HEALING BENEFITS

OF HONEY

By
Dr. George Felfoldi, DD, PhD.
© 2023, George F. Felfoldi
HEALING BENEFITS
OF HONEY
 © 2023, George Felfoldi

Please feel free to distribute this e-Book,

As long as all the information is intact,
And is unchanged.

ALL OTHER COPYRIGHTS

BELONG TO THEIR RESPECTABLE
OWNERS.
 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page
Copyright Information
Table Of Content
Dedication
Special Thanks
About The Author
Other Books By The Author
Everything About Honey

– What Is Honey
Formation

– Formation By Honey Bees

– By Other Bees

– Human Interactions
Production Of Honey
 – Collection Of Honey
Preservation Of Honey
Adulteration

– World Production Of Honey

– Production Of Natural Honey In 2020

Modern Uses

– Food

– Fermentation
Chemical And Physical Properties Of Honey

– Physical Properties

– Phase Transition

– Rheology

– Electrical And Optical Properties

– Hygroscopy And Fermentation Of Honey

– Hygroscopy

– Fermentation
 – Thermal Characteristics Of Honey

– Acid And Flavour Effects

The Classification Of Honey
Classification Of Honey By Packaging & Processing

– Grade – Soluble Solids

– Indicators Of Quality
The Nutritional Side Of Honey

– Honey

– Sugar Profile For Honey

Medical Uses Of Honey

– For Treating Wounds And Burns

– Used As Antibiotic

– Honey Used For Cough

– Other Uses

– Health Hazards Of Honey

– Botulism
 – Mad Honey Intoxication

– Folk Medicine
Brief History Of Honey
Religious Significance Dealing With Honey

– In Ancient Greece

– In Judaism

– In Rabbinic Judaism

– In Christianity

– In Islam

– In Hinduism

– In Buddhism
Health Benefits Of Honey

– About Honey

– Benefits

– In Medical Uses

– Honey Contains Various Nutrients

 – Rich In Antioxidants

– Better Blood Sugar Levels

– Honey May Improve Heart Health

– Easy To Add To Your Diet

– Know The Risks

Photo Gallery
I would like to dedicate this e-Book
To my late mom and dad and
And also to all my readers
And friends.

THIS BOOK IS TO YOU ALL.

I would like to thank all the people,
Companies, Organizations,
Family and friends that made
This e-Book possible.

The Toronto Public Library

Health Canada
Metro News Media
Toronto Star Newspaper
Dr. P.K. Fung, M.D.
 PrintArtist (Front Cover)
Toronto East General Hospital
Jean-Guy Lehoux
Dr. Hubert Kline, MD
Wikipedia Org.
B. M. Felfoldi, DBS
Erno Yeno Felfoldi
Mrs. Roza Felfoldi
Getty Images
InterNet (pictures)
Erno Gaza Felfoldi
Wikipedia Org.
Medical News Today
SaVanna Shoemaker, MS, RDN, LD.
Amy Richter, RD
 Ontario Beekeepers Association
Honeybee Research Center (UoG), Ontario
California Honey Council
California State Beekeepers Association
American Beekeepers Federation
 ABOUT THE AUTHOR

George F. Felfoldi

Dr. George Felfoldi is an Independent

Baptist Minister, An Author, Song writer
And Musician who is a native to
Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
George holds several doctors degrees in
Various fields and has written several books,
On different subjects such as:
Occult, Health, Religion, Herbals,
Ships, and also Poetry and Lyrics.
George is also married and
Has four grown children.
 OTHER BOOKS BY
THE AUTHOR
2006

Katoomba-Columbia
The Powers of Garlic
Speaking to God Through Prayers
Ginger the Herb and Root Guide
The Complete Book On Angels
Chamomile The Healing Herb
The Healing Powers of Aloe Vera
The Healing Powers of Cranberry
The Healing Powers Of Seaweed And Algae
The Spiritual Key To Healing
The Healing Powers of Pomegranate

2007

The Healing Powers Of Blueberries

AMD – Age-Related Macular Degeneration
A Modern Look At Solar Power
The Healing Powers of Oregano
The Healing Powers of Coconuts
The Book of Spells :White Magic Vs. Black Magic
The Healing Powers of Cherries
Experimenting With the G-Spot
Sex Magic
The Images of God
The Healing Powers of Thistles
The Felfoldi’s :Medical Herbal Encyclopedia
The Complete Book on Herbal Magick
The Herbs And the Animals of the Bible
The Road To Better Health
The Gnomes In Mythology
The Magic of Having Great Sex
The Healing Powers of Strawberries
The Backyard Terror :Squirrels
Changing The Way We Look At Wolves
Cooking With Eggs Cookbook
The Healing Powers Of Watermelons

2008
The Healing Powers of Mangos
The Complete Book On Angels (Second Edition)
The State of Man (In Relationship To The Bible)
The Healing Powers of Tomatoes
The Schooner, Bluenose II
The Healing Powers of Mushrooms
A Modern Look At Parapsychology
Angel Light Bible Studies (A complete 22 lesson course)
Peach Popourri (A book on Peaches)
Hypnosis For Self Betterment And Healing
The Down To Earth Cookbook
The Science of Faith and Other God’s Sciences
World Wide Ghosts & Hauntings
The Modern Look At Poetry

2009
The Science of Mind Transformation
A New Look at Scheurmann’s Disease
Loch Ness Mystery
In Search of Mysterious Primates
The Healing Powers of Pineapples
The Healing Powers of Limes
The Scottish-Hungarian Cookbook
Cooking With Friends Cookbook
Spirit Orbs Photography
The Secret of Healthy Living
The Healing Powers of Mr. Garlic
The Complete Book On Herbal Magick (2 nd. Edition)
Spellcasting :White & Black Magic
The Healing Powers of Kiwi Fruit
A World Of Food Cookbook
A Psychic Connection To 2012
Paranormal Phenomenon :Levitation
Aliens Are Among Us

2010

The Devil And His Demons :Activities, Facts & Evidence

2012

Bed Bugs In The Woodwork

The Cockroach Invasion
The Basics of the Chinese Zodiac
Focusing the Mind, The Inner Universe
The Healing Properties of Honey

2014
The Toe Nail Fungus Book
The Healing Powers of Peppermint
The Healing Powers of Dandelion
The Healing Powers of Cloves

2015

The New Age Cookbook

From My Table Cookbook
Tranquility Of Mind :Modern Lyrics And Poetry

2017

Kimberley's Famous Recipes

2018
Don't Stop Cooking
Hamsters Simplifies
My Scottish Fold Long Haired Cat
Good Foods Made Easy
The Healing Powers Of Black Peppermint
The Healing Powers Of Coffee
The Healing Powers Of Turmeric
The Healing Powers Of Water
Bedbugs Simplifies

2019

Farmer's Wife Olde And New Tyme Recipes

2021

Everyday Cooking
Cherries, A Superfood
Healing Properties Of Bananas
Healing Properties Of Corn
Healing Properties Of Garlic
Healing Properties Of Paprika
Pears, A Superfood
Plums, A Superfood
Healing Properties Of Cranberries, 53p
Healing Properties Of Ginger
Cooking Through A Pandemic

2022

Cleaning And Kitchen Tips

From Hungarian And Scottish Kitchens
Blue Mountain Cookbook
Yes You Can Cook
Health Benefits Of Ginger

2023

Creative Home Cooking Vol. 1

Nessie Of Loch Ness
The Powers Of Lemons
The Powers Of Apples
Healing Properties Of Thistles
Health Benefits Of Dandelion
Healing Properties Of Pumpkins
Everything Pumpkin Cookbook
Everything Dandelion Cookbook
Health Benefits Of Potatoes
Everything Potato Cookbook
Angels Are Among Us
Healing Benefits Of Sesame Seeds
Healing Benefits Of Cinnamon
Healing Benefits Of Honey
EVERYTHING ABOUT HONEY
WHAT IS HONEY:

Honey is a sweet and viscous substance that is made by

several bees, the best known of which are the, “Honey Bees”.
Honey is made and stored to nourish the bee colonies. Bee
produce the honey by gathering and then refining the sugary
secretions of different plants, (primarily the floral nectar), or
the secretions of other insects, like the honeydew of aphids.

