Honey and Health

 

  Ahh yes, a natural fresh sugar with no single additives made by bees. Who doesn't know honey? Usually, it uses for marinades, alternative 'jam', or beverages. Moreover, there is more about honey that probably some of you didn't know yet. Well, let's take a deep look at honey. Honey is a thick golden liquid that bees make from the nectar of flowering plants. It is sweet and has been used as a sweetening agent. On average, honey contains about 80% sugar. 

  The bees produce the honey through a process of collecting nectar and regurgitating the nectar. The water from the nectar evaporates to produce the material we consume known as honey. Honey is available raw or pasteurised. The smell, colour, taste, even texture of honey vary based on the type of flowers it's made from, so there are countless varieties available. The distinguishing factor is the type of flower that the bee frequents. Clover honey will be quite different from lavender honey. 

  Honey is a sticky, viscous material that is extremely sweet. It also may taste quite floral, fruity, or woodsy. Those all depend on the type of honey and the type of flower. One tablespoon of honey contains 64 calories, 17.2 grams of sugar, and no fiber, fat, or protein. Besides, honey has many benefits for our health.

  Honey has rich in antioxidants. High-quality honey which is minimally processed, unheated, and fresh contains many important and useful bioactive plant compounds and antioxidants, such as flavonoids and phenolic acids. The darker honey tends to offer more antioxidants than lighter varieties. 

  Honey may help suppress coughing in children. Coughing is a common problem for children with respiratory infections. These infections can affect sleep and quality of life for both parents and children. Interestingly, honey may be a good alternative for cough treatment. If some parents may look for natural remedies, honey may help cough relief for children. However, never give honey to children under 1 year old. 

  On the other hand, honey may have potential risks. Honey is a safe food for most people, but not for all including raw honey. The reason behind that never given to children under 12 months is because honey contains dust particles that may carry spores of the bacteria that cause botulism. Infants lack resistance to many germs, and they could get very sick easily. It is highly recommended to use honey in cooking food for children.

  Moreover, honey can cause allergies. Although honey allergies are rare, they do occur. Perhaps this is due to bee pollen in the honey. Bee pollen is a mixture of pollen and digestive enzymes from bees. Some people say that eating local honey improves their seasonal allergies. They believe then pollen in the honey desensitises them to pollen in the air. So fat, there is not enough evidence to support this. 

  Now let's take a look at the difference between fake and real honey. Real honey is made by honeybees, while artificial varieties of honey are made of sugar syrup that tastes similar to real honey. To identify real honey from fake honey is check the label for additives, such as high-fructose corn syrup, with this additive the honey always stays in a liquid form, where real honey crystallises over time. Moreover, drop some honey into a glass of tap water, if it dissolves right away, it's fake. Real honey takes a fair amount of stirring to dissolve.

  Honey offers several potential health benefits. It's a great alternative to sugar but only consume it in moderation, as it still behaves like sugar in your body. Also, know that children under 1 year old shouldn't eat honey, as it's associated with a risk of botulism. Hopefully, you've learned something new from this article and as always have a nice day 😀.

References:

1. Real honey vs fake honey—how to tell the difference | Golden Plains Shire Farmers Market (2021). Available at: https://www.goldenplainsfarmersmarket.com.au/news/real-honey-vs-fake-honey%E2%80%94how-tell-difference.
2. The History of Honey (2021). Available at: https://www.thespruceeats.com/honey-history-1807611.
3. Honey: Benefits, uses, and properties (2021). Available at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/264667#Summary.
4. Honey: Are There Health Benefits?, WebMD (2021). Available at: https://www.webmd.com/diet/honey-health-benefits#2.
5. 7 Unique Health Benefits of Honey (2021). Available at: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/benefits-of-honey#The-bottom-line.