborns dance in the heads of baby's mom and dad while hopes ...

    Diet Soda; Is It Good Or Bad If You Are On A Diet?

    The debate over whether diet soda is a dieter's friend or a dieter's enemy seems to become more heated every day.

    One side is saying diet soda is a great beverage for people trying to lose weight an...

    Functional Food: Preventing Diseases and Promoting Pet Health

    Food and diet play an important role in health. Every day, research in fields such as epidemiology and nutritional biochemistry teach us more about this relationship. Through scientific investigation ...

    Mosquito Bites - Remedy And Repellents

    It's a nice summer day and you're relaxing in your yard. Suddenly, you feel something bite you. You may begin to itch, when another bite takes place, and then another. It's those pesky mosquitoes agai...

    A Brief History Of Hip Replacement Surgery

    Hip replacement is a medical procedure in which the hip joint is replaced by a synthetic implant. It is the most successful, cheapest and safest form of joint replacement surgery. The earliest recorde...

    A Practical 12-Month Organic Living Plan

    We can talk and think about something until cows fly!

    But it's what we actually DO, that matters; that creates results.

    If you've been thinking and talking about eating and using more organic prod...

Interesting Today:

Most Recent Health Blogs:

Releated to Health:

Mental Health Links: