Honey

This wonderfully rich golden liquid is the miraculous product of honey bees and a naturally delicious alternative to white sugar. Although it is available throughout the year, it is an exceptional treat in the summer and fall when it has just been harvested and is at its freshest.
The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees' saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive where they deposit it into the cells of the hive's walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the moisture's content making it ready for consumption.


This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Honey provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Honey can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Honey, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart.

Health Benefits

In addition to its reputation as Nature's nutritive sweetener, research also indicates that honey's unique composition makes it useful as an antimicrobial agent and antioxidant.

Raw Honey - An Anti-Bacterial, Anti-Viral, Anti-Fungal Substance

The health benefits of honey - like all foods - depend on the quality of the honey. But in this case, the situation is even more extreme, because the pollen that collects on the bees' legs as they move from plant to plant is only as healthful and as diverse as those plants. In addition, the processing of honey often removes many of the phytonutrients found in raw honey as it exists in the hive. Raw honey, for example, contains small amounts of the same resins found in propolis. Propolis, sometimes called "bee glue," is actually a complex mixture of resins and other substances that honeybees use to seal the hive and make it safe from bacteria and other micro-organisms. Honeybees make propolis by combining plant resins with their own secretions. However, substances like road tar have also been found in propolis. Bee keepers sometimes use special screens around the inside of the hive boxes to trap propolis, since bees will spread this substance around the honeycomb and seal cracks with the anti-bacterial, anti-viral, and anti-fungal resins. The resins found in propolis only represent a small part of the phytonutrients found in propolis and honey, however. Other phytonutrients found both in honey and propolis have been shown to posssess cancer-preventing and anti-tumor properties. These substances include caffeic acid methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate, and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate. Researchers have discovered that these substances prevent colon cancer in animals by shutting down activity of two enzymes, phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C and lipoxygenase. When raw honey is extensively processed and heated, the benefits of these phytonutrients are largely eliminated.

 
 What's so Special about Raw Honey ?

What's raw honey? Isn't honey in itself raw? It's probably not too difficult to remember well what "raw" means when you associate it with uncooked vegetables and meat whereby any form of heating is avoided so as to preserve all the natural vitamins, enzymes and other nutritional elements.

Raw honey is the concentrated nectar of flowers that comes straight from the extractor; it is the only unheated, pure, unpasteurized, unprocessed honey. An alkaline-forming food, this type of honey contains ingredients similar to those found in fruits, which become alkaline in the digestive system. It doesn’t ferment in the stomach and it can be used to counteract acid indigestion. When mixed with ginger and lemon juices, it also relieves nausea and supplies energy. Raw honey is the healthiest choice amongst the various forms of honey as it has the most nutritional value and contains amylase, an enzyme concentrated in flower pollen which helps predigest starchy foods like breads.
Most of the honey found in the supermarket is not raw honey but “commercial" regular honey, which has been pasteurized (heated at 70 degrees Celsius or more, followed by rapid cooling) and filtered so that it looks cleaner and smoother, more appealing on the shelf, and easier to handle and package. Pasteurization kills any yeast cell in the honey and prevents fermentation. It also slows down the speed of crystallization in liquid honey. On the downside, when honey is heated, its delicate aromas, yeast and enzymes which are responsible for activating vitamins and minerals in the body system are partially destroyed. Hence, raw honey is assumed to be more nutritious than honey that has undergone heat treatment.
Characterised by fine textured crystals, raw honey looks milkier and contains particles and flecks made of bee pollen, honeycomb bits, propolis, and broken bee wing fragments. Raw and unfiltered honey is relatively low in moisture content (14% to 18%) and has a high antioxidant level. It will usually granulate and crystallize to a margarine-like consistency after a month or two. Many people prefer to spread it on bread and waffles, dissolve it in hot coffee or tea, or use it for cooking and baking.
Among manufacturers there exists no uniform code of using the term "raw honey". There are no strict legal requirements for claiming and labelling honey as "raw". You may find raw honey that are unprocessed but slightly warmed to retard granulation for a short period of time and allow light straining and packing into containers for sale. In this case, the honey will not be considered 100% "raw" because it has been heated slightly and therefore rightfully should not be labeled as such by the supplier. Using as little heat as possible is a sign of careful handling.

Forms of honey

Honey comes in a number of physical forms, and understanding the variety will certainly help you pick a more appropriate form from the supermarket when you wish to combine honey with other ingredients used in the preparation of foods. Try out the various forms and tastes of honey when you have the chance!

1. Comb Honey:

It is difficult to find comb honey nowadays, but sometimes you can find a jar of liquid honey to which a piece of cut comb has been added. Before the invention of honey extracting device, honey is mostly produced in the form of comb honey. Today, very little honey is produced as comb honey.
Comb honey is raw pure honey sections taken straight from the hive – honey bees’ wax comb with no further handling at all. It is the most unprocessed form in which honey comes -- the bees fill the hexagon shaped wax cells of the comb with honey and cap it with beeswax. You can eat comb honey just like a chewy candy. Because the honey in the comb is untouched and is deemed to be pure, honey presented in this form comes with a a relatively higher price tag.
Read about my very first encounter, first bite of honeycomb.

2. Liquid honey:

I easily find this honey everywhere. When I travel abroad, I notice that most countries seem to have no lack of it.
Liquid honey has been filtered to remove fine particles, pollen grains, and air bubbles, and heated to melt visible crystals after being extracted from the honey comb by centrifugal force or gravity. Because liquid honey mixes easily into a variety of foods, its uses are diverse. It is used as a syrup for pancakes and waffles and in a wide variety of recipes, and it's especially convenient for cooking and baking.

3. Cream honey:
 
If you are one of those who complain that honey is messy to use, cream honey, which is also known as whipped honey, spun honey, granulated honey, or honey fondant, would be an excellent alternative to liquid honey. As the crystallisation process has been controlled very precisely, cream honey does not drip like liquid honey, has a smooth consistency and can be spread like butter.
It has one part finely granulated honey blended with nine parts liquid honey. Crystallisation lightens the color of honey, but does not affect the taste and nutritional goodness at all. For instance, creamed premium lavender honey from the south of France is white in the jar. For those who live in warm climate countries like me, you probably might have noticed that the creamed honey that you buy from the air-conditioned supermart becomes darker in colour and more runny when placed in room temperature.
PS: Honey does not remain stable if the moisture content is too high. No reputable honey supplier would add water to honey, as this would cause the honey to ferment and emit an alcoholic smell.

Color and Flavor of Honey

Color is used in the honey industry as a convenient measure of honey flavour and aroma. Generally, lighter honeys have a milder flavor and darker honeys have a more robust flavor. The color and flavour of honey is largely determined by the floral source of the nectar. However, exposure to heat and storage time may affect honey’s quality and color. Normally, the darkening of honey occurs more rapidly when honey is stored at high temperatures. Also, honey appears lighter in color after it has granulated, which is why most creamed honeys are opaque and light in color.

Nutrition

Honey

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)
Energy	1,272 kJ (304 kcal)
Carbohydrates	82.4 g
Sugars	82.12 g
Dietary fiber	0.2 g
Fat	0 g
Protein	0.3 g
Water	17.10 g
Riboflavin (Vit. B2)	0.038 mg (3%)
Niacin (Vit. B3)	0.121 mg (1%)
Pantothenic acid (B5)	0.068 mg (1%)
Vitamin B6	0.024 mg (2%)
Folate (Vit. B9)	2 μg (1%)
Vitamin C	0.5 mg (1%)
Calcium	6 mg (1%)
Iron	0.42 mg (3%)
Magnesium	2 mg (1%)
Phosphorus	4 mg (1%)
Potassium	52 mg (1%)
Sodium	4 mg (0%)
Zinc	0.22 mg (2%)
Shown is for 100 g, roughly 5 tbsp. Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient database

Honey is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. With respect to carbohydrates, honey is mainly fructose (about 38.5%) and glucose (about 31.0%),making it similar to the synthetically produced inverted sugar syrup, which is approximately 48% fructose, 47% glucose, and 5% sucrose. Honey's remaining carbohydrates include maltose, sucrose, and other complex carbohydrates. As with all nutritive sweeteners, honey is mostly sugars and contains only trace amounts of vitamins or minerals. Honey also contains tiny amounts of several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, including chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin.The specific composition of any batch of honey depends on the flowers available to the bees that produced the honey.
Typical honey analysis.