However, this refinement takes place both within individual

bees,through regurgitation and enzymatic activities, and
during storage in the hive, through water evaporation that
concentrates the honey's sugars until it is thick and viscous.

The honey bees stockpile the honey in the hive. Within the
hive is a structure made of wax that is called, “Honeycomb”.
The honeycomb is made up of hundreds or thousands of small
hexagonal cells, into which bees regurgitate honey for
storage. Other honey producing species of bees store the
substance in different structures, such as the pots made of
wax and resin that is used by the stingless bee.
Honey bees working hard to
fill the hive with honey.
Honey for human consumption is collected from wild bee
colonies, or from the hives of domesticated bees. The honey
production by honey bees is the most familiar to humans,
thanks to its worldwide commercial production and
availability. Husbandry of bees is known as, “Beekeeping”, or
“Apiculture”, with the cultivation of stingless bees usually
referred to as “Meliponiculture.'

Honey is sweet because of its high concentration of the

monosaccharides frutose and glucose. It has about the same
sweetness as sucrose, which is table sugar. One standard
tablespoon (15 mL.) of liquid honey provides around 190
kilojoules, (46 kilocalories) of food energy.

It has attractive chemical properties which is great for baking

and a distinctive flavour when used as a sweetener. MOST
microorganisms cannot grow in honey and sealed honey does
not spoil. Samples of honey that was discovered in
archaeological contents have proven edible even after
thousands of years.
Honey use and honey production has a long and varied
history, with its beginnings in prehistoric times. Several cave
carvings in Cuevas de la Arana in Spain depicts humans forging
for honey at least 8,000 years ago. While Apis Melifera in an
old world insect, large scale meliponiculture of New World
singless bees have been practiced by Mayans since pre-
Columbian times.
 FORMATION

Honeycomb has a hexagonal prismatic wax calls

in which the honey stores the honey.
FORMATION BY HONEY BEES:

Honey is produced by bees who have collected nectar or

honeydew. Bees value honey for its sugar, that they consume
to support general metabolic activity, especially that of their
flight muscles during foraging, and as a food for their larvae.

For this purpose the honey bees stockpile honey to provide

for themselves during ordinary foraging as well as during lean
periods, such as during the winter.

During foraging the honey bees use part of the nectar that
they collect to power their flight muscles. The majority of
nectar collected is not used to directly nourish the insects but
is instead destined for regurgitation, enzymatic digestion, and
finally long term storage as honey.

During a cold winter weather or when other food sources are

scarce, adult and larval bees consume the stored honey, that
is many times as energy dense as the nectar from which it is
made.

Honey bees are at work on the hive.

After leaving the hive a foraging bee collects sugar rich nectar
or honeydew. The nectar from the flower generally has a
water content of 70% to 80% and is much less viscous than
finished honey, which usually has a water content around
18%. The water content of honeydew from aphids and other
true bugs is generally very close to the sap on which those
insects feed and is usually somewhat more dilute than nectar.

One source describes the water content of honeydew as

around 89%. Whether it is feeding on nectar or honeydew, the
bee sucks these runny fluids through its proboscis, which
delivers the liquid to the bee's honey stomach or “honey
crop”. This cavity lies just below the food stomach, the latter
of which digests pollen and sugar consumed by an individual
honey bee for its own nourisment.

The (Apis mellifera) the honey stomach holds about 40 mg of

liquid. This is about half of the weight of an unladen bee.
Collecting this quantity in nectar can require visits to more
than a 1,000 flowers. When the nectar is plentiful it can take a
bee more than an hour to ceaseless work to collect enough
nectar to fill its honey crop.

Salivary enzymes and proteins from the bee's hypopharyngeal

 gland are secreted into the nectar once it is in the bee's
honey stomach. These substances begin cleaving complex
sugars like:

– sucrose and starches

– into simpler sugar such as

– glucose

– and fructose.

This process slightly rises the water content and the acidity of
the partially digested nectur.

Once filled, the forager bees return back to the hive. In the
hive they regurgitate and transfer the nectar to the hive bees.
Once in their own honey stomachs the hive bees regurgitate
the nectar, repeatedly forming bubbles between there
mandibles, speeding its digestion and concentration. These
bubbles create a large surface area per volume and by this
means the bees evaporate a portion of the nectar's water into
the warm air of the hive.
 A honey bee collecting nectar from
a flower.

The hive bees form in the hive honey processing groups. These
group of bees work in relay, with one bee subjecting the
processed nectar to bubbling and then, digestion and
evaporation until the product reaches storage quality. The
new honey then is placed in the honeycomb cells, which are
left uncovered. The honey still has a very high water content,
up to 70%, depending on the concentration of nectar
gathered.
At this stage of the honeys refinement the water content of
the honey is high enough that ubiquitous yeast spores can
reproduce in it, a process which, if left unchecked, would
rapidly consume the new honey's sugars. To combat this
problem, the bees use an ability rare among insects: the
endogenous generation of heat.

The bees are among the few insects that can create large
amounts of body heat. The bees use this ability to produce a
constant ambient temperature in their hives. Hive
temperature are usually around 35 degrees C. Or (95 degrees
F.) in the honey storage area. This temperature is regulated
either by generating heat with their bodies or removing it
through water evaporation.

The water evaporation removes the water from the stored

honey, drawing heat from the colony. The hive bees use their
wings to govern hive cooling. Coordinated wings beating
moves the air across the wet honey, drawing out the water
and heat. Ventilation of the bee hive eventually expels both
the excess water and heat into the outside world.
The process of evaporating continues until the honey reaches
its final water content of between 15.5% to 18%. This
concentrates the sugar far beyond the saturation point of
water, which is to say there is far more sugar dissolved in
what little water remains in the honey than ever could be
dissolved in an equivalent volume of water.

Honey, even at hive temperatures, is therefore a supercooled

solution of various sugars in water. These concentrations of of
sugar can only be achieved near room temperature by
evaporation of a less concentrated solution, in this case the
nectar. For osmotic reasons such high concentrations of sugar
are extremely unfavourable to microbiological reproduction
and all fermentation is consequently stopped. The hive bees
then cap the cells of the finished honey with wax. This seals
them from contamination and prevents further evaporation of
the honey.

So long as its water concentration does not rise much above

18%, the honey has an indefinite shelf life, both within the
bee hive and after it is removed by the beekeepers.
BY OTHER INSECTS:

Honeycomb.

Honey bees are not the only eusocial insects to produce

honey. All non parasitic bumblebees and stingless bees
produce honey. Some wasp species, such as the Brachygastra
lecheguana and Brachygastra mellifica, that are founf in
South and Central America, are known to feed on nectar and
also produce honey.
Other wasps, such as the Polistes versicolor, also consume
honey. In the middle of their life cycles they alternate
between feeding on protein high pollens and feeding on
honey, which is a far denser source of food energy.

HUMAN INTERACTIONS:

Human beings over the years have semi-domesticated several

species of honey making bees by taking advantage of their
swarming stage. Swarming is the means by which new
colonies are established when there is no longer space for
expansion in the colony's present hive. The old queen lays her
eggs that will develop into new queens and then leads as
many as half of the colony to a site for a new hive.

The bees generally swarm before a suitable location for

another hive has been discovered by scout bees that are sent
out for this purpose. Until such location is found the swarm
eill simply conglomerate near the former hive, often from tree
branches. These swarms are usually docile and amenable to
transport by humans. When provided with a suitable nesting
site, such as a commercial Langstroth hive, the swarm will
rapidly for a new colony in an artificial surroundings.

These sem-domesticated colonies of bees then looked after by

humans practicing apiculture or meliponiculture. Captured
bees are encouraged to forage, often in agricultural settings
such as orchards, where pollinators are very highly valued.
The honey, pollen, wax and resins the bees produce are well
harvested by humans for a variety of uses.

