Honey has been a human food source for over 6,000 years. It was probably referenced first in clay tablet form around 2,100 to 2,000 B.C. There are thought to be around 20,000 species of bees but only a small number produce honey and that small list includes about 10 species known as honey bees.
Nectar is an aqueous solution of amino acids, sugars, lipids and a few minerals. This combination attracts insects to floral plants and the insects assist in pollination. Without insects, pollination would be mostly wind dependent.
Honey is the only food source that will not spoil once it has ripened. It is a super-saturated sugar solution and bacteria cannot live in honey because of the high osmotic pressure. It will, however, absorb atmospheric water if not kept in an airtight container.
Honey is either unifloral, if it is made from a single flower source, or multifloral. Flower nectar is blended with the bee's salivary enzymes to produce honey. This sweet substance contains about 38% of the monosaccharides fructose and 30% glucose. A small percentage of the nectar is made up of the disaccharide sucrose. Sucrose is a combination of fructose and glucose and is therefore a disaccharide. Other substances such as potassium, calcium, nitrogen and vitamins are present in small amounts.
Honey is either raw – like honey just out of the comb – or pasteurized. Pasteurized honey is heated and also strained to get rid of contaminants.
A few unifloral varieties are worth mentioning. Manuka honey is produced by bees that feed on the manuka bush in New Zealand. This type contains substances that promote wound healing when applied to sites of injury.
Alfalfa honey has favorable prebiotic effects and therefore promotes the growth of favorable intestinal bacteria. Buckwheat honey has antioxidant properties which aid to protect our bodies from oxidative stress. Clover honey is thought to be one of the safest dietary antibacterial agents, and lavender honey has been used to treat foot ulcers and some forms of fungal skin infections.
It has been said that honey's characteristics depend on its floral source and geographic region.
Unfortunately there are some disadvantages to ingesting honey. It could be contaminated with pesticides, heavy metals or other toxic compounds. Infants should not be given honey because it could be contaminated with spores from Clostridium botulinum which could then germinate into bacteria and contaminate the digestive tract and produce dangerous toxins.
Bees are social insects that communicate with each other by odors, chemicals and dancing. The queen of a hive may live up to 5 years. Also, honeybees can fly up to speeds of 15 mph.
There are no bees in Antarctica.
Greece has a long history of beekeeping and most consider Greek honey to be the world's best.
A short list of famous beekeepers includes Morgan Freeman, Martha Stewart, Leo Tolstoy, Maria Von Trapp, Henry Fonda and Aristotle.
Try several types of local honey and choose a favorite. Right now, our pantry contains a sample of sourwood and clover honey given to us from a friend whose brother owns an apiary in northern Virginia.
Befriend a local beekeeper. They are good people.
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MEDICAL INSIGHTS: Sweet facts about honey, bees | Features - Charleston Post Courier
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