• Fructose: 38.2%
• Glucose: 31.3%
• Sucrose: 1.3%
• Maltose: 7.1%
• Water: 17.2%
• Higher sugars: 1.5%
• Ash: 0.2%
• Other/undetermined: 3.2%

Its glycemic index ranges from 31 to 78, depending on the variety.
Honey has a density of about 1.36 kilograms per litre (36% denser than water).
Isotope ratio mass spectrometry can be used to detect addition of corn syrup or sugar cane sugars by the carbon isotopic signature. Addition of sugars originating from corn or sugar cane (C4 plants, unlike the plants used by bees, which are predominantly C3 plants) skews the isotopic ratio of sugars present in honey, but does not influence the isotopic ratio of proteins; in an unadulterated honey the carbon isotopic ratios of sugars and proteins should match. As low as 7% level of addition can be detected.

Classification

Honey is classified by its floral source, and there are also divisions according to the packaging and processing used. There are also regional honeys. Honey is also graded on its color and optical density by USDA standards, graded on a scale called the Pfund scale, which ranges from 0 for "water white" honey to more than 114 for "dark amber" honey.

Floral source

Generally, honey is classified by the floral source of the nectar from which it was made. Honeys can be from specific types of flower nectars, from indeterminate origin, or can be blended after collection.

Blended

Most commercially available honey is blended, meaning that it is a mixture of two or more honeys differing in floral source, color, flavor, density or geographic origin.

Polyfloral

Polyfloral honey, also known as wildflower honey, is derived from the nectar of many types of flowers.The taste may vary from year to year, and the aroma and the flavor can be more or less intense, depending on which bloomings are prevalent.

Monofloral

Monofloral honey is made primarily from the nectar of one type of flower. Different monofloral honeys have a distinctive flavor and color because of differences between their principal nectar sources. To produce monofloral honey, beekeepers keep beehives in an area where the bees have access to only one type of flower. In practice, because of the difficulties in containing bees, a small proportion of any honey will be from additional nectar from other flower types. Typical examples of North American monofloral honeys are clover, orange blossom, sage, tupelo, buckwheat, fireweed, and sourwood. Some typical European examples include thyme, thistle, heather, acacia, dandelion, sunflower, honeysuckle, and varieties from lime and chestnut trees. In North Africa, such as Egypt, examples include clover, cotton, and citrus (mainly orange blossoms).

Honeydew honey

Instead of taking nectar, bees can take honeydew, the sweet secretions of aphids or other plant sap-sucking insects. Honeydew honey is very dark brown in color, with a rich fragrance of stewed fruit or fig jam and is not sweet like nectar honeys. Germany's Black Forest is a well known source of honeydew-based honeys, as well as some regions in Bulgaria and Northern California in the United States. In Greece, pine honey (a type of honeydew honey) constitutes 60–65% of the annual honey production. Honeydew honey is popular in some areas, but in other areas beekeepers have difficulty selling the stronger flavored product.
The production of honeydew honey has some complications and dangers. The honey has a much larger proportion of indigestibles than light floral honeys, thus causing dysentery to the bees, resulting in the death of colonies in areas with cold winters. Good beekeeping management requires the removal of honeydew prior to winter in colder areas. Bees collecting this resource also have to be fed protein supplements, as honeydew lacks the protein-rich pollen accompaniment gathered from flowers.

Classification by packaging and processing

Honeycomb

A variety of honey flavors and container sizes and styles .

Generally, honey is bottled in its familiar liquid form. However, honey is sold in other forms, and can be subjected to a variety of processing methods.

• Crystallized honey is honey in which some of the glucose content has spontaneously crystallized from solution as the monohydrate. Also called "granulated honey." Honey that has crystallized over time (or commercially purchased crystallized) in the home can be returned to a liquid state if stirred in a container sitting in warm water at 120 °F (approx 49 °C).
• Pasteurized honey is honey that has been heated in a pasteurization process. Pasteurization destroys yeast cells. It also liquefies any micro-crystals in the honey, which delays the onset of visible crystallization. However, excessive heat-exposure also results in product deterioration as it increases the level of hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and reduces enzyme (e.g. diastase) activity. Heat also affects appearance (darkens the natural honey color) , taste, and fragrance.
• Raw honey is honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining, without adding heat (although some honey that has been "minimally processed" is often labeled as raw honey). Raw honey contains some pollen and may contain small particles of wax. Local raw honey is sought after by allergy sufferers as the pollen impurities are thought to lessen the sensitivity to hay fever (see Other medical applications below).
• Strained honey is honey that has been passed through a mesh material to remove particulate material (pieces of wax, propolis, other defects) without removing pollen, minerals or valuable enzymes.
• Ultrafiltered honey is honey processed by very fine filtration under high pressure to remove all extraneous solids and pollen grains. The process typically heats honey to 150–170 °F (approx. 65–77 °C) to more easily pass through the fine filter. Ultrafiltered honey is very clear and has a longer shelf life, because it crystallizes more slowly because of the high temperatures breaking down any sugar seed crystals, making it preferred by the supermarket trade.
• Ultrasonicated honey is honey that has been processed by ultrasonication, a nonthermal processing alternative for honey. When honey is exposed to ultrasonication, most of the yeast cells are destroyed. Yeast cells that survive sonication generally lose their ability to grow. This reduces the rate of honey fermentation substantially. Ultrasonication also eliminates existing crystals and inhibits further crystallization in honey. Ultrasonically aided liquefaction can work at substantially lower temperatures of approximately 35 °C (95 °F) and can reduce liquefaction time to less than 30 seconds.
• Whipped honey, also called creamed honey, spun honey, churned honey, candied honey, and honey fondant, is honey that has been processed to control crystallization. Whipped honey contains a large number of small crystals in the honey. The small crystals prevent the formation of larger crystals that can occur in unprocessed honey. The processing also produces a honey with a smooth, spreadable consistency.
• Dried honey has the moisture extracted from liquid honey to create a completely solid, nonsticky honey. This process may or may not include the use of drying and antibinding agents. Dried honey is commonly used to garnish desserts.
• Comb honey is honey still in the honeybees' wax comb. Comb honey traditionally is collected by using standard wooden frames in honey supers. The frames are collected and the comb cut out in chunks before packaging. As an alternative to this labor intensive method, plastic rings or cartridges can be used that do not require manual cutting of the comb, and speed packaging. Comb honey harvested in the traditional manner is also referred to as "cut-comb honey". In India, honey is harvested from forests in bee's natural habitat. It is said that honey will be consumed by the bees on the new moon day, so it is cultivated the day before.
• Chunk honey is honey packed in widemouth containers consisting of one or more pieces of comb honey immersed in extracted liquid honey.

Is honey organic ?

This should clear it up for you.

According to USDA regulations, honey cannot be labeled certified organic if its production uses even traces of prohibited chemicals, drugs or antibiotics. Non-organic beekeepers routinely use sulfa compounds and antibiotics to control bee diseases, carbolic acid to remove honey from the hive and calcium cyanide to kill colonies before extracting the honey¹, and of course conventional honeybees gather nectar from plants that have been sprayed with pesticides. The Lancet, a prestigious international medical journal, reported in 1993 that conventionally produced honey may contain residues of these chemicals and should be used with caution², which is one of the reasons many of us jump for joy when we find a reliable source of certified organic honey.

Organic honey not only is safe to eat, but also helps keep our planet healthy. Organic beekeepers sustain the natural life cycle of bees by safeguarding their natural habitat, and nourishing them as nature intended. And because certifying a hive as organic is costly, they don't exterminate the bees at the end of the season—a common practice in conventional beekeeping.