The term, “Semi-domesticated”, is preferred because all the

bee colonies, even those bees that are in very large
agricultural apiculture operations, readily leave the protection
of humans in swarms that can establish successful wild
colonies.

Much of the effort in commercial beekeeping is dedicated to

persuading a hive that is ready to swarm to produce more
honeycombs in its present location.
This is usually done by adding more space to the colony with
honey supers, empty boxes that is placed on the top of an
existing colony. The honey bees can then usually be enticed to
develop this empty space instead of dividing their colony
through swarming.

Honey and honeycomb.

PRODUCTION OF HONEY
COLLECTION OF HONEY:

The honey is collected from wild bee colonies or from

domesticated beehives. On the average, a regular hive will
produce about 29 kilograms or (65 pounds), of honey per year.
Wild bee nests are sometimes located by following a
honeyguide bird.

To safely collect honey from a hive, beekeepers typically

pacify the bees using a bee smoker. The smoker triggers a
feeding instinct (an attempt to save the resources of the hive
from a possible fire), making the bees less aggressive, and
obscures the pheromones the bees use to communicate.

The honeycomb is then removed from the hive and the honey
may be extracted from it either by crushing or by using a
honey extractor. The honey is then usually filtered to remove
beeswax and other debris.

Before the invention of the removable frames, bee colonies

were often sacrificed to conduct the harvest. The harvester
would take all the available honey and replace the entire
colony the next spring. Since the invention of removeable
frames, the principles of husbandry led most beekeepers to
ensure that their bees have enough stores to survive the
winter, either by leaving some honey in the beehive or by
providing the colony with a honey substitute such as sugar
water or crystalline sugar, (very often in the form of a
candyboard). The amount of food necessary to survive the
winter depends on the variety of bees and on the length and
severity of local winters. Many animal species are attracted to
the wild or domestic source of honey.

A Beehive with removable frames.

 Beehive in a farmers field.

A beehive on a tree branch in the wild.

 PRESERVATION OF
HONEY

Preserving the honey.

Because of its composition the chemical properties, honey is

suitable for long term storage, and is easily assimilated even
after long preservation. Honey, and objects immersed in
honey, have been preserved for centuries. The key to
preservation is limiting the access to humidity. In its cured
state, honey has a sufficiently high sugar content to inhibit
fermentation. If exposed to moist air, its hydrophilic
properties pull moisture into the honey, eventually diluting it
to the point that fermentation can begin.

The long shelf life of honey is attributed to an enzyme that is

found in the stomach of bees. The bees mix glucose oxidase
with the expelled nectar they previously consumed, creating
two byproducts, gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, which
are partially responsible for honey acidity and suppression of
bacteria growth.

A beehive in the barn.

 ADULTERATION

Filtering the honey.

Honey is sometimes adulterated by the addition of other

sugars and syrups, or other compounds to change its flavour
or viscosity, this reduce the cost, or increases the fructose
content to inhibit crystallization.

Adulteration of honey has been practiced since ancient times,

when the honey was sometimes blended with plant syrups
such as maple, birch, or sorghum and sold to customers as
pure honey. Sometimes crystallized honey was mixed with
flour or other fillers, hiding the adulteration from buyers until
the honey was liquefied. In modern times the most common
adulterant became clear, almost flavourless corn syrup; the
adulterated mixture can be very difficult to distinguish from
pure honey.

According to the Codex Alimentarius Of The United Nations,

any product labeled as, “Honey”, or “Pure Honey”, must be
wholly natural product, although labeling laws differ between
different countries. In the United States, according to the
National Honey Board, “Ensuring honey authenticity is one of
the great challenges facing the honey industry today. Over the
past 50 years, a number of honey testing methods have been
developed to detect food fraud.

To date, there is no single universal analytical method

available which is capable of detecting all types of
adulteration with adequate sensitivity.
ISOTOPE RATIO MASS SPECTROMETRY can be used to detect
addition of corn syrup and cane sugar by the carbon isotopic
signature. Addition of sugar originating from corn or sugar
cane, (C4 plants, unlike the plants used by bees, and also
sugar beet, which are predominantly C3 plants) skews the
isotopic ratio of sugars present in honey, but does not
influence the isotopic ratio of proteins.

In an unadulerated honey, the carbon isotopic ratios of sugar

and proteins should match. Levels as low as 7% of addition
can be detected.

WORLD PRODUCTION OF HONEY:

In 2020, the global production of honey was 1.8 million

tonnes, led by China with 26% of the worlds total. Other
major producers were Turkey, Iran, Argentina, and the
Ukraine.
 PRODUCTION OF NATURAL
HONEY IN – 2020

COUNTRY – PRODUCTION (TONNES)

China – 458,100

Turkey – 104,077

Iran – 79,955

Ukraine – 68,028

Unites States – 66,948

TOTAL WORLD – 1,770,119 Tonnes

MODERN USES
FOOD:

Over its history as a food, the main use of honey are in:

– cooking,

– baking,

– desserts,

– as a spread on bread,

– as an addition in different drinks, (pop, and teas)

– and as a sweetener

in some commercial beverages.

Due to its energy density, honey is an important food for

virtually all hunter gatherer cultures in warm climates, with
the Hadza people ranking honey as their favourite food.
Honey hunters in Africa has a mutualistic relationship with
certain species of honeyguide birds.

FERMENTATION:

It is possibly the world's oldest fermented beverage, dating

from 9,000 years ago, mead “honey wine” is the alcoholic
product that is made by adding yeast to honey water must
and fermenting it for weeks or months. The yeast
“Saccharomyces cerevisiae”, is commonly used in modern
mead production around the world.

Mead varieties include drinks called:

– Metheglin (with spices or herbs),

– Melomel (with fruit juice such as grape, specially called

Pyment),
 – Hippocras (with cinnamon),

– and Sack Mead (high concentration of honey),

many of which have been developed as commercial products

numbering in the hundreds in the United States alone.

Honey is also used in making beer, that is called, “Braggot”.

Pure honey.
CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL
PROPERTIES OF HONEY
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES:

The physical properties of honey varies, depending on water

content. The kinds of flora that is used to produce it,
(pasturage), temperature, and the production of the specific
sugars it contains.

Fresh honey is the supersaturated liquid, containing more

sugar than the water can typically dissolve at ambient
temperatures, the honey is a supercooled liquid, in which the
glucose precipitates into solid granules.

This forms s semisolid solution of precipitated glucose crystals

in a solution of fructose and other ingredients.

However, the density of honey typically ranges from between

1.38 to 1.45 kg/L at 20 degrees C.
 Crystallized honey: here we see a close-up
of honey, showing the individual glucose
grains in the fructose mixture.

PHASE TRANSITIONS:

The melting point of crystalilized honey ia between 40 to 50

degrees C (104 to 122 degrees F), depending on the honeys
composition. Below this temperature, the honey can be either
in a metastable state in other words that it will not crystallize
until a seed crystal is added, or more often, it is in a , “labile”
state, being saturated with enough sugars to crystallize
spontaneously.

However, the rate of this crystallization is affected by many

different factors, but the primary one is the ratio of the main
sugars: fructose to glucose. Honey are supersaturated with a
high percentage of glucose, such as brassica honey, crystallize
almost right away after harvesting, while honey that has a low
percentage of glucose, such as chestnut or tupelo honey, do
not crystallize. Some kinds of honey may produce few very
large crystals, while other honey produce many small crystals.

Crystallization is also affected by the water content, because a

high percentage of the water inhibits crystallization, as does a
high dextrin content. Temperatures also affects the rate of
crystallization, with the fastest growth occurring between 13
to 17 degrees C (55 to 63 degrees F).

Crystal nuclei (seeds) tend to form more rapidly if the honey is

disturbed, by stirring, shaking, or agitating, rather than if
left at rest.

However, the nucleation of microscopic seed crystals is

greatest between 5 to 8 degrees C (41 to 46 degrees F).
Therefore, larger but fewer crystals tend to form at higher
temperatures, while the smaller but more numerous crystals
usually form at a lower temperature. Below 5 degrees C, the
honey will not crystallize, thus the original texture and flavour
can be preserved indefinitely.

