Top 5 Health Benefits Of Eating Gallberry Honey Backed By Research
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Gallberry honey is made from the nectar of the gallberry bush which is a type of holly bush native to southern Georgia and northern Florida. Sometimes called holly honey, gallberry honey is considered monofloral which means it comes from one flower species, in this case, the gallberry. Gallberry honey is considered easier to consume and cook with because it’s thicker and slower to crystallize than other varieties. Gallberry is considered healthy honey to consume, especially when raw and unfiltered. Raw and unfiltered honey maintains the integrity of its nutrients, losing nothing to processing. Take a look at a few of the ways consuming gallberry honey may benefit your health.
Important Note: This publication is supported by the most current scientific research. Be sure, to check for updated information if visiting this page far beyond this article’s publication date.
Packed With Nutrients
Gallberry honey is rife with nutrients that pose some wonderful health benefits. Like other honey varieties, gallberry honey contains only 60 calories per one-tablespoon serving as well as zero fat and zero sodium. Not surprisingly, this small serving size of gallberry honey is high in both sugars and carbohydrates weighing in at 16 grams and 17 grams respectively. As for vitamins and minerals, gallberry honey is fraught with vitamins C and D in addition to fiber, antioxidants, and important live enzymes. Finally, gallberry honey is a great source of pollen which is an excellent preventative to seasonal allergies.
General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. Undoubtedly, gallberry honey is a great source of beneficial vitamins and minerals with many health benefits.
Rife With Antioxidants
One of gallberry honey’s most significant health benefits is the antioxidants that fend off dangerous free radicals. Naturally, honey’s antioxidant content is greatest and most beneficial when it’s consumed raw; unfortunately, commercial processing of honey involves excessive heating which kills the antioxidants. The good news is that gallberry honey is jarred raw, unfiltered, and unprocessed which leaves those beneficial antioxidants intact. Raw honey like gallberry honey contains phenolic acids that protect your body from the cell damage caused by free radicals. Of note, free radicals are responsible for aging and chronic illnesses such as cardiovascular disease and certain cancers.
General Consensus: 5/5 and here is why. There’s no question about it, gallberry honey, in its raw, unfiltered form, contains antioxidants that work hard to help your body maintain optimal health.
Prevents Disease
Unfortunately, there’s not much scientific research about gallberry honey’s disease-fighting properties. Most of the claims made on this subject come from beekeepers and honey proponents. Nevertheless, gallberry honey can purportedly fight off infections, working as an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory tonic. A subsequent claim is that gallberry honey is also antifungal and antiviral. While honey in general is scientifically credited with containing both antimicrobial and anticancer properties that can help fend off disease, there isn’t research available specific to gallberry honey. Lastly, other studies on honey in general suggest that it may protect the cardiovascular, nervous, and gastrointestinal systems.
General Consensus: 3/5 and here is why. Although the available research isn’t specific to gallberry honey, this honey, like others, contains compounds that are widely known to protect against disease.
Enhances Brain Health
Some studies have drawn an interesting connection between brain health and honey consumption. The antioxidant compounds in honey are scientifically associated with brain health and functionality as well as reduced anxiety and stress. Essentially, the phenolic compounds in honey reduce oxidative stress on brain cells, thereby improving overall brain health. Moreover, one study found that honey is a therapy for oxidative stress that leads to cognitive aging. Other neurological benefits of gallberry honey consumption include a reduced risk for anxiety, depression, seizure, and memory loss. Finally, according to the few studies available on this subject, honey may also reduce the onset or symptoms of dementia, Alzheimer’s, and other age-related cognitive maladies.
General Consensus: 2.5/5 and here is why. While some of the brain-related benefits of gallberry honey are scientifically supported, other claims are anecdotal; more research is indicated.
Loaded With Enzymes
Raw honey such as gallberry honey is loaded with more than 5,000 live enzymes that are incredibly beneficial to human health. The powerful enzymes in honey are responsible for remediating toxins and purging them from your biological systems. One of the primary enzymes in honey is called diastase; this enzyme is used by our bodies to masticate food and diminish carbohydrates. Another prevalent enzyme in honey is called peptidase which breaks down the proteins in our bodies, rendering them amino acids that provide you with essential energy.
General Consensus: 2.5/5 and here is why. The claims about honey enzymes are not specific to gallberry honey but are likely true of all varieties of honey; research specific to gallberry honey is warranted.
Unlikely Benefits: Further Research Needed
Counteracts Indigestion
General Consensus: 2/5 and here is why. Though diastase, a prominent enzyme in honey, can counteract indigestion, there’s not much research specifically connecting gallberry honey to this benefit.