An International Symposium Discusses Likely Benefits of Honey

Speakers at the First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health, held in Sacramento, CA, January 8, 2008, presented a number of research papers. (Fessenden R. Report to the Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health) Findings include:

• Different varietals of honey possess a large amount of friendly bacteria (6 species of lactobacilli and 4 species of bifidobacteria), which may explain many of the "mysterious therapeutic properties of honey."
• Lactobacilli, which deliver protective and beneficial benefits to bees as well as humans, were not found in the bees' honey stomach during the winter months when the bees under investigation were fed sucrose, indicating that certain bee-feeding practices may have dangerous and unwanted effects on bees.
• Honey may promote better blood sugar control. Proper fueling of the liver is central to optimal glucose metabolism during sleep and exercise. Honey is the ideal liver fuel because it contains a nearly 1:1 ratio of fructose to glucose. Fructose "unlocks" the enzyme from the liver cell's nucleus that is necessary for the incorporation of glucose into glycogen (the form in which sugar is stored in the liver and muscle cells). An adequate glycogen store in the liver is essential to supply the brain with fuel when we are sleeping and during prolonged exercise. When glycogen stores are insufficient, the brain triggers the release of stress hormones - adrenalin and cortisol - in order to convert muscle protein into glucose. Repeated metabolic stress from cortisol produced when less than optimal liver glycogen stores are available during sleep, leads over time, to impaired glucose metabolism, insulin resistance, diabetes, and increased risk for cardiovascular disease and obesity.
• Experimental evidence indicates that consumption of honey may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity compared to other sweeteners. The body's tolerance to honey is significantly better than to sucrose or glucose alone. Individuals with greater glucose intolerance (e.g., those with mild diabetes and Type 1 diabetes) showed significantly better tolerance to honey than sucrose. In addition, the antioxidants in honey, which have been shown to reduce oxidative stress, frequently by a larger factor than can be explained by their actual amount, may be beneficial for diabetics and help to improve endothelial function (the function of the cells that make up the lining of our blood vessels) and vascular health.
• In a year-long animal study comparing the effects of sucrose, honey and a low glycemic index (GI) sugar-free diet, rats on the honey-based diet showed: reduced weight gain and percentage of body fat, decreased anxiety, better spatial recognition memory, improved HDL cholesterol (15-20% higher than rats fed sugar or sucrose diets), improved blood sugar levels (HA1c), and reduced oxidative damage.
• Honey has been shown to be a more effective cough suppressant for children ages 2-18 than dextromethorphan (see "One Study Finds Buckwheat Honey To Be a Successful Cough Medicine" earlier in this Health Benefits section)
• Honey boosts immunity. Research conducted in several hospitals in Israel found honey effective in decreasing the incidence of acute febrile neutropenia (when high fever reduces white blood cell count) in 64% of patients. Honey also reduced the need for Colony Stimulating Factor (a compound produced in the cells lining the blood vessels that stimulate bone marrow to produce more white blood cells) in 60% of patients with acute febrile neutropenia; increased neutrophil count (another type of white blood cell), decreased thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), and stabilized hemoglobin levels at >11 gm/dl (a bit low but way better than full blown anemic).
• 32% of the cancer patients involved in the above immunity research reported improved quality of life.

First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health 

Practical Tip: Look for honey produced in the summer by flower-fed bees-it's most likely to contain friendly lactobacilli and bifidobacteria.

Health Benefits of Honey

The 3 key health benefits of honey are related to the fact that: 1. Honey is nature’s energy booster

2. Honey is a great immunity system builder

3. Honey is a natural remedy for many ailments

Read below for details.

Nature’s Energy Booster

The benefits of honey go beyond its great taste. A great natural source of carbohydrates which provide strength and energy to our bodies, honey is known for its effectiveness in instantly boosting the performance, endurance and reduce muscle fatigue of athletes. Its natural fruit sugars play an important role in preventing fatigue during exercise. The glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly and gives an immediate energy boost, while the fructose is absorbed more slowly providing sustained energy. It is known that honey has also been found to keep levels of blood sugar fairly constant compared to other types of sugar. So, to experience these health benefits of honey, here are a few tips for you:
1. Next time before you go for a workout, take a spoon of honey to enable you to go for the extra mile. 2. If you are feeling low and lethargic in the morning, instead of reaching out for a can of carbonated energy drink , try honey. Spread it on hot toast or replace the sugar in your tea with it for a refreshing surge of energy.

3. If your kids are finding hard to cope with the physical strain from the buzzing activities at school, prepare them some sandwiches with honey, butter and ham to make sure they have enough energy to sustain through the day. My kids are delighted when they see me prepare warm honey water in their bottles. They couldn't care a bit about the health benefits of honey, but simply love the taste of it!

Immunity System Builder

Amongst the many health benefits of honey, what is most impressive to me – it can be a powerful immune system booster. Honey’s antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties can help improve digestive system and help you stay healthy and fight disease. Start every brand new day with this cleansing tonic if you want to see this health benefit of honey: before breakfast, mix a spoonful of honey and lemon juice from half a lemon into a cup of warm water and drink it.

Honey is Anti-Cancer !

"Is honey one of those anti-cancer foods? Can it cure cancer?" From time to time, I receive these questions from "Just Ask".
Our heart goes out to those whose lives are troubled and threatened by cancer, but I had to reply and inform them that honey is not an antidote for cancer or a "cure-all".

Perhaps what many people don't think enough of or have overlooked is - honey possesses carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumour properties; honey is curative; honey is anti-cancer. According to the book Honey Revolution by Dr Ron Fessenden, scientists have found floral flavonoids in honey. These tiny traces of bioflavonoids, generally known as antioxidants, have powerful influences when entered into the body's cells. When ingested, they immediately increase the antioxidant levels within cells, "decrease capillary permeability and fragility. They scavenge oxidants and inhibit the destruction of collagen in the body". In fact in the recent years, major drug companies recognised the effectiveness of these flora-flavones in removing free radicals from our body and improving our body immunity functioning, and are now investing millions of dollars just to produce these substances artificially. Tell your family, friends that the foraging honeybees have passed on these precious natural floral-flavones from the floral nectars to honey and then to us! Look, you may not see the benefit of turning to healthful food overnight, but daily repetitive, anti-cancer choices will can potentially safe your life from deadly diseases like cancers.

Honey Remedy for Ailments

FOR CUTS AND BURNS: 

For thousands of years, honey has been recognized as one of the most natural home remedies to treat a wide range of ailments and complaints including yeast infection , athlete foot , and arthritis pain. Its antiseptic properties inhibits the growth of certain bacteria and helps keep external wounds clean and free from infection. Honey has been used as a natural cure in first aid treatment for wounds, burns and cuts as it is able to absorb moisture from the air and promote healing. Its antibacterial properties prevent infection and functions as an anti-inflammatory agent, reducing both swelling and pain, and even scarring. It is widely believed that UMF Manuka is the preferred honey for wound dressing due to its strong antibacterial property.


FOR HANGOVERS:

When you get a hangover from drinking too much alcohol, combat its effects by applying honey remedy. Honey is gentle on the stomach and contains a mix of natural sugars such fructose which is known to speed up the oxidation of alcohol by the liver, acting as a 'sobering' agent. Follow this recipe: 15ml of liquid honey with 80ml of orange juice and 70ml of natural yogurt. Blend them together until smooth.


FOR SORE THROATS: 

One of the better known health benefits of honey is that it is able to help treat sore throats. Thanks to its antimicrobial properties, honey not only soothes throats but can also kill certain bacteria that causes the infection. Professional singers commonly use honey to soothe their throats before performances. The Chinese believe that excess "heatiness" in the body causes sore throat and taking honey drink can be helpful. Direction: Take a spoonful of honey to soothe the inflammation or gargle with a mixture of two tablespoons of honey, four tablespoons of lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Personally, whenever I have a sore throat or cough, I especially like to take warm water mixed with Manuka UMF honey which is well-known for its anti-bacterial healing properties.

For SLEEPLESSNESS: 


Unable to sleep? Use the famous Milk and Honey Remedy. Take a glass of hot milk with a teaspoon of honey to calm the soul and induce sleep. Or, add 1 or 2 teaspoons of honey to a cup of chamomile tea and sip.

Improve Athletic Performance and Heal Wounds with Honey ?

Primarily honey has been used as an energy source, but recent research has examined the use of honey as an ergogenic aid (a food or ingredient that helps an athlete's performance) and wound healing agent, both of which were once considered merely age-old anecdotes.
In the time of the ancient Olympics, athletes were reported to eat special foods, such as honey and dried figs, to enhance their sports performance. Recently, however, one group of researchers has investigated the use of honey as an ergogenic aid in athletes. The study involved a group of 39 weight-trained athletes, both male and female. Subjects underwent an intensive weight-lifting workout and then immediately consumed a protein supplement blended with either sugar, maltodextrin or honey as the carbohydrate source. The honey group maintained optimal blood sugar levels throughout the two hours following the workout. In addition, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration (carbohydrates stored in muscle) was favorable in those individuals consuming the honey-protein combination.
Sustaining favorable blood sugar concentrations after endurance training by ingesting carbohydrates before, during and after training is important for maintaining muscle glycogen stores (glycogen is the form in which sugar is stored in muscle as ready-to-use fuel), so that muscle recuperation is more efficient and the athlete is ready to perform again at their highest level the next day. The best-studied ergogenic aid is carbohydrates because they are necessary for maintaining muscle glycogen stores. For now, honey appears to be just another source of carbohydrates that can help athletes perform at their best, rather than a superior choice over any other carbohydrate.
The wound healing properties of honey may, however, be its most promising medicinal quality. Honey has been used topically as an antiseptic therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcers, burns and wounds for centuries. One study in India compared the wound healing effects of honey to a conventional treatment (silver sulfadiazene) in 104 first-degree burn patients. After one week of treatment, 91 percent of honey treated burns were infection free compared with only 7 percent receiving the conventional treatment. Finally, a greater percentage of patients' burns were healed more readily in the honey treated group. Another study examined the wound healing benefits of honey applied topically to patients following Caesarean section and hysterectomy. Compared to the group receiving the standard solution of iodine and alcohol, the honey treated group was infection free in fewer days, healed more cleanly and had a reduced hospital stay.
Several mechanisms have been proposed for the wound healing benefits that are observed when honey is applied topically. Because honey is composed mainly of glucose and fructose, two sugars that strongly attract water, honey absorbs water in the wound, drying it out so that the growth of bacteria and fungi is inhibited (these microorganisms thrive in a moist environment). Secondly, raw honey contains an enzyme called glucose oxidase that, when combined with water, produces hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic.
In addition to the specific enzymes found in honey, which may help in the healing process, honey also contains antioxidants and flavonoids that may function as antibacterial agents. One antioxidant in particular, pinocembrin, which is unique to honey, is currently being studied for its antibacterial properties. One laboratory study of unpasteurized honey samples indicated the majority had antibacterial action against Staphylococcus aureus, a common bacteria found readily in our environment that can cause infections, especially in open wounds. Other reports indicate honey is effective at inhibiting Escherichia coli and Candida albicans. Darker honeys, specifically honey from buckwheat flowers, sage and tupelo, contain a greater amount of antioxidants than other honeys, and raw, unprocessed honey contains the widest variety of health-supportive substances.