Honey is supercooled liquid when stored below its melting

point, as is normal. At very low temperatures, honey does not
freeze solid; rather its viscosity increases. Like most viscous
liquids, the honey becomes thick and sluggish with decreasing
temperatures. At -20 degrees C (-4 degrees F), the honey may
appear or even feel solid, but it continues to flow at a very
low rate. Honey has a glass transition that is between -42
degrees C (-44 to -60 degrees F). Below this temperature, the
honey enters a glassy state and it becomes an amorphous
solid, (noncrystalline).
RHEOLOGY:

The viscosity of the honey is affected greatly by both the

temperature and the water content.

Poring raw honey. The sheet like appearance of

the flow is the result of high viscosity and low
surface tension, that is contributing to the
stickiness of the honey.
The higher the water percentage, the more easily the honey
flows. Above its melting point, the water has little effect on
viscosity.

Aside from the water content of the honey, the composition

of most kinds of honey also has a little effect on viscosity. At
25 degrees C or (77 degrees F), honey with 14% water content
generally has a viscosity about 400 poise, while the honey that
contains 20% water has a viscosity about 20 poise.

Viscosity increases very slowly with moderate cooling: a

honey that contains 16% water, at 70 degrees C or (158
degrees F), has a viscosity around 2 poise, while at 30 degrees
C or (86 degrees F), the viscosity is about 70 poise. With
further cooling, the increase in viscosity is more rapid,
reaching 600 poise at around 14 degrees C or (57 degrees F).

However, while the honey is viscous, it has low surface

tension of 50 to 60 mJ/m2, making its wettabilaty similar to
that of water, glycerin, or most other liquids.
The high viscosity and wetability of honey cause stickiness,
which is a time dependent process in supercooled liquids
between the glass transition temperature (Tg) and the
crystalline melting temperature.

Most kinds of honey are Newtonian liquids, but a few kinds

have non-Newtonian viscous properties. Honey from heather
or manuka displays thixotropic properties. These kinds of
honey enter a gel-like state when motionless, but liquefy
when they are stirred.

ELECTRICAL AND OPTICAL PROPERTIES:

Believe it or not honey contains electrolytes, that is in the

form of acids and minerals, it exhibits varying degrees of
electrical conductivity. Measurements of the electrical
conductivity are used to determine the quality of honey in
terms of ash content.

The effect that honey has on light is useful for determining

the type and quality. Variations in its water content alter its
refractive index. Water content can easily be measured with a
refractometer. The reflactive index for honey ranges from
1.504 at 13% water content to 1.474 at 25%.

Honey also has an effect on polarized light, in that it rotates

the polarization plane. The fructose gives a negative rotation,
while the glucose gives it a positive rotation. The overall
rotation can be used to measure the ratio of the mixture. The
honey may vary in colour between a pale yellow and a dark
brown , but other bright colours may occasionally be found
also, depending on the source of the sugar that is harvested
by the bees.

The bee colonies that forage on Kudzu (Pueraria montana var.

Lobata) flowers, for example, produce honey that varies in
colour from a red colour to a purple colour.

HYGROSCOPY AND FERMENTATION OF HONEY:

HYGROSCOPY:

The honey has the ability to absorb moisture directly from the
air, which is a phenomenon that is called, “Hygroscopy”. The
amount of water that the honey absorbs is dependent on the
relative humidity of the surrounding air. Because the honey
contains yeast, this hygroscopic nature requires that the
honey be stored in sealed containers, such as jars, to prevent
fermentation, which usually begins if the honey's water
content raises above 25%. The honey tends to absorb more
water in this manner than the individual sugars allowed on
their own, which may be due to the other ingredients that the
honey contains.

FIRMENTATION:

Fermentation of honey usually occurs after crystallization,

because without the glucose, the liquid portion of the honey
primarily consists of a concentrated mixture of fructose, acids,
and water, providing the yeast with enough of an increase
in the water percentage for growth. Honey that is ready to be
stored at room temperature for a long periods of time is often
pasteurized, to kill any yeast, by heating it above 70 degrees C
(158 degrees F).

THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HONEY:

Like all sugar compounds, honey caramelizes if heated

sufficiently, becoming darker in colour, and eventually burn.
The honey contains fructose, which caramelizes at low
temperatures than glucose. The temperature which
caramelization begins varies, depending on the composition
of the honey, but it typically is between 70 degrees C (158 F)
to 110 degrees C (230 degrees F). Honey also contains acids,
which act as a catalyst for caramelization.

The specific types of acids and their amounts play a primary

role in determining the exact temperature. Of these acids, the
amino acids, that occur in very small amounts, play an
important role in the darkening of the honey.
The amino acids from the darkened compounds called,
“Melanoidins”, during the Maillard reaction. The Maillard
reaction occurs slowly at room temperature, taking from a
few to several months to show visible darkening, but speeds
up dramatically with increasing temperatures. However, the
reaction can also be slowed down bu storing the honey at a
cooler temperature.

Unlike many other liquids, honey has a very poor thermal

conductivity of 0.5 W/(m.K) at 13% water content (compared
to 401 W/(m.K) of copper), taking a long time to reach
thermal equilibrium. Due to its high kinematic viscosity honey
does not transfer heat through momentum diffusion
(convection) but rather through thermal diffusion (more like a
solid), so melting crystallized honey can easy result in
localized caramelization if the heat source is too hot or not
evenly distributed.

However, the honey takes substantially longer to liquefy

when it is just above the melting point than at elevated
temperatures. Melting 20 kg (44 pounds) of crystallized
honey at 40 degrees C (104) degrees F) can take up to 24
hours, while 50 kg (110 pounds) may take twice as long. These
times can be cut nearly in falf by heating at 50 degrees C (122
degrees F); however, many of the minor substances that is in
the honey can be affected greatly by heating, changing the
flavour, aroma, or other properties, so heating us usually done
at the lowest temperature and for the shortest time that is
possible.

Creamed honey:
Creamed honey: In the picture above, the honey on the left
side is fresh, and the honey that is on the right side has been
aged at room temperature for two years. The Maillard
reaction produced considerable difference in the colour and
flavour of the ages honey, which remains still edible.

ACID AND FLAVOUR EFFECTS:

The honey.
The average pH level of honey is 3.9, but it can range from 3.4
to 6.1. The honey contains many different types of acids both
organic and amino. However, the different kinds and their
amounts vary considerably, depending on the types of honey.
These acids may be aromatic or aliphatic (nonaromatic). The
aliphatic acids contribute greatly to the flavour of the honey
by interacting with the flavours of other ingredients that are
in the honey itself.

Organic:

Organic acids that are present, in the honey consisting of:

– formic,

– acetic,

– butyric,

– citric,

– lactic,
 – malic,

– pyroglutamic,

– propionic,

– valeric,

– capronic,

– palmitic,

– succinic,

and there are still many other more that are found in the
honey, this is just to name a few of them.

Compounds: (VOCs)

Individual honey from many different plant sources contain

over 100 volatile organic compounds which are called,
“VOCs”, that play an important role in determining the honeys
flavour and its smell (aroma). VOCs are carbon based
compounds that are readily vaporized into the air, providing
the aroma, including the scents of flowers, essential oils, or
ripening fruit. The typical chemical family of VOCs that are
found in the honey includes:

– rocarbons,

– aldehydes,

– alcohols,

– ketones,

– esters,

– acids,

– benzenes,

– furans,

– pyrans,

– norisoprenoids,

– and terpenes,

among many others and their derivatives.

The specific VOCs and their amounts vary considerably
between the different types of honey that is obtained by the
honeybees foraging on the different types of plants. By
axample, when comparing the mixture of VOCs in the
different honeys in one review, researchers have found that
longan honey has a higher amount of volatiles (48 VOCs),
while the sunflower honey had the lowest number of volatiles
(8 VOCs).

The VOCs are primarily introduced into the honey from the
nectar, where they are excreted by the flowers imparting
individual scents.

The specific kinds and concentrations of certain VOCs can be

used to determine the types of flora used to produce nonfloral
honeys.

