In ancient times, people considered honey a food worthy of gods and kings. It is found in the tombs of Egyptian pharaohs, and such finds can usually be eaten after thousands of years. What is the secret?
- Facts about honey
- Caloric content
- Benefit
- Harm
- Honey in cooking
- How to choose and store
- Expert commentary
What is honey
Honey is essentially sugar diluted with water. The sweet, syrupy liquid is produced by honeybees and some related insects (such as wasps).
References to honey are found among the ancient Sumerians, Egyptians, Babylonians, Greeks, Hindus and Chinese. Israel, according to the Old Testament, is the “land of honey and milk.” According to the New Testament, John the Baptist ate “honey and locusts” in the desert.
This product is a symbol of immortality and fertility, not for nothing it was called “food of the gods” or “elixir of life”. The ancient Greeks believed that bees collected honey from morning dew. The Romans added honey to wine during fermentation.
In the Middle Ages, this product was endowed with limitless properties. Thus, according to the author of “The History of Bees” (1623) Charles Butler, this product is able to cope with any misfortune – from the bite of a mad dog to open wounds – and almost bring a person back from the other world.
In Rus', long before the invention of apiaries, beekeeping flourished – the extraction of honey from wild bees that live in tree hollows. It was one of the important branches of the state economy, the products were exported, but by the 17th century the industry itself died out due to the felling of trees. Nowadays, beekeeping trees with wild bees have survived only in the protected forests of Bashkortostan.
Benefits of Honey: 5 Properties
Honey strengthens the immune system and is rich in healthy plant compounds called polyphenols. It contains ascorbic and folic acids, and a number of vitamins; however, to get enough of them, you would have to eat too much honey.
Remember: honey can cause allergies. Also, the product is not recommended for people with diabetes and gastrointestinal diseases in the acute stage.
1. Fights aging
A lot in honey antioxidants that help cells in the human body to regenerate, slow down the aging process, strengthen the immune system, etc. (2), (3). The product is rich in beneficial plant compounds such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. They protect the body's cells from damage by free radicals (4), (5).
2. Helps control blood sugar levels
Researchers have found that honey can increase levels of adiponectin, a hormone that maintains the balance of fats and carbohydrates in the body, and increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin. Scientists have noted that daily consumption of the product on an empty stomach can improve blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes (6). However, despite all its advantages over refined sugar, honey should still be consumed with great caution and in moderation (7).
3. It has a beneficial effect on the health of the cardiovascular system
Honey helps to lower blood pressure, normalize heartbeat, and has a positive effect on blood cholesterol – all of these are important factors for the health of the heart and blood vessels (8), (9). Additionally, propolis may improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels (10).
Honey helps protect the cardiovascular system from oxidative stress, which negatively affects its functioning. However, the study has only been conducted on rats (11).
4. Promotes wound healing
Ancient Egyptians applied honey dressings to wounds and burns. Modern research confirms that the product is effective in healing minor burns and in caring for post-operative wounds (12). Honey helps in the treatment of trophic ulcers of the foot, which are considered one of the complications of diabetes (13). Scientists associate the healing properties of honey with its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties (14).
5. May help suppress coughs in children
Honey helps reduce the duration and intensity of cough in children (15), (16), including at night, improving the quality of their sleep, while having no side effects (17). However, honey should not be given to babies under one year of age due to the risk of botulism (18).
Harm of honey
Contraindications for the use of honey may be allergies. With caution and in small quantities it can be eaten by people with obesity and diabetes (19), (20).
Honey in cooking
Honey is added to yogurt, cottage cheese, ice cream and cocktails, and is also used in baking and added to meat.
We offer a simple recipe for a milkshake with cherries, yogurt and honey. For one serving you will need 100 ml of milk, 100 mg of yogurt, 45 g of cherries, 1 tbsp of honey and some coconut flakes for decoration. Defrost the berries, remove the pits if necessary. Puree the cherries, add the remaining ingredients and mix in a blender. Beat until airy foam appears.
How to Properly Select and Store Honey: Beekeeper's Advice
“Bee honey can be flower honey or honeydew honey. The taste and color of the product depend on many factors, including the characteristics of the hives and the weather. It is better to give preference to honey in the combs – this guarantees its naturalness.
“Bad” honey is indicated by its color (cloudy shade, unnatural color) and consistency (presence of sediment). It is sour or has an overly sweet taste, often with a foreign (for example, berry) aroma.
Sugaring is a natural process that does not deprive honey of its beneficial properties and is not a sign that it has gone bad. Natural honey can be stored on a shelf or in a refrigerator at a temperature of -6 to 20 °C (21). The warmer the room, the slower the crystallization. However, different varieties have their own speed of sugaring. Thus, acacia honey will remain liquid for a long time, and linden honey will thicken quite quickly.
Honey can be stored for centuries, but for this you need to follow simple rules. In addition to the temperature regime, it is important to keep the product in containers made of wood (linden or beech, not pine), glass, food-grade plastic or clay. A more expensive option is wax barrels.
Do not allow moisture to get into honey, otherwise it will ferment. For this reason, it is not recommended to scoop it out of a large jar with a spoon. In addition, honey does not like sunlight – because of them, it loses its useful properties. Store it in a dark place, for example, in a kitchen cabinet on a closed shelf».
Expert commentary