A Spoonful a Day Keeps Free Radicals at Bay

Daily consumption of honey raises blood levels of protective antioxidant compounds in humans, according to research presented at the 227th meeting of the American Chemical Society in Anaheim, CA, March 28, 2004. Biochemist Heidrun Gross and colleagues from the University of California, Davis, gave 25 study participants each about four tablespoons buckwheat honey daily for 29 days in addition to their regular diets, and drew blood samples at given intervals following honey consumption. A direct link was found between the subjects' honey consumption and the level of polyphenolic antioxidants in their blood.

Honey Helpful for Healthy Individuals and Those with High Cholesterol, Type 2 Diabetes

In a series of experiments involving healthy subjects and those with either high cholesterol or type 2 diabetes, honey has proved itself the healthiest sweetener.
For 15 days, 8 healthy subjects, 6 patients with high cholesterol, 5 patients with high cholesterol and high C-reactive protein (a risk factor for cardiovascular disease), and 7 patients with type 2 diabetes were given solutions containing comparable amounts of sugar, artificial honey or natural honey.
In healthy subjects, while sugar and artificial honey had either negative or very small beneficial effects, natural honey reduced total cholesterol 7%, triglycerides 2%, C-reactive protein 7%, homocysteine 6% and blood sugar 6%, and increased HDL (good) cholesterol 2%. (Like C-reactive protein, homocysteine is a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease.)
In patients with high cholesterol, artificial honey increased LDL (bad) cholesterol, while natural honey decreased total cholesterol 8%, LDL cholesterol 11%, and C-reactive protein 75%.
And in patients with type 2 diabetes, natural honey caused a significantly lower rise in blood sugar than either dextrose or sucrose (refined sugars). So, enjoy a little honey in your morning coffee, lunchtime yogurt or afternoon cup of green tea. Looks like a daily spoonful of honey may help your need for medicine go down.

Although our food ranking system did not qualify honey as a dense source of traditional nutrients, it did emerge as a source of vitamin B2, vitamin B6, iron and manganese.

Health Benefits of Honey and Cinnamon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Q. What is the only food that doesn't spoil?
A. Honey
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It is found that a mixture of Honey and Cinnamon cures most of the diseases. Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world. Ayurvedic as well as Yunani medicine have been using honey as a vital medicine for centuries. Scientists of today also accept honey as a very effective medicine for all kinds of diseases. Honey can be used without any side effects for any kind of diseases. Today's science says that even though honey is sweet, if taken in the right dosage as a medicine, it does not harm diabetic patients.

Weekly World News, a magazine in Canada, on its issue dated 17 January, 1995 has given the following list of diseases that can be cured by Honey and Cinnamon as researched by western scientists.

    HEART DISEASES: Make a paste of honey and cinnamon powder, apply on bread, chappati, or other bread, instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for breakfast. It reduces the cholesterol in the arteries and saves the patient from heart attack. Also those who already had an attack, if they do this process daily, they are kept miles away from the next attack.

Regular use of the above process relieves loss of breath and strengthens the heartbeat. In America and Canada, various nursing homes have treated patients successfully and have found that as age the arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged; honey and cinnamon revitalizes the arteries and veins.

INSECT BITES: Take one part honey to two parts of lukewarm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder, make a paste and massage it on the itching part of the body slowly. It is noticed that the pain recedes within a minute or two.

ARTHRITIS: Arthritis patients may take daily, morning and night, one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. If taken regularly even chronic arthritis can be cured.

In a recent research conducted at the Copenhagen University, it was found that when the doctors treated their patients with a mixture of one tablespoon Honey and half teaspoon Cinnamon powder before breakfast, they found that within a week out of the 200 people so treated practically 73 patients were totally relieved of pain and within a month, mostly all the patients who could not walk or move around because of arthritis started walking without pain.

HAIR LOSS: Those suffering from hair loss or baldness, may apply a paste of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder before bath and keep it for approx. 15 min. and then wash the hair. It was found to be effective even if kept on for 5 minutes.

BLADDER INFECTIONS: Take two tablespoons of cinnamon powder and one teaspoon of honey in a glass of lukewarm water and drink it. It destroys the germs in the bladder.

TOOTHACHE: Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey and apply on the aching tooth. This may be applied 3 times a day till the tooth stops aching.

CHOLESTEROL: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of Cinnamon Powder
mixed in 16 ounces of tea water, given to a cholesterol patient, was found to
reduce the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients, if taken 3 times a day, any Chronic cholesterol is cured. As per information received in the said journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol.

COLDS: Those suffering from common or severe colds should take one tablespoon lukewarm honey with 1/4 spoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.

INFERTILITY: Yunani and Ayurvedic Medicine have been using honey for thousands of years to strengthen the semen of men. If impotent men regularly take two tablespoon of honey before going to sleep, their problem will be solved.

In China, Japan and Far-East countries, women, who do not conceive and need to strengthen the uterus, have been taking cinnamon powder for centuries. Women who
cannot conceive may take a pinch of cinnamon powder in half teaspoon of honey
and apply it on the gums frequently throughout the day, so that it slowly mixes with the saliva and enters the body.

A couple in Maryland, USA, had no children for 14 years and had lost hope of having a child of their own. When told about this process, husband and wife started taking honey and cinnamon as stated above; the wife conceived after a few months and had twins at full term.

UPSET STOMACH: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomachache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root.

GAS: According to the studies done in India & Japan, it is revealed that if honey is taken with cinnamon powder the stomach is relieved of gas.

IMMUNE SYSTEM: Daily use of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacteria and viral attacks. Scientists have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts. Constant use of honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles to fight bacteria and viral diseases.

INDIGESTION: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on two tablespoons of honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals.

INFLUENZA: A scientist in Spain has proved that honey contains a natural ingredient, which kills the influenza germs and saves the patient from flu.

LONGEVITY: Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder, when taken regularly arrests the ravages of old age. Take 4 spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon powder and 3 cups of water and boil to make like tea. Drink 1/4 cup, 3 to 4 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.

Life spans also increases and even a 100 year old, starts performing the chores of a 20-year-old.

PIMPLES: Three tablespoons of Honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

SKIN INFECTIONS: Applying honey and cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures eczema, ringworm and all types of skin infections.

CANCER: Recent research in Japan and Australia has revealed that advanced cancer of the stomach and bones have been cured successfully. Patients suffering from these kinds of cancer should daily take one tablespoon of honey with one teaspoon of cinnamon powder for one month 3 times a day.

FATIGUE: Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body. Senior citizens, who take honey and cinnamon power in equal parts, are more alert and flexible.

Dr. Milton who has done research says that a half tablespoon honey taken in a glass of water and sprinkled with cinnamon powder, taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3.00 p.m. when the vitality of the body starts to decrease, increases the vitality of the body within a week.

BAD BREATH: People of South America, first thing in the morning gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water. So their breath stays fresh throughout the day.

HEARING LOSS: Daily morning and night honey and cinnamon powder taken in equal parts restore hearing.

*NOTE:The honey used needs to be REAL RAW UNPASTEURIZED HONEY. If it says PURE honey it is most likely pasteurized. It is best to only buy honey that says RAW or UNPASTEURIZED on the label. The difference is that the enzymes are all heated out of the pasteurized honey.