The specific geography, soil composition and acidity used to

grow the floral also have an effect on the honey aroma
properties, such as a “fruity” or “grassy” aroma from longan
honey, or a “waxy” aroma from sunflower honey.
Dominant VOCs in one of the studies found were:

– linalool oxide,

– trans-linalool oxide,

– 2-phenylacetaldehyde,

– Benzyl,

– ethanol,

– isophorone,

– and nonanoare.

The VOCs can also be introduced from the bodies of the bees,
be produced by the enzymatic actions of digestion, or from
chemical reactions that occur between different substances
that is within the honey during storage, and therefore may
change, increase, or decrease over a long periods of time.
VOCs bay be produced by altered, or greatly affected by
temperature and processing. Some VOCs are heat labile, and
are destroyed at elevated temperatures, while others can
be created during the non-enzyatic reaction, such as the
Maillard reaction.

VOCs are responsible for nearly all of the aroma produced by

the honey, which may be described as:

– Sweet,

– flowery,

– citrus,

– almond,

– rancid,

among other terms.

In addition, VOCs play a large role in determining the specific

flavour of the honey, both through the aroma and flavour.
VOCs from honeys in different geographic regions can be used
as floral markers of those regions, and as markers of the bees
that foraged the nectar.
THE CLASSIFICATION
OF HONEY

Classification of honey.
The honey is classified by its floral source, and divisions are
made accordingly to the packaging and processing that is
used.

Reginal honey are also identified. In the United States, the

honey is also graded on its colour and optical density by the
USDA standards, graded on the Pfund scale, that ranges from
o for, “water white”, honey to more than 114 for, “dark
amber”, honey.

The Floral Source:

Generally, the honey is classified by the floral source of the

nectar from which it was made. Honey can be from specific
kinds of flower nectar or can be blended after it is collected.
The pollen that is in the honey is traceable to the floral source
and therefore region of origin. The rheological and
melissopalynological properties of honey can be used to
identify the major plant nectar source used in is production.
The Blended Honey:

Most commercially available honey is a blend of two or more

different types of floral source, differing in:

– colour,

– flavour,

– density,

– or geographic origin.

The Polyfloral:

Polyfloral honey, which is also known as, “Wild Honey”, is

derived from the nectar of many different types of flowers.
The taste may vary from year to year, and the aroma and the
flavour can be more or less intense, depending on which
flowers are blooming.
The Monofloral:

Monofloral honey is made primarily from the nectar of one

type of flower. This type of Monofloral honey have a
distinctive colour and flavour because of differences between
their principal nectar sources. To produce monofloral honey,
the beekeepers keep beehives in an area where the bees have
access, as far as possible, to only one kind of flower.

In practice a small proportion of any monofloral honey will be

from other flower types. Typical examples of North American
nonfloral honeys are the following that are listed here below:

– clover,

– orange blossom,

– sage,

– tupelp,

– buckwheat,

– fireweed,
 – mesquite,

– sourwood,

– cherry,

– and blueberry.

Some typical European examples include the following:

– thyme,

– thistle,

– heather,

– acacia,

– dandelion.

– Sunflower,

– lavender,

– honeysuckle

and also varieties from lime and chestnut trees.

In North Africa such as Egypt, examples include the following:

– clover,

– cotton,

– and citrus (mainly the orange blossom).

The unique floral of Australia yields a number of distinctive

honey, with some of the most popular of them being:

– yellow box,

– blue gum,

– ironbark,

– bush mallee,

– Tasmanian leatherwood,

– and macadamia.

The Honeydew Honey:

Instead of taking the nectar, bees can take honeydew, which
is the sweet secretions of aphids or other plant sap sucking
insects. Honeydew is very dark brown, with a rich fragrance of
stewed fruit or fig jam, and is not as sweet as nectar honeys.

Germany's Black Forest is a well known source of honeydew

based honey, as are other regions like:

– Bulgaria,

– Tara in Serbia,

– and North California in the United States.

In Greece, pine honey, which is a kind of honeydew honey,

contributes about 60 to 65% of the honey production.
Honeydew honey is very popular in some areas, but in other
areas, beekeepers have a difficulty selling honeydew honey,
due to the honeys strong flavour.

The production of honeydew honey has som complications

and also some dangers. The honey has a much larger
proportion of indigestibles than light floral honeys, which
causes dysentry to the bees, resulting in the death of colonies
in areas with cold winters.

Good beekeeping management requires the removal of

honeydew prior to winter in colder areas. Bee collecting this
resource also have to be fed protein supplements, as
honeydew lacks the protein rich pollen accompaniment
gathered from flowers. Honeydew is also called, “Myelate”.
 CLASSIFICATION OF HONEY
BY PACKAGING & PROCESSING
The honey is generally bottled in its liquid form, but it is sold
also in other forms as well, and it can be subjected to a variety
of different processing methods in many countries around the
world.

Here is a list of some different methods that are involved:

. CRYSTALIZED HONEY – Occurs when some of the glucose

content has spontaneously crystallized from solution as the
monohydrate. It is also called, “Granulated Honey” or
“Candied Honey”. The honey that has crystallized, (or is
commercially purchased crystallized) can be returned back to
its liquid state by just warming it up.

. PASTEURIZED HONEY – Has been heated in a pasteurization

process that requires temperatures of 72 degrees C (161
degrees F) or higher. Pasteuization destroys the yeast cells
that are in the honey. It also liquefies any microcrystals that
are in the honey, which delays the onset of visible
crystallization. However, this excessive heat exposure also
results in product deterioration, as it increases the level of
hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and reduces enzyme such as
diastase activity. The heat also darkens the colour of the
honey, and affects the taste and fragrance.

. RAW HONEY – Is as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by

extraction, setting, or straining, without adding heat,
(although some honey that has been, minimally processed is
often labeled as, “Raw Honey”). The Raw Honey contains
some pollen and it also may contain small particles of wax.

. STRAINED HONEY – Has been passed through a mesh type of

material to remove particulate materials such as pieces of
wax, propolis, and other different defects, without removing
the pollen, minerals, or enzymes.

. FILTERED HONEY – Of many kinds has been filtered to the

extent that all or most of the fine particles, pollen grains, air
bubbles, or many other materials that is normally found in
suspension, has been removed. This type of process typically
heats the honey to 66 to 77 degrees C (150 t0 170 degrees F)
to make it more easily pass through the filter that is being
used. Filtered honey is very clear and will not crystallize as
quickly, making it preferred by many stores and supermarket
chains.

The most common method that is used involves the addition

of diatomaceous earth to honey that is heated to 60 degrees C
(140 degrees F) and passed through filter paper or canvas until
a filter cake of diatomaceous earth builds up on the filter.

. ULTRASONICATED HONEY – This kind of honey has been

processed by ultrasoncation, which is a nonthermal processing
alternative for honey. When the honey is exposed to to this
method, most of the yeast cells are destroyed in the honey.
Those cells that survive sonication generally lose their ability
to grow, which reduces the rate of the honey fermentation
substantially. Ultrasonically aided liquefaction can work at
substantially lower temperatures around 35 degrees C (95
degrees F), and it can reduce liquefaction time to less than 30
seconds.
. CREAMED HONEY – This type of honey is also called:

– Whipped Honey,

– Spun Honey,

– Churned Honey,

– Honey Fondant,

and in the United Kingdom is called “Set Honey”, has been

processed to control crystallization. Creamed honey contains
a large number of small crystals, that prevent the formation of
larger crystals that can occur in unprocessed honey. This kind
of processing also produces a honey with a smooth,
spreadable consistency.

. DRIED HONEY – This type of honey has the moisture

extracted from liquid honey to create completely solid,

nonsticky granules. This kind of process may or may not

include the use of drying and anticaking agents. Dried honey is
used in different baked goods, and to garnish different
desserts.

. COMB HONEY – Is still in the honey bees' wax comb. It is

traditionally collected using standard wooden frames in honey
supers.

Honey on wooden frames.

