BENEFITS OF HONEY

Honey has been valued as a natural sweetener long before sugar became widely available in the 16th century. Honey production flourished in ancient Greece and Sicily.

Honey is truly a remarkable substance, made even more extraordinary by the process with which it is made. This blend of sugar, trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, and amino acids is quite unlike any other sweetener on the planet.

HOW HONEY IS MADE

It takes about 60,000 bees, collectively traveling up to 55,000 miles and visiting more than 2 million flowers, to gather enough nectar to make one pound of honey.

Once the nectar is gathered, the bee stores it in its extra stomach where it mixes with enzymes, and then passes it (via regurgitation) to another bee's mouth. This process is repeated until the nectar becomes partially digested and is then deposited into a honeycomb.

Once there, the honeybees fan the liquid nectar with their wings, helping the water to evaporate and create the thick substance you know as "honey." This honeycomb is then sealed with a liquid secretion from the bee's abdomen, which hardens into beeswax.

"Away from air and water, honey can be stored indefinitely, providing bees with the perfect food source for cold winter months."

There are more than 300 kinds of honey, each with a unique color and flavor that is dependent upon the nectar source. Lighter colored honeys, such as those made from orange blossoms, tend to be milder in flavor while darker-colored honeys, like those made from wildflowers, tend to have a more robust flavor.

HEALTH BENEFITS OF HONEY

Cough "Medicine":

The World Health Organization (WHO) lists honey as a demulcent, which is a substance that relieves irritation in your mouth or throat by forming a protective film.

Research shows honey works as well as dextromethorphan, a common ingredient in over the counter cough medications, to soothe cough and related sleeping difficulties due to upper respiratory tract infections in children.

Treat Wounds with Honey:

Honey was a conventional therapy in fighting infection up until the early 20th century, at which time its use slowly vanished with the advent of penicillin. Now the use of honey in wound care is regaining popularity, as researchers are determining exactly how honey can help fight serious skin infections.

Honey has antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidants activities that make it ideal for treating wounds.

Honey Improves Scalp:

Honey diluted with a bit of warm water was shown to significantly improve seborrheic dermatitis, which is a scalp condition that causes dandruff and itching.

Help Boost Your Energy:

A healthy, whole-food diet and proper sleep is the best recipe for boundless energy, but if you're looking for a quick energy boost, such as before or after a workout, honey can suffice. This is particularly true for athletes looking for a "time-released fuel" to provide energy over a longer duration. Furthermore, the carbohydrates in it can be easily converted into glucose by even the most sensitive stomachs, since it is very easy for the body to digest this pure, natural substance.

Sweetener: It can be used as a substitute for sugar in many food and drinks. It contains about 69% glucose and fructose, enabling it to be used as a sweetener that is better for your overall health than normal white sugar.

Antioxidants: It contains nutraceuticals, which are very effective for the removal of free radicals from the body. As a result, our body immunity is improved against many conditions, even potentially fatal ones like cancer or heart disease.

Factors Governing The Benefits Of Honey:

The benefits of honey that we get greatly depend on its quality. Not all of it is created equally, so quality is different, and subsequently, the various types do necessarily provide the same benefits.

Both the price and the health benefits of honey are dependent on its quality, so it has become very important for both the manufacturers and consumers to understand the various factors that affect the quality of honey. Some of these factors include the type of flowers used in the formation of the honeycombs, the blending process, storage conditions, temperature of heating, and many more.

What Makes Honey Organic?

Honey is considered organic when it is locally grown and not processed. Organic honey is also known as “raw” honey, cannot contain any pesticides or environmental pollutants. Since it does not go through the traditional process for safety, these standards must be upheld for honey to be considered organic. Also, non-organic sugars, antibiotics or honey cannot be used at any point in “organic honey”.

Make Honey a part of your lifestyle.