Cinnamon and Honey formula for weight loss:

This should be prepared at night before going to bed.

1. Use 1 part cinnamon to 2 parts raw honey. 1/2 tsp cinnamon to 1 tsp honey is recommended but can use more or less as long as in the ratio of 1 to 2. --- so 1 tsp cinnamon to 2 tsp raw honey is ok too as an example.

2. Boil 1 cup...that is 8 oz of water.

3. Pour water over cinnamon and cover and let it steep for 1/2 hour..(30 minutes)

4. Add honey now that it has cooled. Never add honey when it is hot as the heat will destroy the enzymes and other nutrients in the raw honey.

5. Drink 1/2 of this directly before going to bed. The other 1/2 should be covered and refrigerated.

6. In the morning drink the other half that you refirgerated...but do not re-heat it...drink it cold or at room temp only.

Do not add anything else to this recipe. No lemon, no lime, no vinegar. It is not necessary to drink it more time in a day...it is only effective on an empty stomach and primarily at night.

This works for most people. Inches are lost before any measurement on the scales. This program will cause significant inches lost...but you will reach a plateau and may not lose anymore. This is because the cinnamon and honey cause a cleansing effect in the digestive tract and cleans out parasites and other fungus and bacteria that slow down the digestion...causing a toxic build up. (Lowers pH) Once this is all cleaned out then you will most likely have the weight loss slow down.

Other side effects from a cleansing can occur because of toxins being released...if this occurs, cut back on how much you use or take a break.

Additionally people report increased energy, more sex drive, and feeling happier/mood enhancer.

Miraculous Health Benefits of Honey and Cinnamon Combo

The miraculous curing power of honey and cinnamon. Benefits of honey, Benefits of cinnamon etc described in detail. To know about the miraculous health benefits of honey and health benefits of cinnamon and how honey and cinnamon can boost your health, read on.

The magic mixture of honey and cinnamon is known for hundreds of years for their miraculous curing power. If we look back into the history we can see both these items used by different countries and cultures across the world for different medicinal purposes.

Its been some time since I updated the Benefits of honey and Benefits of cinnamon page. In the past 4 years, Many of the users have shared tons of benefits of honey and benefits of cinnamon. So I decided to update this article on Miraculous health benefits of honey and cinnamon and individualy list benefits of honey and benefits of cinnamon in the coming days.You can find references for this wonder combination in medical streams like Ayurvedic, Yunani etc. And the best part is that it does not have any side effects and most of the times can be taken parallel with any other form of medicine. Listed below are some of the well known uses of the combination of honey and cinnamon.

1. Honey and cinnamon for Curing Arthritis

   A paste should be made from one part honey and two parts of luke warm water added with a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. This paste should be massaged on the itching part of the body and the pain should recede within fifteen minutes in most cases.
   

2. Honey and Cinnamon for preventing Hair Loss

   For hair loss or baldness, patients may apply a paste made out of hot olive oil, one tablespoon of honey, one teaspoon of cinnamon powder. This should be applied before they take bath and keep it for approximately 15 minutes. After that they can wash it off with luke warm water.

Honey and Cinnamon is excellent for Toothache

A paste made of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey when applied on the aching tooth (may be done 3 times a day) reduces the pain within a matter of 15 minutes.

Honey and Cinnamon can help in Reducing Cholesterol

 Take two tablespoons of honey, three teaspoons of cinnamon powder and mix in 16 ounces of tea, when given to a cholesterol patient, reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours. Pure honey is also sometimes used with food to check cholesterol.

Honey and Cinnamon benefits include Curing Colds

For those who are suffering from common or severe colds, they should take one tablespoon of luke warm honey with 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon powder daily for 3 days. This process will cure most chronic cough, cold and clear the sinuses.

Honey and Cinnamon Cures Infertility

Various ancient medical streams like Ayurveda and Yunani have been using honey for years in medicine to strengthen the semen of men. Two tablespoons of honey before they go to sleep is what is prescribed by many experienced practitioners. This combination will work wonders for women as well. In China, Japan and other Asian countries, if the women who do not conceive, and or if their uterus is weak, then they have been prescribed cinnamon powder. Women who cannot conceive may take a pinch of cinnamon powder in half a teaspoon of honey, and apply it on the gums frequently throughout the day, so that it slowly mixes with the saliva and enters the body.

Honey and Cinnamon benefits include curing Upset Stomachoney 

taken with cinnamon powder also helps in curing stomach ache. For people who are suffering from gas problems, honey should be taken with cinnamon powder in equal quantities, relieves gas and pain in the stomach.

Honey and Cinnamon for better Immune System

The daily intake of honey and cinnamon powder strengthens the immune system and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks. Researchers have found that honey has various vitamins and iron in large amounts and its use strengthens the white blood corpuscles. Here is a great article which i found on how to boost your immune system. I really hope you read this for your own sake.


Honey and Cinnamon for Longevity

Ancient cultures used Tea made with honey and cinnamon powder for longevity. 4 spoons of honey, 1 spoon of cinnamon powder and 3 cups of water are boiled to make this tea. The prescribed amount is to drink 1/4 cup, 3 times a day. It keeps the skin fresh and soft and slows down old age.

Honey and Cinnamon for Weight Loss

 Drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water first thing in the morning (empty stomach). If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also drinking of this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body, even though the person may eat a high calorie diet. Weight loss can be due to different reasons.  Some people do over dieting to reduce weight which affects their body’s immune system. Losing weight is fine but that should not be at the expense of harsh dieting and skipping your vitamins and minerals. You can always lose weight naturally. I highly recommend this free article on some Exotic and healthy juice recipes which will help you reduce weight among other health benefits. Here is a list of natural source of vitamins cheaply and commonly available.

Difference Between White Honey & Clover Honey

White honey is an organic raw honey from Hawaii. The process of gathering this honey is very labor intensive. The honey is extracted from kiawe trees (a flowering tree) on the big island. The honey has a pearl like color and a buttery taste and texture. The white honey market was started by Richard Spiegel, a lawyer that started a new career as a beekeeper in Hawaii.

Hawaiian Organic White Honey

"...some of the best honey in the entire world."

—National Geographic Traveller Magazine

According to Honey.com, pure honey contains nothing more than the sweet substance produced by bees from the nectar or secretions of plants. However, in the U.S. alone, there are over 300 kinds of honey, varying from dark to light.

Categorizing Honey

1. Honey can be bought according to variety or color. Honey varietals consist of a blend of pure honeys, which differ according to the flowers visited by the honey bee, such as alfalfa or sunflowers. Honey can also be graded and collected, not by variety, but by color grade.

Clover Honey

2. Clover honey is the most common variety of honey, available in most grocery stores. It is made from white clover, alsike clover, and white and yellow sweet clover plants.

White Honey

3. Unlike clover honey, white honey is graded by color and not variety. It has a lighter flavor than darker forms of honey, like amber honey and clover honey. There are grades of white honey, from white to water-white.

White Clover Honey

4. Clover honey has a pleasing mild flavor and usually comes in shades of amber. However, it is also available in a white color. White honey, however, does not necessarily come from the nectar of clover flowers as clover honey always will.

Cost and Flavor

5. Lighter honeys are typically more expensive than darker honeys, so white honey will frequently cost more than your favorite clover. White honey is sweeter and more delicate than more robust shades of clover honey.

Why Is honey kosher?

The rabbis of the Talmud discuss this question.1 The Mishnah states "that which comes from something which is not kosher is not kosher, and that which comes from something which is kosher is kosher." So, for example, the milk of a camel or the eggs of a vulture are just as unkosher as the camel and the vulture.
Why then, since bees are not kosher, is the honey of a bee permitted?
Honey consists of nectar, which bees gather, store and transport to their honeycombs. While in the bee, the nectar is broken down and transformed into honey by enzymes in the bee. But it is not actually digested by the bee. So the honey is not a product of the bee itself--as is milk.
One hundred percent pure, raw honey is kosher. When purchasing honey, be sure to check that it is certified as kosher by a reliable kosher agency, since non-kosher foods may have been processed on the same equipment, and non-kosher flavorings may have been added.
We have an interesting article on honey and its role in Judaism here: Honey. Let me know if this is helpful and if I can be of any further assistance.

Manuka honey

Manuka honey is a kind of honey claimed to have anti-bacterial properties. It has been known to benefit humans by healing wounds and injuries but causes no damage to cells. It is made by bees in New Zealand that frequent the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium.  