The frames are collected and the comb is cut out in chunks
before packaging. As an alternative to this labour intensive
method, plastic rings or cartridges can be used that do not
require manual cutting of the comb, and speed packaging.
Comb honey that is harvested in the traditional manner is also
referred to as, “Cut Comb Honey”.

. CHUNK HONEY – This kind of honey is packed in wide

mouthed containers; it consists of one or more pieces of comb
honey immersed in extracted liquid honey.

. HONEY DECOCTIONS – Are made from the honey or honey

byproducts that have been dissolved in water, then reduced,
usually by means of boiling. Other ingredients then be added.
For example, abbamele has added citrus. The resulting
product may be similar to molasses.

. BAKER'S HONEY – This type of honey is outside the normal

specification of honey, which is due to a , “foreign”, taste or
odour, or because it has begun to ferment or has been
overheated. This type of honey is generally used as an
ingredient in food processing. Additional requirements exist
for labeling baker's honey, including that it may not be sold
labeled simply as, “Honey”.

GRADING:

Many different countries around the world have differing

standards for grading honey. In the United States, the honey
grading is performed voluntarily based upon the USDA
standards. The USDA offers inspection and grading “as on line
(in plant) or lot inspection .... upon application, on a fee-for-
service basis”.

The honey is graded based upon a number of different factors,

including:

– water content,

– flavour,
 – aroma,

– absence, of defects,

– and clarity.

The honey is also classified by colour, though it is not a factor

in the grading scale.

The Honey Grade Scale Is:

GRADE – SOLUBLE SOLIDS

A – 81.4% (which is good)

B – 81.4% (which is reasonably good)

C – 80.0% (which is fairly good)

 Substandard -- (fails Grade C)

India certifies honey grades based on additional factors such

as the:

– Fiehe's test,

– and other empirical measurements.

INDICATORS OF QUALITY:

High quality honey can be distinguished by fragrance, taste,

and consistency. Ripe, freshly collected, high quality honey at
20 degrees C (68 degrees F) should flow from a knife in a
straight stream, without breaking into separate drops. After
falling down, the honey should form a bead. The honey, when
it is poured, should form small, temporary layers that
disappear fairly quickly, indicating high viscosity. If not, it
indicates honey with excessive water content or over 20%, not
suitable for long term preservation.
Honey that is in jars, fresh honey should appear as a pure,
consistent fluid, and should not set in layers. Within a few
weeks to a few months of extraction, many varieties of honey
crystallizes into a cream coloured solid. Different varieties of
honey,including tupelo, acacia, and sage, crystallize less
regularly.

The honey may be heated during bottling at temperature of

40 to 49 degrees C (109 to 120 degrees F), to delay or inhibit
crystallization. Overheating the honey is indicated by change
in enzyme levels, for example, diastase activity, which can be
determined with the Schade or the Phadebas methods. A
pluffy film on the surface of the honey, like a white foam, or
marble coloured or white spotted crystallization on a
container's sides, is formed by air bubbles that is trapped
during the bottling process.

In a study that was done in 2008 in Italy determined that

nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy can be used to
distinguish between different honey types, and can be used to
pinpoint the area where it was produced. The scientists and
researchers were able to identify differences in acacia and
polufloral honeys by the differing proportions of fructose and
sucrose, as well as differing levels or aromatic amino acids
such as “phenylalamine and tyrosine”. This ability allows
greater ease of selecting compatible stocks.

The variety of honey flavours and container sizes and

styles of bottles.
THE NUTRITIONAL SIDE
OF HONEY
One hunred grams of honey provides about 1,2070 kJ (304
kcal), of energy with no significant amounts of essential
nutrients. Composed of 17% water and 82% carbohydrates,
honey has a low content of fat, dietary fiber, and protein.

HONEY

Nutritional Value per 100 grams (3.5 ounces)

ENERGY – 1,270 kJ (304 kcal)

 CARBOHYDRATES – 82.4 g

– Sugar – 82.12 g

– Dietary fibers – 0.02 g

FAT – 0 g
PROTEIN – 0.3 g
VITAMINS – QUALITY -- %DV
Riboflavin (B2) – 0.038 mg – 3%
Niacin (B3) – 0.121 mg – 1%
Pantothenic acid (B5) – 0.068 mg – 1%
Vitamin (B6) – 0.024 mg – 2%
Folate (B9) – 2 ug – 1%
Vitamin C – 0.5 mg – 1%
MINERALS – QUANTITY -- %DV
Calcium – 6 mg – 1%
Iron – 0.42 mg – 3%
Magnesium – 2 mg – 1%
 Phosphorus – 4 mg – 1%
Potassium – 52 mg – 1%
Sodium – 4 mg – 0%
Zinc – 0.22 mg – 2%
OTHER CONSISTENCY – QUANTITY
water – 17.10 g

Source for information is the USDA database.

UNITS:

ug = micrograms
mg = milligrams
IU = International Units
Percentage is roughly estimated.
SUGAR PROFILE FOR HONEY:

A mixture of sugars and other carbohydrates, honey is mainly

fructose around 38% and glucose around 32%, with the
remaining sugars including maltose, sucrose, and other
complex carbohydrates.

Its glycemic index ranges from 31 to 78, depending on the

variety of the honey. The specific composition, such as colour,
aroma, and flavour of any batch of honey depends on the
flowers foraged by the bees that produced the honey.

In one study that was done in 1980 has found that mixed
floral honey from several United States regions typically
contained the following:

. Fructose: 38.2%

. Glucose: 31.3%
. Maltose: 7.1%

. Sucrose: 1.3%

. Water: 17.2%

. Higher sugars: 1.5%

. Ash: 0.2%

. Other/undetermined: 3.2%

This means that 55% of the combined fructose and glucose

content was fructose and 45% was glucose, which enables
comparison with the essentially identical result (average of
56% and 44% in the study described below:

In a 2013 NMR spectroscopy study of 20 different honeys from

Germany found that their sugar contents comprised:

. Fructose: 28% t0 41%

. Glucose: 22% to 35%

The average ratio was 56% to 44% glucose, but the ratio in the
individual honeys range from a high of 64% fructose and 36%
glucose, to a low of 50% fructose and 50% glucose.

This NMR method was not able to quantify maltose,

galactose, and other minor sugars as compared to fructose
and glucose.
MEDICAL USES OF HONEY
FOR TREATING WOUNDS AND BURNS:

The honey is a folk treatment for burns and other skin injuries.
There is some evidence that suggests that honey aids in the
healing of partial thickness burns 4 to 5 days faster than other
types of dressings, and moderate evidence suggests that post
operative infections treated with honey heals faster and with
fewer adverse events than with antiseptic and gauze.

The evidence for the use of honey in various other wound

treatment is of low quality, and firm conclusion cannot be
made. Evidence does not support the use of honey based
products for the treatment of venous atasis ulcers or ingrown
toenails. Several medical grade honey products have been
approved by the government for use in treating minor wounds
and burns.

USED AS ANTIBIOTIC:

The honey has long been used as a topical antibiotic by

doctors of traditional and herbal medicine. Honey's
antibacterial effects were first demonstrated by the Dutch
scientist Bernardus Adrianus van Ketel in 1892. Since then,
there has been numerous studies done which shown that
hone has broad spectrum antibacterial activity against gram
positive and gram negative bacteria, although potency varies
widely between different types of honeys.

Due to the proliferation of antibiotic resistant bacteria in the

last few decades, there has been renewed interest in
researching the antibacterial properties of honey.
Components of honey under preliminary research for
potential antibiotic use include:

– methylglyoxal,

– hydrogen peroxide,

– and royalisin (also known as defensin 1).

HONEY USED FOR COUGH:

For chronic and acute coughs, a recent review found no

strong evidence for or against the use of honey. For treating
children, the systematic review concluded with moderate to
low evidence that honey helps more than no treatment,
diphenhydramine, and placebo at giving relief from coughing.
Honey does not appear to work better than
dextromethorphan at relieving coughing in children. Many
other reviews that was done has also supported the use of
honey for treating children.

