What is Honey? Why Geohoney?
Reading Time: 9 minutes, 23 seconds Post Views: 2963Honey is a sweet liquid substance with a sticky texture, made by worker bees from the nectar they collect from botanical aroma glands. Bees partially digest the nectar, extracting the moisture out of the juice-like substance. Worker bees then store this nectar in hexagonal honeycombs and seal them in wax cells, in order to use them later as nutrition for the hive during the winter. Honey has been widely known for thousands of years. It has been used in various ways, whether as nutrition for the body, dessert or as medicine to cure illnesses, inflammations and burns. It is to add that ancient Egyptians, as well as Sumerians used honey in the mummification process and to treat baldness. Nowadays, honey is used as a natural sweetener ad as medicine for many physical and physiological illnesses.
Honey Supplements
Honey is considered to be a significant source of carbohydrates: one tablespoon of honey provides us with 66 calories. Honey is mainly and largely composed of natural sugars - mostly fructose and glucose - with a percentage that ranges between 50-80 calories. Due to the high level of fruit sugar in it (fructose), honey is deemed sweeter than normal table sugar; it also contains 8-18% water. The less water it contains, the better the quality of the honey is.
As for the rest of its components, honey contains a good amount of minerals such as potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, iron and zinc, as well as other types of minerals. It also consists of many vitamins, such as: B1, B2, B3, B4,B5, B6, B8, vitamin C, Carotene and others.
Honey also contains pollen, proteins, enzymes, peptides, amino acids, flavonoids, fibers, and yeasts, in addition to rare and essential elements of anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant substances such as riboflavin. Honey is completely free of fat and cholesterol.
Honey contains aromatic oils giving it distinctive smell and special taste. These oils may be lost when honey is heated, which is what we refrain from doing at GeoHoney, to ensure that honey is delivered purely and safely from the forests, mountains and hills of the world straight to your home.
Nutritional Structure of honey
The following table lists the nutritional components of every 100 grams of natural honey
Water | 17.10 gm |
Energy | 304 cal |
Protein | 0.3 gm |
Fat | 0.00 gm |
Carbohydrates | 82.40 gm |
Nutritious fibers | 0.2 gm |
Total sugar | 82.12 gm |
Calcium | 6 mg |
Iron | 0.42 mg |
Magnesium | 2 mg |
Phosphorus | 4 mg |
Potassium | 52 mg |
Sodium | 4 mg |
Zinc | 0.22 mg |
Vitamin C | 0.5 mg |
Thiamine | 0.000 mg |
Riboflavin | 0.038 mg |
Niacin | 0.121 mg |
Vitamin B6 | 0.024 mg |
Folate | 2 mcg |
Vitamin B12 | 0.00 mcg |
Vitamin A | 0 international unit |
Vitamin E (Alpha-Tocapherol) | 0.00 mg |
Vitamin D | 0 international unit |
Vitamin K | 0 mcg |
Caffeine | 0 mg |
Cholesterol | 11mg |
Dyes (carotene - chlorophyll - chlorophyll derivatives - Alzanthovelat) | 1 gm |
Health Benefits of Honey
Honey has various healthy traits that benefit the human body. Each kind of honey offers a set of benefits that differ from other kinds, based on the component composition of each, the type of plants, the flowers' nectar, forest meadows, as well as the climate where the bees fed. The most important benefits of honey are:
Honey - Source of Energy for Adults and Children
Honey is considered to be a highly nutritious substance. It is used as nutrition for children, as well as for adults. It is the only sweetening substance that is not human-made and its consumption - as nutrition - does not require any recycling or refinement. Honey can be preserved for quite a long time, when properly stored. Honey substitutes sugars consumed during physical or intellectual efforts, exerted by each and every person. It may equally be used in weight loss issues and conditions.
Honey - Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Microbial
Honey is similar to antibiotics, as it has the ability to kill many microbes, viruses and fungus. Honey interacts with body cells to produce disinfectants that reduce inflammations and poisoning, curing them by enhancing the body's immunity system.
Honey - Heart and Arteries
Honey - being a replacement of refined and manufactured sweeteners - helps contribute to the prevention of obesity, heart diseases and arteriosclerosis. Honey was found to be effective in reducing the level of cholesterol and saturated fats, in addition to killing free radicals.
Honey - Prevention of Digestive System Illnesses
On the contrary of refined and simple sugars - such as sucrose - honey does not ferment in the stomach, as it does not remain there for long periods of time and is quickly digested. This way it does not pose a risk of bacterial invasion. Honey goes straight from small intestines to the bloodstream, without causing any inflammation or unease in the digestive system, as sucrose does. A clinical experiment concluded that the benefits of honey include helping in cases of indigestion, as it increases the activity level of intestines and helps eliminate excess acidity in the stomach, which usually leads to an ulcer. Many physicians have used honey to treat stomach ulcers, colitis and duodenal ulcers for quite a long time. Honey has a great ability to treat liver diseases, thanks to its chemical and biological structure. Science proved that honey (in addition to constituting a type of nutrition for the body cells and its tissues) and the glucose it contains increase the level of stored glycogen in the liver and activate metabolism in vital tissues.
Honey - Preserves Teeth and Protects Gums
Honey plays an essential role in preserving teeth, protecting them from caries and helping them develop properly. Honey, also, plays a role in strengthening gums and protecting them from fungus, ulcers and pigmentations.
