Wholesome, Healing, Healthy Honey

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Honey

We’ve all tasted honey, and we all know it is supposed to be good for us, but what is it?  The dictionary attributes honey as a sweet, viscid fluid produced by bees from the nectar of flowers; a substance used in cooking, as a spread or sweetener; something sweet, delicious, or delightful; or informally as a term of endearment to a person for whom one feels deep love or affection (sweetheart, darling). Aristotle called it the ‘nectar of the gods’. In the Bible Samson noticed a swarm of bees in a carcass of a lion, ‘Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness" (Book of Judges 14:14) since time immemorial honey has been a treasured commodity.

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Essentially, honey is a sugar solution created by bees, a rich source of carbohydrates, which provide a quick source of energy. Primarily, honey is a food for the bees and their larvae. It is made up of simple sugars, fructose and glucose.  It also includes water, oil and bee enzymes.  Raw honey (honey that is not heat treated or has any additives) contains enzymes, protein, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals - including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.  Honey also contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids that act as antioxidants that eliminate free radicals.  Known antioxidants in honey are chrysin, pinobanksin, catalase and pinocembrin.  Generally, darker honey has higher antioxidant content than lighter honey.

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The bees produce honey by sucking up nectar from flowers from up to 2 miles away from their hive.  The bees store the nectar in special sacs. Once the bees return to the hive they regurgitate the nectar and feed it to house bees.  These house bees produce the enzymes that in turn break the nectar down into simple sugars and remove the excess water to make honey.  The honey is stored in cells (honeycomb) in the beehive. Once the bees have stored the honey they seal the cell with wax to stop it absorbing any moisture.

Royal Jelly is a creamy-white substance fed to larvae to turn them into Queen bees.

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Beeswax is secreted from the underside glands of the bee’s abdomen.  It is used to build the honeycomb with which to store the honey.  The comb is also used to raise the larvae and to store the pollen.

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Interesting Facts About Honey

Some Hay fever suffers take a spoonful of locally produced honey to help build up resistance to their allergies.

Honey is used in syrups to soothe throats as it has a smooth texture and has anti –inflammatory properties.  It contains antimicrobial agents and can also be used to treat mild scrapes and burns.

Honey is one of the easiest foods for the body to digest.

Honey can have an indefinite shelf life if stored correctly, but a good guide is around 2 years.

During the nectar gathering process bees pollinate flowers.  At least a third of the human diet relies on this process.

Generally lighter honey has a milder flavour to darker honey.  The colour is determined by the source of the nectar (flowers visited by the bees).

Honey comes in several forms: liquid - free of crystals and wax, whipped - crystallised and spreadable with a texture similar to butter, and comb which comes as it is produced naturally with pieces of honeycomb.

When compared with the same amount of sugar, honey has 40% less calories. Natural honey causes a lower rise in blood sugar than that of refined sugars in people with Type 2 diabetes. A little unprocessed honey may be used instead of refined sugar.

A teaspoon of honey, the juice of half a lemon and a quarter teaspoon of ginger in a cup of hot water can provide a natural cure for stomach ache.

To ease constipation take ½ teaspoon honey in a cup of warm water 2-3 times a day.  This should also help with acidity and indigestion.

For a facial, mix 1-tablespoon honey, 1 tablespoon finely ground almonds, 2 tablespoons dry oatmeal, and 2 tablespoons of live  yogurt for an exfoliating face scrub. Massage gently onto your face, wait for a couple of minutes and then rinse with tepid water.

As a monthly hair mask gently massage ½ cup of honey into your hair. Put a plastic shower cap over your hair for 20 minutes, then shampoo and rinse thoroughly.

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