Honey should not be used by children younger than 1 year of age, by people with diabetes or allergy to honey, or in cases of fructose intolerance, a type of sugar that is quite present in honey. In addition, vegetarians on the vegan line also do not make use of honey, as they believe that their consumption is a way of exploiting bees.
Honey is a natural food widely used to sweeten juices, vitamins and desserts, and to make syrups and home remedies against colds, flu and infections due to its antiseptic and antioxidant properties. However, see below when using honey is contraindicated.
1. Children under 1 year
Children under 1 year of age should not consume honey because it may contain the spores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can develop in the baby intestine and cause botulism, a serious illness that can lead to death.
Since the baby's intestine is not yet fully matured up to 12 months, this bacteria multiplies more easily and can cause severe symptoms such as difficulty swallowing, loss of facial expressions, irritability, and constipation. See more about botulism in baby.
2. Diabetes
People with diabetes should avoid honey because it contains simple sugars, which increase blood glucose. Although honey has a lower glycemic index than sugar, it can still lead to changes in glycemia and impair disease control.
Before using honey or any other type of sugar in the diet, diabetics should be with the disease well control and take guidance from the doctor or nutritionist about the safety of using honey, which should always be consumed only in small amounts. Here's how to diet for diabetes.
3. Allergy to Honey
The allergy to honey happens mainly in people who suffer from allergy to bee stings or to pollen. It is characterized by a strong immune system reaction against honey, causing symptoms such as redness in the skin, itching of the body and throat, swollen lips and watery eyes.
In these cases, the only way to avoid allergy is not to consume honey, avoiding also products or preparations containing honey. Thus, it is important to always read the ingredients of the food label to identify whether or not honey was used in the preparation of that product.
4. Fructose intolerance
Fructose intolerance occurs when the intestine can not digest fructose, a type of sugar that is present in honey, and foods such as fruits, vegetables, and processed products that contain additives such as fructose syrup.
Thus, in the presence of this intolerance the individual should exclude honey and other products with fructose from the food. See more in What to Eat in Fructose Intolerance.