Origin

Manuka honey is gathered in New Zealand from bees feeding on the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium, which grows uncultivated throughout the country and has antibacterial properties. However, its antimicrobial activity varies with origin and processing. A survey of 345 samples of New Zealand honeys from 26 different floral sources found a large number with low activity (36% of the samples had activity near or below the level of detection in an agar diffusion assay), the activity of the rest being distributed over a 30-fold range of activity. An unpublished survey of 340 samples of Australian honeys from 78 different floral sources found 68.5% of the samples had activity below the level of detection in an agar diffusion assay.

Antibacterial properties of Manuka honey

Honey has been used for treating infected wounds for at least two millennia. In c.50 AD, Dioscorides once described honey as being "good for all rotten and hollow ulcers". Medical science has established that honey has an inhibitory effect to around 60 species of bacteria including aerobes and anaerobes, gram-positives and gram-negatives. 2009 studies in Scotland show that Manuka may be the next step to fighting MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus).
Manuka honey, like other honeys, has an antibacterial property due to the release of hydrogen peroxide which can kill bacteria. Unique to the Leptospermum species of plants, honeys made from these plants contain other non-peroxide compounds with anti-bacterial properties.

MANUKA HONEY PROPERTIES
WHAT IS ACTIVE MANUKA HONEY
 
Manuka also known as New Zealand Tea Tree or Leptospermum Scoparium is a small tree that grows native to New Zealand particularly on the east coast of the North and South Islands. The manuka tree is an evergreen growing up to 15 metres in height. It leaves are small and prickly and its flowers bear white to pink coloured flowers. Another tree known as the Kanuka Tree is very similar, the only difference being that the Kanuka tree has smooth foliage.
The Maori and early European settlers have been using the Manuka and Kanuka trees, including Manuka Honey, for their medicinal properties for centuries. The bark, sap, leaves and oil of the trees have been used as teas, poultices, wound dressings and skin products. Today, manuka products including its honey are recognized throughout the world for their powerful antibacterial strength.
Honey bees collect nectar from the Manuka and Kanuka flowers. It is then produced into a dark, rich, distinctive flavoured honey known as Manuka Honey. There are two different types of manuka honey, one is ordinary manuka honey which has a beautiful taste but contains small amounts of antibacterial properties and then there is UMF active manuka honey. UMF manuka honey is a potent antibacterial honey that is recommended for therapeutic use.
UMF, stands for Unique Manuka Factor. This is the measurement system used to gage the antibacterial strength of the honey. This Manuka Honey Properties measurement can only be detected with laboratory testing. The concentration of UMF can vary every batch, so samples from every honey batch are tested to ensure the level of UMF. The higher the UMF level, the higher the antibacterial activity. Manuka honey with a UMF level of 10+ is recommended for therapeutic use. The levels range from UMF 5 to 30+. 
 
HISTORY OF MANUKA HONEY
 
Honey has been known and used for centuries but in recent years has been rediscovered for its healing properties. It wasn’t until about 45 years ago that honey began to be researched and the differences in the antibacterial activity were discovered. Research has shown that UMF ACTIVE MANUKA HONEY has the highest levels of antimicrobial action against a broad spectrum of bacteria and fungi. In order to reveal the level of antibacterial strength the honey contains, a measurement system has been implemented.
The UMF Antibacterial Strength Ratings
0-4: Not detectable
5-9: Maintenance levels only (not recommended for special therapeutic use)
10-15: Useful levels for therapeutic uses
16-30:Superior levels with very high potency
MANUKA HONEY AVAILABLE IN

• Liquid
• Tablets
• Capsules
• Beauty Products

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT MANUKA HONEY

• The wood of the manuka tree is very tough and hard so its often used for tool handles.
• The sawdust of manuka trees imparts a delicious flavour when used in smoking meats and fish.
• Beekeepers plant fields of flowers or tress near their bee hives depending on what type of honey they want.
• A New Zealand parakeets known as the Kakariki (Cyanoramphus) uses the bark and leaves of the manuka and kanuka trees to prevent and kill parasites. They chew it, ingest it and apply it to their feathers.
• Captain Cook used the leaves of the manuka and kanuka to make beer and tea getting its name "tea tree". A measurement of 1 teaspoon of young manuka or kanuka leaves for 1 cup of tea.

INTERNAL MANUKA HONEY BENEFITS
Use Manuka Honey Internally For:

• Acid Reflux
• Diarrhea
• Gastritis
• Heartburn
• Peptic Ulcer
• Up-set Stomach
• Ulcerative Colitis
• Duodenal Ulcers
• Esophagus Ulcers
• Digestive Problems
• Helps Irritable Bowel Syndrome
• Protects Gastrointestinal System

EXTERNAL MANUKA HONEY BENEFITS
Use Manuka Honey Externally For:

• Acne
• Skin Ulcer
• Athletes Foot
• Dental Health
• Open Wounds
• Eye Infections
• Diabetic Wound
• Arthritic Inflammation
• Insect bites and stings
• Cracked Skin Conditions
• Minor Cuts, Scratches, abrasions
• Foot/Leg Ulcer (including Diabetic)
• Amputation Stump Wound (Diabetic)
• Burns (First, Second, and Third Degree)
• Foot and leg sores (including Diabetic & open leg sores)

NUTRITIONAL COMPOUND INGREDIENTS

• Sugars
• Water
• Minerals
• Vitamins
• Active Antibacterial Properties

RECCOMMENDED DOSAGE
ORALLY:- Take as directed by the product recommendations.

Is the Cough from an Upper Respiratory Infection Keeping Your Child Awake? Try a Dose of Buckwheat Honey

In a study involving 105 children aged 2-18 years with upper respiratory tract infections of 7 days or less and night-time coughing, a single night-time dose of buckwheat honey was an effective alternative treatment for symptomatic relief of nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty, compared to a single dose of dextromethorphan (DM).
Researchers from the Penn State College of Medicine asked parents to give either honey, honey-flavored dextromethorphan (DM), or no treatment to the children. The first night, the children did not receive any treatment. The following night they received a single dose of buckwheat honey, honey-flavored DM, or no treatment 30 minutes before bedtime. The trial was partially blind as parents could not distinguish between the honey and the medication, although those administering no medication were obviously aware of the fact. Parents were asked to report on cough frequency and severity, how bothersome the cough was, and how well both adult and child slept, both 24 hours before and during the night of the dosage.
Significant symptom improvements were seen in the honey-supplemented children, compared with the no treatment group and DM-treated group, with honey consistently scoring the best and no-treatment scoring the worst. Based on parental "symptom points," children treated with honey improved an average of 10.71 points compared with 8.39 points for DM-treated children and 6.41 points for those who were not treated.
These results might be good news for parents of children two years and older, since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently recommended that children under six should not be given over-the-counter cough and cold medicines, due to potentially harmful side effects. However, it's important to note that this study did not attempt to test the potential benefits of buckwheat honey for children under two, and recommendations by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and other children's health organizations for a total avoidance of honey by children one year and younger still make good sense. (The AAP's major concern here is unnecessary risk of infantile botulism that might result from the presence of Clostridium botulinum bacteria in the honey).

Active Manuka Honey Association (AMHA)

 Manuka  BBC News

Description

Honey is a delicious viscous sweetener made naturally by bees for their own nourishment. The fascinating process of making honey begins when the bees feast on flowers, collecting the flower nectar in their mouths. This nectar then mixes with special enzymes in the bees' saliva, an alchemical process that turns it into honey. The bees carry the honey back to the hive, where they deposit it into the cells of the hive's walls. The fluttering of their wings provides the necessary ventilation to reduce the honey's moisture content, making it ready for consumption.
Honey comes in a range of colors including white, amber, red, brown and almost black. Its flavor and texture vary with the type of flower nectar from which it was made. While the most commonly available honeys are made from clover, alfalfa, heather and acacia flowers, honey can be made from a variety of different flowers, including thyme and lavender.

History

Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 BC. For many centuries, honey was regarded as sacred due to its wonderfully sweet properties as well as its rarity. It was used mainly in religious ceremonies to pay tribute to the gods, as well as to embalm the deceased. Honey was also used for a variety of medicinal and cosmetic purposes. For a long time in history, its use in cooking was reserved only for the wealthy since it was so expensive that only they could afford it.
The prestige of honey continued for millennia until one fateful event in culinary and world history - the "discovery" of refined sugar made from sugar cane or sugar beets., Once these became more widely available, they were in great demand since they provided a relatively inexpensive form of sweetening. With their growing popularity, honey became displaced by sugar for culinary use. Since then, although honey is still used for sweetening, much of its use has become focused on its medicinal properties and its use in confectionary.

