Health
Benefits
We all know how delicious DIP honey is, but here’s what the science is saying about the health benefits.
Cacao Honey
Raw honey, when combined with organic 72% dark chocolate, Grade A Vanilla Bean, and raw cacao, offers a range of potential health benefits, namely becoming a superfood. Dark chocolate, derived from cacao, has been found to improve antioxidant status, reduce inflammation, and correlate with reduced heart disease risk Cooper et al. (2007). Additionally, cacao and chocolate are attracting attention due to potential health benefits, including antioxidative effects by polyphenols, anti-depressant effects by high serotonin levels, inhibition of platelet aggregation, and prevention of obesity-dependent insulin resistance (Wang et al., 2016). The phenolics and carbohydrates in honey have been shown to regulate the human intestinal microbiota, providing health benefits by selectively supporting the growth of indigenous Bifidobacteria in the gastrointestinal microflora tract and reducing gut pH as a result of the production of lactic and acetic acids (Jiang et al., 2020). Furthermore, honey exhibits significant antioxidant, anticancer, and antiatherogenic activities, partly attributed to these compounds (Amin et al., 2018). The scientists have found that antioxidant content of dark chocolate is higher than so called “super fruits” like acai berry, blueberry, cranberry, and pomegranate (Mandal, 2011).
Moreover, the combination of honey, dark chocolate, vanilla bean, and raw cacao offers a blend of beneficial properties. The antioxidants in dark chocolate and cacao, combined with the antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties of honey, contribute to the overall potential health benefits of this combination. Additionally, the therapeutic properties of vanilla bean, such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antimutagenic effects, further enhance the potential health benefits of this combination (Cañadas et al., 2021).
In conclusion, the combination of raw honey and real ingredients including organic 72% dark chocolate, Grade A Vanilla Bean, and raw cacao offers a potential synergy of health benefits, including improved antioxidant status, reduced inflammation, and potential cardiovascular benefits. The individual properties of each component contribute to the overall potential health benefits of this combination.
SPICY Honey
Spicy raw honey made with chili peppers and ghost peppers offers a variety of potential health benefits due to the synergistic effects of honey, capsaicinoids, and other compounds found in chili peppers. The capsaicinoids in chili peppers, including capsaicin and dihydrocapsaicin, have been associated with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and cardioprotective effects Yang & Zheng (2017) Hernández-Pérez et al., 2020; Wichai et al., 2023). Additionally, the phenolic compounds and carbohydrates in honey have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties that can contribute to health benefits.
When combined, the spicy honey provides a blend of these beneficial properties. The capsaicinoids activate TRPV1 receptors, which can increase fat oxidation, improve insulin sensitivity, and decrease body fat. Ghost peppers contain high levels of capsaicinoids that may enhance these effects (Ao et al., 2022). The antioxidants in honey and chili peppers also work synergistically to combat free radicals (Bal et al., 2022). Furthermore, capsaicin has been suggested to have anti-obesity effects that could aid in weight management (Yang et al., 2019).
However, not all studies have found clear health benefits from spicy food consumption. Some studies show inconsistent results for the effects of chili peppers on appetite, satiety, and lipid profiles (Siebert et al., 2022; Dong et al., 2020). Additionally, many studies are observational in nature and cannot prove causation (Ao et al., 2022).
In summary, while further research is needed, spicy raw honey made with chili peppers and ghost pepper likely offers an array of potential health benefits due to the synergistic effects of capsaicinoids, antioxidants, and other compounds. These include anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-obesity, and cardioprotective effects, though the evidence is still preliminary.
VANILLA Honey
The combination of raw honey and Grade A vanilla beans offers a range of potential health benefits. Raw honey has been found to exhibit significant antioxidant, anticancer, and antiatherogenic activities, partly attributed to its compounds Amin et al. (2018). Additionally, honey may promote the repair of damaged intestinal mucosa, stimulate the growth of new tissues, and work as an anti-inflammatory agent (Mandal & Mandal, 2011). The phenolics and carbohydrates in honey have been shown to regulate the human intestinal microbiota, providing health benefits by selectively supporting the growth of indigenous Bifidobacteria in the gastrointestinal microflora tract and reducing gut pH as a result of the production of lactic and acetic acids (Jiang et al., 2020). Furthermore, honey is known to have a wide range of health-promoting phytochemicals, possessing antimicrobial, antiviral, antiparasitic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimutagenic, and antitumor effects (Eshete & Eshete, 2019).
Grade A vanilla beans, on the other hand, are known for their aromatic and flavoring properties. The concentration of vanillin, vanillic acid, p-hydroxybenzaldehyde, and p-hydroxybenzoic acid in vanilla beans has been related to their shape, length, and color, indicating the presence of bioactive compounds (Gassenmeier et al., 2008). Specific pretreatments have been found to reduce the curing period of vanilla beans, affecting flavor formation during accelerated curing, which may impact the bioactive compounds present in the beans (Sreedhar et al., 2007).
In conclusion, the combination of raw honey and Grade A vanilla beans offers a potential synergy of health benefits, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties. The individual properties of each component contribute to the overall potential health benefits of this combination.
References
Amin, F., Sabri, S., Mohammad, S., Ismail, M., Chan, K., Ismail, N., … & Zawawi, N. (2018). Therapeutic properties of stingless bee honey in comparison with european bee honey. Advances in Pharmacological Sciences, 2018, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/6179596
Ao, Z., Huang, Z., & Liu, H. (2022). Spicy food and chili peppers and multiple health outcomes: umbrella review. Molecular Nutrition & Food Research, 66(23). https://doi.org/10.1002/mnfr.202200167
Bal, S., Sharangi, A., Upadhyay, T., Khan, F., Pandey, P., Siddiqui, S., … & Yadav, D. (2022). Biomedical and antioxidant potentialities in chilli: perspectives and way forward. Molecules, 27(19), 6380. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27196380
Cañadas, R., Gonzalez-Miquel, M., González, E., Prado, A., Díaz, I., & Rodríguez, M. (2021). Sustainable recovery of high added-value vanilla compounds from wastewater using green solvents. Acs Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 9(13), 4850-4862. https://doi.org/10.1021/acssuschemeng.1c00168
Cooper, K., Donovan, J., Waterhouse, A., & Williamson, G. (2007). Cocoa and health: a decade of research. British Journal of Nutrition, 99(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0007114507795296
Dong, X., Li, Y., Yang, K., Zhang, L., Xue, Y., Yu, S., … & Wang, C. (2021). Associations of spicy food flavour and intake frequency with blood lipid levels and risk of abnormal serum lipid levels in chinese rural population: a cross-sectional study. Public Health Nutrition, 24(18), 6201-6210. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1368980021001853
Eshete, Y. and Eshete, T. (2019). A review on the effect of processing temperature and time duration on commercial honey quality. Madridge Journal of Food Technology, 4(1), 158-162. https://doi.org/10.18689/mjft-1000124
Gassenmeier, K., Riesen, B., & Magyar, B. (2008). Commercial quality and analytical parameters of cured vanilla beans (vanilla planifolia) from different origins from the 2006–2007 crop. Flavour and Fragrance Journal, 23(3), 194-201. https://doi.org/10.1002/ffj.1874
Hernández-Pérez, T., Gómez-García, M., Valverde, M., & Paredes‐López, O. (2020). capsicum annuum(hot pepper): an ancient latin‐american crop with outstanding