Honey

From ArticleWorld

Honey is a sweet, thick and yellow syrup produced by honey bees. It is sold in the comb, as the extracted liquid, and in solid and granular forms. It is the original and all-natural sweetener. It is a special type of food produced by honey bees that they manufacture from partially digested nectar of flowers. Honey is the result of bees collecting nectar from flowers that facilitates pollination - which is extremely important to flowering plants.

Properties

Honey is one of the oldest sweeteners used by man and was highly valued by ancient Egyptians for its medicinal and healing properties. The color, flavor, consistency and quality depend on the source of the nectar, as well as the production method used. It is believed that darker the color of honey the stronger is its flavor. Honey is much sweeter than normal sugar and its distinctive flavor makes it a preferred ingredient in bakery products; it is also used as a sweetener in sweets, drinks as well as a glaze for roasts. Due of its low moisture content and high content of sugar, which acts as a natural preservative, honey can be kept for a long time without spoiling.

Enriched with minerals, vitamins and amino acids, honey is believed to be moisturizing, softening, and healing for the skin. It is also used in natural remedies for its antibacterial properties and as it is rich in many essential nutrients including vitamins C, D and E, honey is also natural humectant that draws moisture to the skin. Honey is also a natural antibacterial substance, making it quite useful in the treatment of wounds. It contains hydrogen peroxide, which it releases slowly, killing any germs that are in the wound. It contains other properties that help generate tissue, possibly vitamin C and amino acids.

Chemical structure

Honey is composed largely of a mixture of Fructose (38%) and Glucose (31%) dissolved in about 17% water. It also contains small amounts of sucrose, mineral matter, vitamins, proteins, and enzymes.

Poison

Some varieties of honey like those produced from rhododendron, mountain laurel and azalea are considered toxic, while any type of honey is considered harmful for children under the age of 18 months.