How to Select and Store

Honey is sold in individual containers or in bulk. It is usually pasteurized, although oftentimes at farmer's markets you can find raw honey. Raw honey that has not been pasteurized, clarified, or filtered - provided it is of the highest organic quality - is your best choice. Look for honey that states "100% pure." While regular honey is translucent, creamy honey is usually opaque and is made by adding finely crystallized honey back into liquid honey. Specialty honeys, made from the nectar of different flowers, such as thyme and lavender, are also available. Remember that the darker the color, the deeper the flavor.

You might also look for darker-colored "honeydew" varieties produced by bees that collect the sugary secretions insects leave on plants, which is called honeydew.
While all honey has impressive levels of disease-fighting antioxidants, a recent study of Spanish honey varieties shows that honeydew honey has even higher levels of antioxidant polyphenols than honeys bees make from nectar. (Perez RA, Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture)
Spanish researchers looked at 36 varieties of Spanish honey in two groups: clover honey, which bees make from the nectar of flower blossoms, and honeydew honey, made by bees from a sweet, sticky substance secreted by insects such as aphids that live off plants. Honeydew honey tends to be darker and more acidic than clover varieties. Although harder to find than clover honey in the U.S., honeydew honey produced in America should also provide higher levels of antioxidants, noted study co-author Rosa Anna Perez, a researcher with the Instituto Madrileno de Investigacion y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario in Madrid.

It is important to keep honey stored in an airtight container so that it doesn't absorb moisture from the air. Honey stored this way in a cool dry place will keep almost indefinitely. One reason for this is that its high sugar content and acidic pH help to inhibit microorganism growth. Honey that is kept at colder temperatures tends to thicken, while honey that is kept at higher temperatures has a tendency to darken and have an altered flavor.

How to Enjoy

Tips for Cooking with Honey:

If your honey has crystallized, placing the container in hot water for 15 minutes will help return it to its liquid state. Do not heat honey in the microwave as this alters its taste by increasing its hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) content. To prevent honey from sticking to measuring cups and spoons, use honey that is in its liquid form.
Honey makes a good replacement for sugar in most recipes. Since honey is sweeter than sugar, you need to use less, one-half to three-quarters of a cup for each cup of sugar. For each cup of sugar replaced, you should also reduce the amount of liquid in the recipe by one-quarter of a cup. In addition, reduce the cooking temperature by 25ºF since honey causes foods to brown more easily.

A Few Quick Serving Ideas:

Use honey in place of table sugar as a sweetener in your tea.
Drizzle apple slices with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon.
To enjoy sweetened yogurt without excess sugar, mix a little honey into plain yogurt.
A delicious sandwich that is enjoyed by kids of all ages is a combination of peanut (or almond) butter, with bananas and honey.
In a saucepan over low heat, combine soymilk, honey and unsweetened dark chocolate to make a deliciously nutritious chocolate "milk" drink.

Individual Concerns

Remember that the quality of honey is a function of the plants and environment from which pollen, saps, nectars and resins were gathered. Other substances found in the environment - including traces of heavy metals, pesticides, and antibiotics - have been shown to appear in honey. The amount varies greatly.

Do not feed honey-containing products or use honey as a flavoring for infants under one year of age; honey may contain Clostridium botulinum spores and toxins that can cause infant botulism, a life-threatening paralytic disease. Honey is safe for children older than 12 months and adults.

Nutritional Profile

In-Depth Nutritional Profile

In addition to the nutrients highlighted in our ratings chart, an in-depth nutritional profile for Honey is also available. This profile includes information on a full array of nutrients, including carbohydrates, sugar, soluble and insoluble fiber, sodium, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids and more.

Introduction to Food Rating System Chart

In order to better help you identify foods that feature a high concentration of nutrients for the calories they contain, we created a Food Rating System. This system allows us to highlight the foods that are especially rich in particular nutrients. The following chart shows the nutrients for which this food is either an excellent, very good, or good source (below the chart you will find a table that explains these qualifications). If a nutrient is not listed in the chart, it does not necessarily mean that the food doesn't contain it. It simply means that the nutrient is not provided in a sufficient amount or concentration to meet our rating criteria. (To view this food's in-depth nutritional profile that includes values for dozens of nutrients - not just the ones rated as excellent, very good, or good - please use the link below the chart.) To read this chart accurately, you'll need to glance up in the top left corner where you will find the name of the food and the serving size we used to calculate the food's nutrient composition. This serving size will tell you how much of the food you need to eat to obtain the amount of nutrients found in the chart. Now, returning to the chart itself, you can look next to the nutrient name in order to find the nutrient amount it offers, the percent Daily Value (DV%) that this amount represents, the nutrient density that we calculated for this food and nutrient, and the rating we established in our rating system. For most of our nutrient ratings, we adopted the government standards for food labeling that are found in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's "Reference Values for Nutrition Labeling."

Honey 1.00 oz 42.38 grams 128.82 calories Nutrient Amount DV (%) Nutrient Density World's Healthiest Foods Rating World's Healthiest Foods Rating Rule excellent DV>=75% OR Density>=7.6 AND DV>=10% very good DV>=50% OR Density>=3.4 AND DV>=5% good DV>=25% OR Density>=1.5 AND DV>=2.5%

In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Honey

In-depth nutrient analysis:

Honey (Note: "--" indicates data is unavailable)
amount	1.00 oz
total weight	42.38 g
Basic Components
nutrient	amount	%DV
calories	128.82	7.16
calories from fat	0.00
calories from saturated fat	0.00
protein	0.12 g	0.24
carbohydrates	34.92 g	11.64
dietary fiber	0.08 g	0.32
soluble fiber	-- g
insoluble fiber	-- g
sugar - total	33.14 g
monosaccharides	29.46 g
disaccharides	3.68 g
other carbs	1.70 g
fat - total	0.00 g	0.00
saturated fat	0.00 g	0.00
mono fat	0.00 g	0.00
poly fat	0.00 g	0.00
trans fatty acids	0.00 g
cholesterol	0.00 mg	0.00
water	7.24 g
ash	0.08 g
Vitamins
nutrient	amount	%DV
vitamin A IU	0.00 IU	0.00
vitamin A RE	0.00 RE
A - carotenoid	0.00 RE	0.00
A - retinol	0.00 RE
A - beta carotene	0.00 mcg
thiamin - B1	0.00 mg	0.00
riboflavin - B2	0.02 mg	1.18
niacin - B3	0.06 mg	0.30
niacin equiv	0.08 mg
vitamin B6	0.02 mg	1.00
vitamin B12	0.00 mcg	0.00
biotin	-- mcg	--
vitamin C	0.22 mg	0.37
vitamin D IU	0.00 IU	0.00
vitamin D mcg	0.00 mcg
vitamin E alpha equiv	0.00 mg	0.00
vitamin E IU	0.00 IU
vitamin E mg	0.00 mg
folate	0.84 mcg	0.21
vitamin K	0.00 mcg	0.00
pantothenic acid	0.02 mg	0.20
Minerals
nutrient	amount	%DV
boron	-- mcg
calcium	2.54 mg	0.25
chloride	-- mg
chromium	-- mcg	--
copper	0.02 mg	1.00
fluoride	-- mg	--
iodine	-- mcg	--
iron	0.18 mg	1.00
magnesium	0.84 mg	0.21
manganese	0.04 mg	2.00
molybdenum	-- mcg	--
phosphorus	1.70 mg	0.17
potassium	22.04 mg	0.63
selenium	0.34 mcg	0.49
sodium	1.70 mg	0.07
zinc	0.10 mg	0.67
Saturated Fats
nutrient	amount	%DV
4:0 butyric	0.00 g
6:0 caproic	0.00 g
8:0 caprylic	0.00 g
10:0 capric	0.00 g
12:0 lauric	0.00 g
14:0 myristic	0.00 g
15:0 pentadecanoic	0.00 g
16:0 palmitic	0.00 g
17:0 margaric	0.00 g
18:0 stearic	0.00 g
20:0 arachidic	0.00 g
22:0 behenate	0.00 g
24:0 lignoceric	0.00 g
Mono Fats
nutrient	amount	%DV
14:1 myristol	0.00 g
15:1 pentadecenoic	0.00 g
16:1 palmitol	0.00 g
17:1 heptadecenoic	0.00 g
18:1 oleic	0.00 g
20:1 eicosen	0.00 g
22:1 erucic	0.00 g
24:1 nervonic	0.00 g
Poly Fats
nutrient	amount	%DV
18:2 linoleic	0.00 g
18:3 linolenic	0.00 g
18:4 stearidon	0.00 g
20:3 eicosatrienoic	0.00 g
20:4 arachidon	0.00 g
20:5 EPA	0.00 g
22:5 DPA	0.00 g
22:6 DHA	0.00 g
Other Fats
nutrient	amount	%DV
omega 3 fatty acids	0.00 g	0.00
omega 6 fatty acids	0.00 g
Amino Acids
nutrient	amount	%DV
alanine	0.00 g
arginine	0.00 g
aspartate	0.02 g
cystine	0.00 g	0.00
glutamate	0.00 g
glycine	0.00 g
histidine	0.00 g	0.00
isoleucine	0.00 g	0.00
leucine	0.00 g	0.00
lysine	0.00 g	0.00
methionine	0.00 g	0.00
phenylalanine	0.00 g	0.00
proline	0.04 g
serine	0.00 g
threonine	0.00 g	0.00
tryptophan	0.00 g	0.00
tyrosine	0.00 g	0.00
valine	0.00 g	0.00
Other
nutrient	amount	%DV
alcohol	0.00 g
caffeine	0.00 mg
artif sweetener total	-- mg
aspartame	-- mg
saccharin	-- mg
sugar alcohol	0.00 g
glycerol	0.00 g
inositol	0.00 g
mannitol	0.00 g
sorbitol	0.00 g
xylitol	0.00 g
organic acids	-- mg
acetic acid	-- mg
citric acid	-- mg
lactic acid	-- mg
malic acid	-- mg
choline	-- mg	--
taurine	-- mg
Note: The nutrient profiles provided in this website are derived from Food Processor for Windows, Version 7.60, by ESHA Research in Salem, Oregon, USA. Of the 21,629 food records contained in the ESHA foods database, most of them - including those of the World's Healthiest Foods - lacked information for specific nutrients. The designation "--" was chosen to represent those nutrients for which there was no measurement included in the ESHA foods database.

