Honey is a natural sweetener that is produced by bees using the nectar they suck from flowers.
Properties of HONEY
Honey is mainly composed of water and two sugars I.e glucose and fructose.
It also includes vitamins, trace enzymes, amino acids and minerals like calcium, iron, sodium chloride, phosphate, potassium.
A tablespoon of honey contains about 64 calories and has no fat or cholesterol.
NB: Only animal source of fat or oil contains cholesterol. Plant's oil never does.
The pH is slightly acidic reading between 3.2 and 4.5 making unfit for the growth of bacteria and so therefore would hardly undergo spoilage except if mixed or contaminated with additives.
The colour of honey (between light and dark brown) varies depending on the species or type of flower the nectar is gotten from. However, it may be made from the nectar of a single type or different type of flowers.
How is HONEY made?
The production of honey is a way the Bees store food over the cooler winter period in which food may not be available just like the way other social insects such as ants, termites etc. do.
According to research, Bees experts estimated that it will take approximately 60,000 bees traveling to about 2 million flowers to extract their nectar to get a pound of Honey.
Knowing this, we should try not to be wasteful with the food produce we get
Bees have an extra stomach in which they store nectar when collecting them. The two stomachs are used to ingest their favorite food which is pollen.
In the extra stomach, the nectar sucked up from the pollen they gather mixes with enzymes and the bee regurgitate the mixture right into another bee's mouth and then to another till it is partially digested.
The partially digested fluid is then stored in honey combs which are in hexagons.
They make the fluid thicker by fan them with their wings and then seal them up using a chemical secreted from their abdomen. This is known as beeswax.
Benefits of HONEY
Honey have a pH range between 3.2 to 4.5 and also contains hydrogen peroxide. This makes it acts as an antibacterial and antifungal substance. Honey helps to kill unwanted bacteria and fungi.
Though, the effectiveness of the honey depends on the type of honey.
This also help in boosting the body immune system.
Honey contains antioxidants called flavonoids wich have anti-inflammatory properties making it able to suppress allergy symptoms such as runny nose, cough.
Glucose and fructose are part of the main components of honey making it high in carbohydrate and can provide energy quickly.
Honey contains trace amount of compounds such as hydrogen peroxide, methylgloxal that aid the healing of wounds and burns.
It is used as a cosmetic and is often used in treating skin diseases, scalp diseases and also used as a moisturizer.
Side effects of consuming HONEY
Since honey is mainly made up of sugar and is high in calories, it may cause weight gain.
Overconsumption of honey may cause abdominal discomfort due to its richness in fructose. It can interrupt the nutrient absorption capacity of the small intestine.
Raw honey consists of a group of compounds called grayanotoxins which are poisonous to the nervous system and may causenerve damage.
For healthy living, honey should be consumed moderately.
REFERENCES:
http://www.buzzaboutbees.net/why-do-bees-make-honey.html
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey
http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/honey-vs-sugar#overview1
http://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/top-raw-honey-benefits#1
http://www.well-beingsecrets.com/health-benefits-of-honey-ultimate-guide/
https://www.google.com.ng/amp/www.healthlogus.com/disadvantages-and-side-effects-of-honey/amp/
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