Honey - Cancer Prevention
Honey contains vitamins and anti-oxidant substances. In fact, a one of a kind anti-oxidant - called "pinocembrin" - is only found in honey. Radium was, also, found in radiant honey, which is a very rare kind of honey. It is widely known that anti-oxidants play a major role in cancer prevention, as well as preventing the spread of cancer cells, especially in the cases of esophagus, mouth, intestines and stomach cancers.
Honey - Cough Medicine
Based on many documented research papers, honey is the most effective and safest method to treat children who suffer from cough, rather than regular, over the counter cough medicines. Honey helps eliminate mucus, throat inflammation (laryngitis); it also alleviates cough, asthma, bronchitis, pertussis, pharyngitis and laryngitis, thus honey is a significant component in the manufacturing of cough medicines, thanks to its large effect on such diseases.
Honey - Enhances Blood Hemoglobin and Increases Its Fertility
Research and studies have found that honey plays an effective role in regulating blood pressure and increasing the level of hemoglobin, especially when consumed on a daily basis, for a long time.
Honey - An Excellent Choice for Athletes
Honey is considered to be a source of energy for the body, as it raises the level of sugar in the blood (glucose) within a short period of time, thus it is, indeed, the best option to provide athletes with energy and to assist them to train and exert physical effort. On the other hand, consuming honey as a source of carbohydrates while playing sports helps improve performance notably, especially when used during endurance and bicycle races.
Honey - Wounds and Burns
Honey contains the enzyme responsible for the production of hydrogen peroxide, which makes it very helpful in the treatment of wounds, pain relief, disinfecting injuries, as well as preventing germs and bacteria from developing, by creating an acidic environment and therefore preventing inflammations. Several specialized scientific research studies proved that topical use of honey on superficial burns largely helps healing the latters effectively. Honey, also, helps healing wounds in a faster fashion, in addition to helping the patient regain his/her normal color of skin, as it was, prior to the occurrence of the wound or burn.
Honey - Skin and Eyes
Honey directly and effectively benefits the skin, as it helps purifying its surface. It is, also, used to treat Eczema, psoriasis, dandruff and acne, since it contains certain characteristics rendering it anti-oxidant. Honey contributes to the alleviation of dry skin and skin cracking on the feet, therefore, it is used in the manufacturing of many creams, cosmetic products, lotions and soaps, which contribute to the freshness of the skin, maintaining its youthful and splendid look, in addition to eliminating premature aging signs.
Additionally, honey contributes to alleviating the symptoms of epiphora (watering eyes) and is considered to be a treatment for itchy eyelids, as well as bacterial, mold and seasonal allergies. Honey can be very useful to treat black circles under the eyes. Honey is, also, used in the manufacturing of many ointments used in eye treatment, as it helps treating eyelid and cornea inflammations and ulcers, as well as conjunctivitis and seasonal allergies.
Honey - For the Nervous and Psychological System
Honey is considered to be a pain killer for the body. Consuming honey prior to bedtime contributes to calming the nervous system and to combating certain sleep disorders, such as insomnia. Rare types of honey may, also, help treat other psychological illnesses, such as the rare Rock Honey.
Honey - Sex
Honey has many beneficial effects on sexual health, as it enhances the production of the testosterone hormone in men, it also contains the "boron" mineral which helps increase estrogen levels in women. A scientific study found that a dose of honey consisting only of half a cup (almost 3 ounces) increases the level of the chemical component known as "Nitric Oxide", which spreads in the blood when sexually aroused. Honey is, also, an effective and active home-based treatment for those who suffer from erectile dysfunction. Studies proved that honey is capable of improving the level of energy, blood distribution, and endurance, as well as the enhancement of the level of fertility and the count in men's semen.
Honey - Diabetes
In cases of diabetes, the patient must know that sugar is sugar, whether it is regular table/simple sugar, brown sugar, honey, or otherwise. A diabetes patient must consult his/her own physician prior to consuming honey.
However, scientific research found positive results in this regard, in addition to multiple benefits that honey can provide to diabetes patients. Daily consumption of honey slightly decreases glucose and cholesterol levels in the blood, contributes to reducing body weight and slows any increase in blood sugar in comparison to simple sugar, known as glucose. Research, also, found that when consumed by diabetes patients, honey improves certain disorders that accompany the illness, such as reducing specific liver enzymes and high levels of triglyceride; it also reduces the level of cumulative blood sugar and increases the level of good cholesterol.
In a nutshell:- Honey is the best Source of Energy for Adults and Children
- Honey is Anti-Bacterial and Anti-Microbial
- Honey is the best friend Heart and Arteries
- Honey means the Prevention of Digestive System Illnesses
- Honey Preserves Teeth and Protects Gums
- Honey is literally for Cancer Prevention and many other tough diseases
- Honey is cough Medicine
- Honey Enhances Blood Hemoglobin and Increases Its Fertility
- Honey is An Excellent Choice for Athletes
- Honey heals out Wounds and Burns
- Honey for shiny Skin and iron Eyes
- Honey is perfect for the Nervous and Psychological System
- Honey simply means better Sex
- Honey is for diabetes
- Honey is a must Buy substance
Very Informative article, I get to know many intresting thing about bees and honey.