Definitions of honey on the Web :

• a sweet yellow liquid produced by bees
• sweeten with honey
• beloved: a beloved person; used as terms of endearment
• of something having the color of honey
  wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn
• Honey is a sweet food made by certain insects using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees (the genus Apis) is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans. ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey
• Honey is a 2003 motion picture released by Universal Pictures. Featuring music produced by Rodney Jerkins, the film stars Jessica Alba, Mekhi Phifer, Lil' Romeo, Joy Bryant, Missy Elliott and David Moscow. ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(2003_film)
• "Honey" is a song by Erykah Badu, released as the lead single from her third studio album, New Amerykah Part One (4th World War) (2008). The song was produced by 9th Wonder, and samples Nancy Wilson's 1978 song "I'm in Love".
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(Erykah_Badu_song)
• "Honey" is a song co-written and co-produced by American singer Mariah Carey, Puff Daddy, Stevie J, and Q-Tip (listed in credits as "The Ummah"), and recorded for Carey's seventh album Butterfly (1997). ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(Mariah_Carey_song)
• Honey (Bal) is a 2010 Turkish drama film directed by Semih Kaplanoğlu, the third and final installment of the "Yusuf Trilogy", which includes Egg and Milk. It premiered on 16 February 2010 in competition at the 60th Berlin International Film Festival, where it won the coveted Golden Bear award.. ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(2010_film)
• "Honey", also known as "Honey (I Miss You)", is a song written by Bobby Russell. He first produced it with former Kingston Trio member Bob Shane. Then he gave it to American singer Bobby Goldsboro who recorded it for his tenth album Honey. ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(Bobby_Goldsboro_song)
• "Honey" is a song by electronic artist Moby released as the first single from his studio album Play. The song charted at number thirty three, a top forty single in the UK. One of its b-sides, "Memory Gospel", was featured as the third track on Moby's b-sides album ''''. ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(Moby_song)
• Honey is the third Mercury album by The Ohio Players, released in 1975. Like previous albums, Honey is known for its very sexy cover photo. In this case, the model was Playboy magazine's October 1974 Playmate of the Month, Ester Cordet.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(Ohio_Players_album)
• Honey was an album by the British musician Robert Palmer. It was released 1994 and reached number 25 in the UK charts and stayed in the top 100 for four weeks. The album featured minor hits "Know by Know", "Girl U Want" and "You Blow me Away".
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(Robert_Palmer_album)
• Honey is the soundtrack to the 2003 film, Honey. It was released on November 11, 2003 through Elektra Records and consisted of a blend of hip hop and R&B music. The soundtrack peaked at 105 on the Billboard 200, 47 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums and 6 on the Top Soundtracks.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(soundtrack)
• "Honey" is the eleventh single of Japanese rock band L'Arc-en-Ciel. It was released with "Shinshoku (Lose Control)" and "Kasō" on July 8, 1998.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honey_(L'Arc-en-Ciel_song)

Definitions of milk and honey on the Web:

• Milk and Honey is an album by John Lennon and Yoko Ono released in 1984. It is the first posthumous release of Lennon's music, having been recorded in the last months of his life during and following the sessions for Double Fantasy.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_and_Honey_(album)
• Milk and Honey (Hebrew: חלב ודבש Chalav U'Dvash) were an Israeli singing group consisting of Re'uven Gvitrz, Shmulik Bilu and Yehuda Tamir. The group performed with Gali Atari at the Eurovision Song Contest 1979, where they won with the song, "Hallelujah". ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_and_Honey_(group)
• Milk and Honey is a musical with a book by Don Appell and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. The story centers on a busload of lonely American widows hoping to catch husbands while touring Israel and is set against the background of the country's fight for recognition as an independent nation. ...
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_and_Honey_(musical)
• Milk and Money is a 1936 Looney Tunes animated short film directed by Tex Avery.
  en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milk_and_Honey_(cartoon)
• (with Molly Picon) (1961)
  infao5501.ag5.mpi-sb.mpg.de:8080/topx/archive

References

• Al-Waili NS. Natural honey lowers plasma glucose, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and blood lipids in healthy, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects: comparison with dextrose and sucrose. J Med Food. 2004 Spring;7(1):100-7. 2004. PMID:15117561.
• Ensminger AH, Ensminger, ME, Kondale JE, Robson JRK. Foods & Nutriton Encyclopedia. Pegus Press, Clovis, California 1983.
• Ensminger AH, Esminger M. K. J. e. al. Food for Health: A Nutrition Encyclopedia. Clovis, California: Pegus Press; 1986 1986. PMID:15210.
• Fessenden R. Report to the Officers and Board of Directors of theCommittee for the Promotion of Honey and Health, January 21, 2008. http://www.prohoneyandhealth.com/UserFiles/Image/Symposium Report.pdf.
• Fortin, Francois, Editorial Director. The Visual Foods Encyclopedia. Macmillan, New York 1996.
• Gribel' NV, Pashinskii VG. [The antitumor properties of honey]. Vopr Onkol 1990;36(6):704-9 1990. PMID:13980.
• Gross H, Polagruto J, Zhu Q, Kim S, Schramm D, Keen C. Effect of honey consumption on plasma antioxidant status in human subjects. Paper presented at the 227th American Chemical Society Meeting, Anahein CA, March 28, 2004. 2004.
• Keast-Butler J. Honey for necrotic malignant breast ulcers. Lancet 1980 Oct 11;2(8198):809 1980. PMID:13990.
• Paul IM, Beiler J, McMonagle A, Shaffer ML, et al. Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2007 Dec;161(12):1140-6. 2007. PMID:18056558.
• Perez RA, Iglesias MT, Pueyo E, Gonzalez M, de Lorenzo C. Amino acid composition and antioxidant capacity of Spanish honeys. J Agric Food Chem. 2007 Jan 24;55(2):360-5. 2007. PMID:17227066.
• Rao CV, Desai D, Kaul B, et al. Effect of caffeic acid esters on carcinogen-induced mutagenicity and human colon adenocarcinoma cell growth. Chem Biol Interact 1992 Nov 16;84(3):277-90 1992. PMID:13970.
• Rao CV, Desai D, Rivenson A, et al. Chemoprevention of colon carcinogenesis by phenylethyl-3-methylcaffeate. Cancer Res 1995 Jun 1;55(11):2310-5 1995. PMID:13950.
• Rao CV, Desai D, Simi B, et al. Inhibitory effect of caffeic acid esters on azoxymethane-induced biochemical changes and aberrant crypt foci formation in rat colon. Cancer Res 1993 Sep 15;53(18):4182-8 1993. PMID:13960.
• Tanzi MG, Gabay MP. Association between honey consumption and infant botulism. Pharmacotherapy. 2002 Nov;22(11):1479-83. 2002. PMID:12432974.
• Wood, Rebecca. The Whole Foods Encyclopedia. New York, NY: Prentice-Hall Press; 1988 1988. PMID:15220.