The United Kingdom Medicines and Healthcare products

Regulatory Agency recommends avoiding giving over the
counter cough and common cold medication to children that
are under six years of age, and suggests that, “a homemade
remedy containing honey and lemon is likely to be just as
useful and safer to take”, but warns that honey should not be
given to babies because of the risk of infant botulism,
including for children stating that no reason exists to believe it
is less effective than a commercial remedy.

OTHER USES:

The use of honey has been recommended as a temporary

intervention for known or suspected button cell battery
ingestion to reduce the risk and severity of injury to the
esophagus caused by the battery prior to it removal.

There is less evidence to show that honey is beneficial for

treating cancer, although honey may be useful for controlling
side effects of radiation therapy or chemotherapy used to
treat cancer.

Consumption is sometimes advocated as a treatment for

seasonal allergies due to pollen, but scientific evidence to
support the claim is inconclusive. Honey is generally
considered ineffective for the treatment of allergic
conjunctivitis.
The majority of calories that are in honey are from fructose.
When consumed in addition to a normal diet, fructose causes
significant weight gain, but when fructose was substituted for
other carbohydrates of equal energy value there was no effect
on body weight.

Honey has a mild laxative effect which has been noted as

being helpful in alleviating constipation and bloating.

HEALTH HAZARDS OF HONEY:

Taking honey is generally safe when it is taken in typical food

amounts, but it may have various, potential adverse effects or
interactions in combination with excessive consumption,
existing disease conditions, or drugs. Included among these
mild reactions to high intake, such as anxiety, insomnia, or
hyperactivity in about 10% of children, according to one
recent study. There was no symptoms of anxiety, insomnia,
and hyperactivity detected with honey consumption
compared to the placebo, according to another study.
Honey consumption may interact adversely with existing
allergies, high sugar blood levels such as in diabetes, or
anticoagulants that is used for controlling bleeding, among
other clinical conditions.

People or individuals who have a weekened immune system

may be at risk of bacterial or gungal infections from eating
honey.

BOTULISM:

Infants can develop botulism after consuming honey that is

contaminated with Clostridium botulinum endospores.

Infantile botulism shows geographical variations. In the

United Kingdom, only six cases were reported between 1976
to 2006, but in the United States had a much higher rate: 1.9
per 100,000 live births, 47.2% of which are in California alone.
While the risk that honey poses to infant health is small,
taking the risk is not recommended until after one year of age,
and then giving honey is considered safe.

MAD HONEY INTOXICATION:

Mad honey intoxication is a result of eating honey that is

containing grayanotoxins. Honey that is produced from
flowers of:

– rhododendrons,

– mountainlaurels,

– sheep laurel,

– azaleas,

may cause honey intoxication. Some of the symptoms inclede

the following:

– dizziness,
 – weekness,

– excessive perspiration,

– nausea,

– and vomiting.

LESS commonly:

– low blood pressure,

– shock,

– heart rhythm irregularities,

– convultions may occur,

with rare cases resulting in death. Honey intoxication is more

likely when using , “Natural” unprocessed honey and honey
from farmers that may have a small number of beehives.
Commercially processing, with pooling of honey from

numerous sources, is thought to dilute any toxins that are in

the honey. Intoxication is rarely dangerous.

FOLK MEDICINE:

In myths and folk medicine, honey was used both orally and
topically to treat various ailments such as:

– gastric disturbances,

– ulcers,

– skin wounds,

– skin burns,

by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and in Ayurveda and

traditional Chinese medicine.
BRIEF HISTORY
OF HONEY
Honey collection is an ancient activity, long preceding the
honey bee's domestication; this traditional practice is known
as “honey hunting.” A Mesolithic rock painting in a cave in
Valencia, Spain, that dates back al least 8,000 years, depicts
two honey foragers collecting honey and honeycomb from a
wild bees' nest. The figures are depicted carrying baskets or
gourds, and using a ladder or series of ropes to reach the nest.

Humans followed the greater honeyguide bird to wild

beehives; this behavior may have evolved with early
hominids.

The oldest known honey remains were found in Georgia

during the construction of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline:
archaeologists found honey remains on the inner surface of
clay vessels unearthed in an ancient tomb, dating back
between 4,700 to 5,500 years.

In ancient Georgia, several kinds of honey were buried with a

person for journeys into the afterlife, including linden, berry,
and meadow flower varieties.
The first written records of beekeeping are from ancient
Egypt, where the honey was used to sweeten biscuits, cakes,
and other foods and as a base for unguents in Egyptian
hieroplyphs.

The dead were often buried in or with honey in Egypt,

Mesopotamia, and also in other regions. The bees were kept
at temples to produce honey for:

– temple offerings,

– mummification,

– and other uses.

In ancient Greece, honey was produced from the Archaic to

the Hellenistic periods. In 594 BC, beekeeping around the
area of Athens was so widespread that King Solon passed a
law about it: “He who sets up hives of bees must put them
300 feet (90 meters) away from those already installed by
another”.
Greek archaeological excavations of pottery located ancient
hives. According to Columella, Greek beekeepers of the
Hellenistic period did not hesitate to move their hives over
rather long distances to maximize the honey production,
taking advantage of the different vegetative cycles in different
regions.

The spiritual and supposed therapeutic use of honey in

ancient India was documented in both the Vedas and the
Ayurveda texts.
RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE
DEALING WITH HONEY
IN ANCIENT GREECE:

In ancient Greek religion, the food of Zeus and the twelve

Gods of Olympus was honey in the form of nectar and
ambrosia.

IN JUDAISM:

. Hebrew Bible,
THE PROMISED “Land of milk and honey”.

In the Hebrew Bible, the Promised Land (Canaan, the land of

Israel) is described 16 different times as, “the land of milk and
honey”, as a metaphor for its bounty. God promised such land
to the Israelites (Exodus 3:8) “and the spies sent in my Moses
confirmed that the land fit the description.”

“Honey” In Other Contexts:

The word “Honey” appears for a further 39 different times,
outside the above mentioned phrase.

In the Book of Judges, Samson finds a swarm of bees and

honey in the carcass of a lion(Judges 14:8). Biblical law
covered offerings made in the temple of God. The Book of
Leviticus says that, “Every grain offering you bring to the Lord
must be made without yeast, for you are not to burn any
yeast or honey in a food offering presented to the Lord”. (Lev.
2:11).

In the Book of Samuel, Jonathan is forced into a confrontation

with his father King Saul after eating honey in violation of a
rash oath Saul has made (1 Samuel 14:24-47).

In the JPS Tanakh 1917 version says, “Pleasant words are as a

honeycomb, Sweet to the soul, and health to the bones”.

The Book of Proverbs says, “Eat honey my son, for it is good”

(Prov. 24:13).

In the Book of Proverbs we also read, “but also, “It is not good
to eat much honey” (Prov. 25:27).

BEES AND DATE HONEY? (Wild or Domesticated Bees)

Of the 55 times that the word honey appears in the Hebrew

Bible, 16 of it parts of the expression, “the land of milk and
honey”, and only twice is honey explicitly associated with
bees, both being related to wild bees: Samson collecting bees'
honey from inside a lion's carcass.

Modern biblical researchers long considered that the original

Hebrew word that is used in the Bible “Devash”, refers to the
sweet syrup that is produced from figs or dates, because the
domestication of the honey bee was completely
undocumented through archaeology anywhere in the ancient
Near East (excluding Egypt) at the time associated with the
earlier biblical narratives (books of Exodus, Judges, Kings,
etc.).

In 2005, however, an apiary dating from the 10 th. Century was

found in Tel Rehov, Israel, that contained 100 hives, estimated
to produce half a ton of honey annually. This was as of 2007,
the only such finding made by archaeologists in the entire
ancient Near East region, and it opens the possibility that
biblical honey was indeed bee honey.

IN RABBINIC JUDAISM:

In Jewish tradition, honey is a symbol for the new year, Rosh

Hashanah. At the traditional meal for that holiday, apple slices
are dipped in hony and are eaten to bring in a sweet new
year. Sone Rosh Hashanah greetings show honey and apples,
symbolizing the feast. However in some congregations, small
straws of honey are given out to usher in a new year.

