Honey is a natural product made by bees. It’s one of the few natural things on this planet that you can consume as food as part of your meals or beverages in any season. Besides that, its antibacterial properties also make it popular as a medicine. Mainly visible in a thick, syrupy liquid in stores, you can find honey in different forms.
Long before sugar became a staple, honey reigned as the natural sweetener. In the past, people extracted and stored the rich, dark honey in ceramic jars, a practice that has evolved over time. Today, you’ll encounter honey in different shades inside bottles in your local stores.
You may not have imagined that honey is used in various foods and beverages while cooking and baking. Have you heard of honey-processed coffee beans? Yes, honey is now part of the coffee production and roasting process as well. Besides that, you can always find honey in confectionaries, baked goods, and even dairy products blended with classic flavors.
In addition, honey is used in several beverages that are suitable season-wise. From lemonade in summer to milk in winter, it can also be found in some alcoholic beverages like beer.
Gulping down a spoon or two of honey is a good idea if you suffer from a sore throat or cough. That’s why a spoonful of honey with lemon is a good choice in your green tea. While it does act as a natural sweetener, people with diabetes and heart problems need to consume it sparingly.
Honey is a key component in several medicines, from cough syrups to immunity boosters. Its medicinal capabilities have made it a go-to household remedy against wounds, inflammation, digestive issues, and as an antioxidant. Also, honey is also part of an alternative medicine treatment, and a handful of reports cite it as a source of cancer prevention.
Honey is good and soothing for abrasions and ailments such as diabetes, asthma, and cardiovascular problems. However, it’s a misconception that it’s fine to use honey instead of sugar in food. That’s untrue because honey is a form of sugar with many nutrients. And its overconsumption can spike and destabilize the sugar levels in your body.
Though it is a liquid form of sugar, honey is also a source of fiber, protein, and several nutrients, in addition to its medicinal benefits. However, the honey available in the commercial jars in the superstores is highly pasteurized and has the fewest nutrients. Several companies follow that process to bump up the shelf life of honey.
While raw honey does contain a significant amount of sugar, it comes with a treasure trove of nutrients. You can find honey with diverse elements, including calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, zinc, phosphorous, niacin, and riboflavin. These nutrients nourish the body, while antioxidants help fight the potential damage to the cells against unstable molecules produced during metabolism.
It also contains beneficial enzymes, amino acids, and other compounds that aid digestion and enhance the absorption of other nutrients.
This golden liquid is great for people of all ages, but you should not give it to infants under one year old. This is mainly because their immune systems aren’t ready to be protected against its bacterial and enzyme properties. As much as it contains antimicrobial properties, the effects are known to help at several levels, from preventing infection to working as an antioxidant.
Several honey varieties are available worldwide, so it’s not surprising that there are several honey-tasting festivals. Honey is quickly becoming the sugar-replacement sweetener in many packaged foods to provide a more natural sweetening.
Contrary to popular misconception, farming bees to extract honey later is relatively easy. You only need a good garden with many bees-friendly plants to pollinate and space to let bees store the nectar from the flowers.