When I was small, like most children, I was fussy about taking tablets during an illness. My mother would promptly powder the tablets using a mortar and a pestle (an implement made of stone or marble), mix the powder in honey, and feed it to me with a spoon. The sweetness of the honey would mask the bitter medicine taste, making it much easier to swallow. An additional teaspoon of honey would be my reward for having the medicine!
Years later, as I continue to substitute honey for sugar, I am still in awe of this incredible food, with its range of uses as food, medicine, and cosmetics.
Honey and its History
So, what exactly is honey?
Honey is a naturally sweet, thick liquid collected and stored by the Apis mellifera bee as food. Honeybees visit lakhs of flowers and collect the flower nectar, which is stored in honeycombs.
The discovery of honey dates back more than 8,000 years, but history affirms that Apiculture, or the art of beekeeping, was established only around 2400 BC in Egypt.
Honey has been used as food and medicine across civilizations in both ancient and modern times. Its therapeutic properties have also found favor for its use in skincare among the Egyptians and Greeks.
Bee Facts You Should Know
- Bees draw the nectar from flowers they visit, digest it, and regurgitate it in their hives to store as honey.
- The aroma, color, and taste of honey can vary based on the types of flowers from which the bees collect the nectar.
- Among the queen, the drones, and the worker bees, only the worker bees collect nectar.
- A worker bee's life span is about 6 weeks, which means each worker bee can collect only 1/12 of a teaspoon of honey in its lifetime.
- It takes nearly 2 million flowers and 150,000 worker bees to produce just a pound of honey.
- Honey is the only food that can naturally crystallize and remain unspoilt for centuries, if processed and stored correctly.
Nutritional Content of Honey
Honey has natural water content and nutrients such as carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals. Every 100 gm of honey provides 82 gm of sugars, including glucose, fructose, sucrose, and maltose [1].
Vitamins such as B2, B3, B5, B6, B9, traces of vitamin C, besides folate, choline, and betadine are present in honey. Honey also has good potassium content with other minerals such as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, zinc, copper, selenium, and manganese.
Since honey is the nectar of flowers, plant flavonoids and phenolic compounds such as kaempferol, quercetin, p-coumaric acid, gallic acid, and many more are also found in honey.
Why is Honey Beneficial?
The nutritional content in honey makes it a healthier sweetener choice than refined white sugar, which adds empty calories without any real benefits.
Honey was used in traditional medicine to treat a variety of medical problems. Below are some of the reasons why honey may be highly beneficial for health:
- The presence of phenolic compounds, plant enzymes, and organic acids in honey makes it a good source of antioxidants that help the human body fight against illness [2].
- Honey has been shown to modulate Adiponectin hormone, which regulates blood sugar and lipid metabolism, and helps lower the risk of diabetes [3].
- Intake of honey with warm water and lemon (optional) may support weight loss [4].
- 1-2 teaspoons of honey at bedtime can act as a natural remedy to soothe nocturnal cough in children with URI (Upper Respiratory Tract Infection) [5].
- Honey is a treasure trove of antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties that can treat burns, promote wound healing, and protect the skin from damage [6], [7]. Probably the reason why Queen Cleopatra is said to have added honey and milk to her bath rituals to keep the skin free of blemishes and maintain its suppleness!
A Few Words of Caution
Now that you know how honey can be beneficial for health, the question is "Is honey suitable for all, or are there some precautions one needs to take?"
Honey is a natural food product and is generally suitable for most people. But it is wise to be aware of risks and take precautions while using honey in the following cases:
- Honey has a natural content of carbohydrates made up of different sugars. While it scores over sugar in terms of nutritional content, diabetics should still exercise caution or check with a practitioner before using honey as a sugar substitute.
- Heating honey or adding it to very hot liquids may destroy the natural nutrients in honey.
- Honey may be safe only for children 1 year and above. It can cause Infant Botulism, a condition that is known to affect children below 1 year of age [8].
- Raw wild honey might contain natural toxins that can cause adverse effects such as nausea, vomiting, or low blood pressure. So make sure the honey you buy is from a reliable brand or source.
- Pollen is a common allergen that may be present in raw honey. Individuals with any history of allergy can check with a practitioner and use processed honey to avoid undesirable side effects.
Tips to Include Honey in Your Diet
- Blend honey with fruits and milk/yogurt for a refreshing smoothie
- Mix it in breakfast cereals for natural sweetness
- Add to lemon juice and drink to maintain good hydration
- Drizzle on top of wheat bread, rotis (flatbreads), or scones
- Use in fruit salads as a dressing with fresh cream
In Conclusion
Honey is one of the amazing foods made possible by nature. A reliable source of energy, its amazing therapeutic properties, and the immense benefits it offers have been researched and established in both ancient and modern times.
With an array of natural compounds that enhance health, its benefits far outweigh any risks. So, if you still haven't experienced the benefits of this sweet golden elixir, bring home a jar of honey today!