Honey is an antioxidant, natural cough suppressant, is good for your skin and can be used as a sweetener, which is why it is a natural addition to the honey and peanut butter protein balls recipe at the end of this article.
Honey-Peanut Butter Protein Energy Bites make for an easy, healthy snack or dessert.
RELATED: Download the honey and peanut butter protein ball recipe
Marshfield Clinic Health System nutritionist Karla Arrigoni dips into four benefits of honey, shared from the National Honey Board™.
Honey is an antioxidant
“Honey is an antioxidant, which protects against cancer, improves immunity and decreases inflammation,” Arrigoni said.
Honey is chock full of polyphenols, which are powerful antioxidants. Polyphenols also are found in fruits and vegetables, olive oil and tea.
Honey is a natural cough suppressant
Various wives’ tales linger on soothing sore throats and coughs. Honey is not one of those myths.
“Because of its thickness, honey nicely coats the throat and can provide relief for soreness or coughing,” Arrigoni said.
You can stay hydrated with tea sweetened by honey.
Honey is not safe for children under 2 years old.
RELATED ARTICLE: Kid care for colds and sore throats
Honey makes for good skin care
Honey is a humectant, which means it retains moisture. Many shampoos, conditioners, face cleansers and creams include it.
“If your skin and hair care products do not include honey, you can add a tablespoon or two to your bottle,” Arrigoni said.
Sites like Pinterest have recipes to make your own cleansers, creams and masks.
RELATED ARTICLE: Do’s and don’ts of DIY facial masks
Honey as a sweetener
Honey is sweeter than sugar so less can be used in recipes, Arrigoni said.
American Beekeeping Foundation gives these recommendations to replace sugar with honey:
- Substitute up to half the sugar in a recipe: 2/3 to 3/4 cup honey per 1 cup sugar.
- In baked goods:
- Reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees F
- Reduce liquid by 1/4 cup for each 1 cup honey
- Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda for each 1 cup honey
“Regardless of the type of sugar to sweeten a beverage or food, use small amounts,” she said.
For reference: 1 tablespoon honey has approximately 64 calories, 1 tablespoon maple syrup has approximately 52 calories and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar contains approximately 48 calories.
If you choose to use 3/4 cup honey to replace 1 cup sugar, the calories are 768 for either option. Two-thirds cup honey to replace 1 cup sugar is only 675 calories, a small calorie savings.
Use honey for a natural binder and thickener in sauces, marinades, dips and dressings.
Honey Peanut Butter Protein Balls
Prep time: 20 minutes
Chill time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1-1/4 cup old-fashioned oats
- 3 tablespoons shredded coconut
- 1/2 cup sliced almonds, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon hemp seeds, shelled (optional)
- 1 scoop whey protein powder
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/2 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 1/2 cup peanut butter
Instructions:
In a medium bowl, add oats, coconut, almonds, hemp seeds and protein powder. Stir until well distributed.
Add honey, apricots and peanut butter. Stir well.
Put mixing bowl into refrigerator for 20-30 minutes.
After chill time, roll mixture into rounded balls. This recipe makes about two dozen energy bites. When chilled, they last about 5 days.
Nutrition information:
Serving size (3 energy bites): 196 calories; 6 g protein; 25 g carbohydrates; 8 g fat; 2.5 g fiber; 41 g sodium.
Source: National Honey Board™
Print Honey Peanut Butter Protein Balls Recipe
For nutrition advice, visit Marshfield Clinic Health System.
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