Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers.Honey contains glucose, fructose, carbohydrate, vitamin B1 (thiamine), vitamin B2 (riboflavin), vitamin B3 (niacin), vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), vitamin B6, vitamin C, chlorine, magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, iodine, copper, and phosphate.The measure may vary depending on the qualities of nectar and pollen.Honey has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial properties.Honey contains phenols, compounds like flavonoid, enzymes, and organic acids to act as antioxidant.
Honey bees convert nectar into honey by a process of regurgitation and evaporation.They store it as a primary food source in wax honeycombs inside the beehive.Honey gets its sweetness from monosaccharides fructose and glocose.Honey sometimes contains dormant endospores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can be dangerous to infants (before the age of twelve months) because the endospores can transform into toxin-producing bacteria in infant's immature intestinal tract, leading to illness and even death.Bee digestive enzymes include ivertase, amilase, and diastase-and gastric acid hydrolyze sucrose to a mixture of glucose and fructose.
The Benefits of Honey
- Prevents Gastroesophageal Reflux (GERD)
- Reduces muscle fatigue
- Shortens the duration of bacterial diarrhea
- Boosts energy
- Relieves bladder infections
- Heals wounds and minor burns
- Regulates blood sugar
- Treats cough
- Relieves arthritis
- Soothes sore throat
- Kills bacterial infections
- Reduces odor and pus
- Promotes speedy healing
- Relieves upset stomach
- Treats diabetic ulcers
- Relieves from itching sensation and pain
- Treats insomnia
- Relieves morning sickness
- Treats canker sores or bleeding gums
- Soothes laryngitis
- Relieves bad breath
- Soothes pharyngitis
- Slows down hair loss
- Treats eczema
- Cures migraine
- Treats stomach aches
- Cures constipation
- Prevents heart disease
- Loses weight
- Cures nausea
- Reduces hay fever
- Cures urinary tract disorders
- Improves cholesterol
- Cures bronchial asthma
- Lowers blood pressure
- Cures chronic sinusitis
- Treats psoriasis
- Alleviates allergies
- Treats herpes lesions
- Boosts memory
- Reduces dandruff
- Reduces wrinkles and other signs of aging
- Cures scars
- Smoothens lips
- Fades dark circle
- Treats hemorrhoids
- Prevents bumps and boils caused by shaving
- Strengthens nails and softens cuticles
- Treats acne
- Helps dull hair shiny
- Strengthens hair follicles for healthy growth
- Lightens hair colour
- Fights against cancer
- Relieves cold
- Nourishes skin
- Prevents the formation of blood clots
- Increases blood flow to the heart
- Reduces stroke risk
- Promotes eyes health
- Stops hiccups
- Aids digestion
The Characteristics of Pure Honey
- Honey is very thick and takes time to move from one side of the jar to the other.
- Honey is mild scent, probably the actual smell of the flowers from which the nectar is collected.Heating and cooling many times may alter the aroma.
- The honey taste vanishes in a matter of minutes.Heating and cooling many times may change the aroma.
- Heating caramelizes honey quickly.It does not form foam.
- Honey does not get dissolved in the water.It will lump and settle at the bottom
- Putting honey into a loaf of bread will harden in minutes.
- Honey can be burnt.
- Drop a little of honey into a piece of paper will not absorb.Drop a little of honey into a cloth will not leave the stain.
- Honey can crystallize because of its sugary substances.
Archeologists found 2000 years old jar of honey in Egyptian tombs and they still tasted it delicious because the low water activity (0.6) in honey could not cause to grow the microorganisms or the bacteria.Honey did not have expired date.
In 2011, A Study found that a spoonful of malaysian honey daily might boost postmenopausal women's memory, which could provide an alternative therapy for the hormone-related intellectual decline.
In 2005, A Study published in The British Journal of Surgery found that One of patients who suffered from wound and leg ulcers showed remarkable improvement after applying honey.
Dr. Diane Radford, a breast surgical oncologist in St.Louis, Mo told to Medical Daily in an email stated that Honey had antibacterial properties for wound healing.
Recent Studies showed that honey had anticancer properties.It would be used as a supplement in cancer therapy.
E. Haffejee and A. Moosa reported in the BMJ ( British Medical Journal), A Clinical Study in which they used honey in oral rehydration solution in children and infants with gastroenteritis.They found that honey shortened the duration of bacterial diarrhea in infants and young children.
In 2001, A Study published in The European Journal of Medical Research found that Applying honey diluted with 10 percent of warm water to problem areas for three hours before rinsing, led to itch relief and scale relief within a week.
A Review published in The Cochrane Library indicated that Honey might be able to heal burn.
Dr. Rowene Jenkins and Colleagues, from the University of Wales Institute, reported that Manuka honey killed bacteria by destroying key bacterial protein.
A Studies published in The Journal Microbiology revealed that Manuka honey was effective at treating chronic wound infection and might have even prevent them from developing in the first place.
Some Studies have revealed that a certain type of honey called manuka honey, may be effective for the treatment of MRSA infections.
A Study published in the Journal Pediatrics, which compared honey to placebo in helping children with cough during night time, found that honey was superior.The Researchers concluded that Parents rated the honey products higher than the silan date extract for symptomatic relief of their children's nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty due to URI (Upper Respiratory Infection).Honey might be a preferable treatment for cough and sleep difficulty associated with childhood URI.
Several Studies have shown that Honey can improve cholesterol levels.
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