Pure honey is considered kosher, (permitted to be eaten by

religious Jews), though it is produced by a flying insect, a
non-kosher creature; eating other products of non-kosher
animals is forbidden. It belongs among the prave (neutral)
foods, containing neither meat nor dairy products and
allowed to be eaten together with either.

IN CHRISTIANITY:

The Christian New Testament says that John the Baptist lived
for a long time in the wilderness on a diet of locusts and wild
honey. (Mark 1:6).

Early Christians used honey as a symbol of spiritual perfection

in christening ceremonies.

IN ISLAM:

In Islam, there is an entire chapter called (Surah) in the Quran

that is called an-Nahl (the Bees). According to this teaching
(hadith), Muhammed strongly recommended honey
for healing purposes. The Quran promotes honey as a
nutritious and healthy food.

Saying; “And thy Lord taught the Bee to build its cells in hills,
on trees, and in (men's) habitations; Then to eat of all the
produce (of the earth), and find with skill the spacious paths
of its Lord: there issues from within their bodies a drink of
varying colours, wherein is healing for men: verily in this is a
Sign for those who give thought.”

IN HINDUISM:

In Hinduism, the honey (Madhu) is one of the five elixirs of life

(Panchamrita). In the temples, honey is poured over the
deities in a ritual called “Madhu abhisheka”. The Vedas and
other ancient literature mention the use of honey as a great
medicinal and health food.

IN BUDDHISM:
In Buddhism, the honey plays a very important part in the
festival of “Madhu Purnima”, that is celebrated in India and
Bangladesh. The day commemorates Buddha's making peace
among his disciples by retreating into the wilderness.

According to legend, while Buddah was there a monkeyught

him honey to eat. On Madho Purnima. Buddhists remember
this act by giving honey to monks. The monkey's gift is
frequently depicted in Buddhist art.
HEALTH BENEFITS
OF HONEY
ABOUT HONEY:

Honey is rich in nutrients and antioxidants, and it has

antibacterial properties, and honey can play a role in diabetes
management as a part of a balanced diet. People throughout
the world have hailed the health benefits of honey for
thousands of years.

Honey is a syrupy liquid that honeybees make from different

plant nectar. It is a common ingredient in many different kinds
of food and it is also available in many different forms at your
local supermarket.

The honey also has several potential health benefits and it

plays a role in many home remedies and alternative medicine
treatments.

On average, honey contains 80% sugar. People remove the

honey from the hives and bottle it directly, so it may also
contain trace amounts of yeast, wax, and pollen.
Some studies that were done suggest that consuming raw
honey may help with seasonal allergies, and others have
concluded that honey can help wounds to heal faster.

BENEFITS:

Healing Wounds And Burns:

In two different studies, one in 2015 found that honey may

help heal burns. Another study in 2017 found that the
defensin-1 protein that is in honey promotes wound healing.

An earlier study has found that applying medicinal honey to

the site of infections had no advantage over the
administeration of antibiotics, and applying the honey
actually increased the risk of infection in people that has
diabetes.

I think it is worth noting here that many products such as face

creams, deodorants, and shampoos contain honey in various
amounts.

Preventing Acid Reflux:

Honey might help ward off acid reflux. In a 2017 report on

honey's health effects proposed that honey may help line the
esophagus and the stomach, possibly reducing the upward
flow of stomach acid and digestive foods. The upward flow of
stomach acid can lead to gastroesophageal reflux disease, that
can:

– involve inflammation,

– acid reflux,

– and heartburn.

Fighting Infections:
In a 2018 report, researchers have found that Manuka Honey
can kill bacteria because it contains properties such as:

– hydrogen peroxide,

– and defensin-1 proteins.

Relieving Cold & Cough Symptoms:

In a 2012 study that was done, researchers and scientists have

found that honey was more effective than a placebo at
reducing children's caughs during the night.

In another study that was done in 2014, evaluated whether a

honey and milk solution could treat acute coughs in children.

The scientists concluded that the solution appeared to be at

least as effective as two over the counter products that is
marketed for this purpose.
IN MEDICAL USES:

In a study that was done in 2012, highlights that in Ayurvedic

medicine, honey was used to treat the following wide range of
illnesses, ailments, and injuries, whether it is mixed with other
ingredients and consumed or applied to the skin.

Honey was used to treat the following listed here below:

– stress

– hiccups

– weakness

– bed wetting

– frequent urination

– bad breath

– effects of hangovers

– teething pain in babies older than 1 year of age

– eczema

– dermatitis

– burns

– cuts

– wounds

– coughs

– asthma

– sleep disturbances

– vision problems

– stomach ulcer

– diarrhea

– dysentry

– vomiting

– high blood pressure

– obesity

– jaundice
 – arthritis

A 2017 review, recommended honey as a treatment for

various skin ailments, citing honey's antibacterial, antiviral,
anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties.

Practitioners of traditional Ayurvedic medicine, found that

honey to be effective in treating wounds and various
inbalances that are in the body.

HONEY CONTAINS VARIOUS NUTRIENTS:

One tablespoon of honey or 20 grams (g) contains:

. calories: 61 g
. fat: 0 g
. protein: 0 g
. carbohydrates: 17 g
. fiber: 0 g
. Riboflavin: 1 %DV
. copper: 1 %DV

The honey is essentially pure sugar, with no fat and only trace
amounts of protein and fiber. It contains small amounts of
nutrients. Honey is rich in health promoting plant compounds
known as polyphenols.

RICH IN ANTIOXIDANTS:

Honey that is minimally processed contains many important

bioactive plant compounds and also antioxidants, such as
flavonoids and phenolic acids. Darker varieties tend to offer
more antioxidants then the lighter varieties.

Antioxidants help to neutralize reactive oxygen species (ROS)

that are in your body, that can build up in cells and can cause
some damage. This damage contributes to conditions like
premature aging, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Honey and toast for breakfast.

BETTER BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS:

Regulating blood sugar management, honey may offer some

slight benefits over regular white sugar.

Although honey raises your blood sugar levels just like other
types of sugars do, the antioxidants that are in the honey may
help protect against metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes.

Scientists and researchers have found that honey may

increase adiponectin levels, a hormone that reduces
inflammation and improves blood sugar regulation.

However, while honey may be slightly better than refined

sugar for people with diabetes, people SHOULD CONSUME IT
IN MODERATION.

It is also important to know that some honey producers dilute

the honey with plain syrup. Although honey adulteration is
illegal in most countries, it remains a widespread problem.

HONEY MAY IMPROVE HEART HEALTH:

Honey may also prevent heart disease. According to one

review that was done states that honey may help:

– lower blood pressure

– improve blood fat levels

– regulate your heartbeat

– prevent death of healthy cells

all factors that can improve your heart function and health.

In one observational study that included over 4,500 people

over 40 associated a modern honey intake with a lower risk of
high blood pressure among women. In an animal study that
was also done on rodents showed that honey helped protect
the heart from oxidative stress.

Additionally, raw honey typically contains propolis, which is a

resin that bees produce from sap producing trees and other
similar plants. Propolis may improve cholesterol and
triglyceride levels.

EASY TO ADD TO YOUR DIET:

Honey is often easy to add to your diet. To get a small boost of

antioxidants from honey, you can use it any way you'd
typically use sugar.

It is an excellent for sweetening:

– plain yogurt

– coffee
 – tea

– smoothies

– baked goods

You can also use it in cooking and baking.

KNOW THE RISKS:

You must remember that honey is a kind of sugar, so

consuming it will cause your blood sugar levels to rise. Eating
large quantities of honey, especially consistently over a long
period, can contribute to weight gain and increase your risk of
diseases like type 2 diabetes or heart disease.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that

women get no more than 100 calories a day from added sugar
and men no more that 150 calories a day from this source.
This amounts to about 6 teaspoons for woman and 9
teaspoons for men.

“BECAUSE HONEY IS SUGAR, TRY TO LIMIT

YOUR INTAKE”.

Another risk is botulism. According to research that was done,

the bacteria that causes this illness can contaminate the
honey, and approximately 20% of infants botulism cases in the
United States stem from raw honey.
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