Honey should not be used by children under one year of age, by people with diabetes or honey allergies, or in cases of fructose intolerance, a type of sugar that is very present in honey.
In addition, people who follow a vegan diet should also not use honey, as it is an animal product produced by bees.
- Honey is a natural food widely used to sweeten juices.
- Vitamins and desserts.
- And to make syrups and home remedies against influenza.
- Colds and infections.
- For its antiseptic and antioxidant properties.
- However.
- See below when the use of honey is countered.
Children under one year of age should not consume honey, as it may contain spores of the clostridium botulinum bacteria, which can develop in the baby’s intestine and cause botulism, a serious disease that can lead to death.
Since the baby’s intestine is not yet fully mature at 12 months of age, this bacteria multiplies more easily and can cause severe symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, loss of facial expressions, irritability and constipation. Learn more about infant botulism.
People with diabetes should avoid honey because it contains simple sugars, which increase blood sugar levels. Although honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, it can still cause changes in blood sugar and interfere with disease control.
Before using honey or any other type of sugar in the diet, diabetics should have a well-controlled disease and have the advice of the doctor or nutritionist on the safety of the use of honey, which should always be consumed only in small amounts. See what the diabetes diet should look like.
Honey allergy occurs mainly in people allergic to bee stings or pollen. It is characterized by a strong immune system response to honey, causing symptoms such as redness of the skin, itching of the body and throat, swollen lips and watery eyes.
In these cases, the only way to avoid allergies is to avoid the consumption of honey, also avoiding products or preparations containing honey. For example, it is important to always read the ingredients on the food label to determine whether honey has been used in the preparation of this product.
Fructose intolerance occurs when the gut cannot digest fructose, a type of sugar found in honey and in foods such as fruits, vegetables, and processed products that contain additives such as fructose syrup.
Therefore, in the presence of this intolerance, the individual should exclude honey and other fructose-containing products from the diet. See more on What to eat in case of fructose intolerance.