How do you satisfy that craving for the sweet taste without resorting to something sugar-based?
That desire for sweetness means there is something missing. Perhaps we need more of the Earth and Water elements that sweet foods can supply. Perhaps our blood-sugar is low and we need a boost of energy. Perhaps we feel emotionally low and we crave that external sweetness as a substitute for our lack of inner sweetness.
Ayurveda recommends raw unheated honey as one of the best ways to supply that desire for sweetness. It naturally metabolises fat and stabilises our blood sugar. It helps boost our energy without the shock to our hormonal system that refined sugar brings. Honey also helps remove toxins from the intestinal wall.
Besides supplying the sweet taste, honey has an astringent taste. It also has a heating quality, whereas sugar is cooling. For both of these reasons honey is a much more suitable sweetener than sugar for those who are predominantly Kapha or for those who want to loose weight.
Because of its heating quality, honey is also suitable for those who have a predominance of Vata. For those who have more Pitta in their body, it may not be the best sweetener.
Honey as a health remedy
Mix a spoonful of honey, with the juice of half a lemon in a glass of lukewarm water. Take this first thing in the morning as an effective remedy for constipation and hyperacidity.
Fasting on honey and lemon water is very beneficial in the treatment of obesity without loss of energy and appetite.
Ayurveda maintains that honey is a boon to those with weak digestion and all our internal organs respond favourably when we eat honey. Ayurveda also considers honey to be an all-purpose medicine for many types of diseases.
Where to buy the good stuff
Most commercial honey is heated during processing, which destroys many of its nutrients. Ayurveda says that eating heated honey create a toxin (Ama) that is hard to remove from the body. The honey in the link below is from the pristine region of Aragon in Spain, and is raw and unheated.
http://www.maharishi.co.uk/acatalog/Organic_Honey.html?zoom_highlight=honey
