Let’s face it. We love sugar, especially at the end of a long exhausting day of fasting. However processed sugar is not the healthiest substance and can have serious health ramifications if not moderated. At the same time, quitting sugar completely can be difficult to say the least. So how about a substitute that is delicious and also good for you!
Honey – the natural sweetener free from preservatives. Here are some delicious ways to incorporate honey into your daily diet.

Energize your Sehri with some Honey

When you are fasting, Sehri is the most important meal of the day! It is what keeps your body running the entire day while you abstain from food and drink. So it is highly essential that you give your body an adequate amount of nutrients at sunrise and if the nutrients are yummy that’s even better. Add some honey to your morning milk or throw some peanut butter and honey to make a quick protein shake. Or you could drizzle a tablespoon of honey in your morning porridge and top with nuts for some crunch.

Sweeten up your drinks with a tablespoon of honey

Honey contains natural honey sugars which is infinitely healthier than processed white sugar. Since we as Pakistanis love our sugary treats in Ramadan you can use it as a direct substitute in most dishes and drinks. Add a teaspoon in your daily cup of chai, add it to your laal sherbat at iftari or put some in your mango lassi.

Serve up some delicious dinner with a honey glazed sauce

You would be surprised to know that there numerous dishes that you can use honey in. It can be used for salad dressing, for fruit chaat to seasoning various meats & vegetables. Make some orange chicken with fried rice for dinner. I have even had honey sweetened soup and black cod served in a thick layer of spiced honey and caramelized onions. Point being that you can get as creative as you like and don’t be afraid to experiment!

End up with a scrumptious dessert

This is where the fun begins! From cupcakes, to honey roasted dry fruit to a honey sorbet the applications are endless. You can even substitute it for sugar in a fruit based dessert like apple crumble. 

As a health supplement

For centuries honey has been used as a health supplement and in an array of homeopathic medication across cultures. This is primarily due to the high nutrient content, packed with a plethora of amino acids, vitamins, flavonoids, antioxidants and calcium. The molecular make up of honey allows it to be digested in the body very slowly and its nutrients are gradually distributed around the body over the course of the day making it a perfect Sehri add on!

To treat ailments and disease

The effects of honey on the human body have been studied very closely by scientists over the last decade and it has some miraculous healing capabilities and provides relief for a variety of ailments. Honey has been used in the treatment of indigestion, constipation, heartburn, liver dysfunction & post child birth symptoms. It’s also advised to be drunk daily as a cough suppressant, for insomnia, ulcers, and even the common cold.

One thing that you need to be sure of when buying honey is to get it from a sustainable organic source like Hiba Life. It’s available online or at supermarkets across the city like Imtiaz. Honey with preservatives and sugar in it will just negate all the magical properties that it actually has.

Sponsored by Hiba Life Honey