The Greeks really appreciated honey, because according to mythology, the gods owed their immortality to it. We love honey because of its good taste and because it helps with colds. In recent years, scientists studied the medicinal effectiveness of honey and came up with amazing results: Honey is particularly good at helping heal wounds and also has an anti-inflammatory effect.
Is honey healthy?
To the honey, so a look into the Greek mythology shows, the gods owe allegedly their immortality. The same applies to Allfather Odin, who is said to have drawn his wisdom and strength from honey. Hippocrates is more specific: the ancient physician knew of honey’s antipyretic effect and also used it to treat open wounds. If you look at honey from a physical and chemical point of view, it is nothing other than a supersaturated sugar solution: around 80 percent sugar, including fructose and glucose, and around 20 percent water. So what are the healing substances?
Honey heals wounds
That’s exactly what biochemist Peter Molan of the University of Waikato in New Zealand was researching. Some 60 types of bacteria, including such dangerous ones as Staphylococcus aureus, can be defeated with honey. Bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics are killed by wound dressings made from honey – in many hospitals, for example, patients who have bedsores are treated with honey dressings. Scientists believe that the antimicrobial effect of honey is due to enzymes produced by bees. However, honey has this positive effect only if it has not been heat treated. The high sugar content in honey leads to the fact that vital water is withdrawn from the bacteria. An important ingredient is also hydrogen peroxide, which is used to combat microorganisms. Hydrogen peroxide is produced by an enzyme when honey is diluted and remains in high concentration for about 24 hours.
Honey for colds and gastrointestinal complaints.
Milk with honey, or better yet tea with honey, is an old and proven home remedy for sore throats. About 180 accompanying substances contain the bee nectar. Among the most important are so-called inhibins, which are inhibitors such as flavonoids. The two flavonoids pinocembrin, a heat-stable antibiotic, and caffeic acid – it inhibits inflammation – are considered the most important trace substances. That is why hot milk with honey usually has a soothing effect when the throat hurts. Other flavonoids in honey help against viruses and are now also being tested as a remedy against cancer. Acetylcholine, another important substance, is a nitrogen compound that has a beneficial effect on heart activity. It decreases the number of heartbeats, dilates constricted coronary arteries and therefore has a blood pressure lowering and heart protecting effect. 5 Facts about honey – Tourism Australia
Pleasure honey
What makes honey taste so good is, of course, largely due to its sugar content. But this sugar is valuable: above all, the high proportion of fructose (almost 40 percent) and glucose (over 30 percent) provide the body with energy and keep important bodily functions going. Thus, in conjunction with honey’s own active ingredients, they serve to keep the body fit and concentrated.
Variety of varieties for every taste
About 300 aromatic substances are contained in honey and they give it its typical, depending on the plants, varying taste. For example, there are:
- Bright, sweet varieties such as rapeseed honey, clover honey or honey from dandelion.
- Darker, more intense-tasting varieties such as chestnut honey or fir honey.
- Aromatic varieties such as lavender, rosemary or thyme honey.
Do not heat honey too much
If a honey crystallizes at home in a jar, it can be heated in a water bath. In the process, he liquefies again. However, it should not be allowed to get too hot. Because if honey is heated above 40 degrees Celsius, almost all healing substances are lost. The same applies to the consumption of honey in tea or milk, which should not be too hot. Therefore, you should let the milk or tea cool down before adding the honey. Also, you can take honey separately to the milk or tea.
Real German honey
The consumer centers and nutritional institutions recommend, if possible, not to buy cheap supermarket honey. Often hides behind it cheap imported goods from abroad, which was often strongly heated to prevent the crystallization of the sugar.In addition, they not infrequently contain too much water as well as residues of antiobiotics. Honey directly from the beekeeper or from health food stores has a band with the DIB seal of the German Beekeepers Association, which ensures very strict controls. Only this honey is allowed to call itself Genuine German Honey. Such honey meets the quality guidelines of the DIB, is guaranteed to have been produced in Germany and contains natural ingredients.
Organic honey or conventional honey?
It is the external conditions that distinguish conventional honey from organic honey. These include how the bees are kept and how the beekeeper works. The requirements for organic beekeeping are laid down in the EU organic regulation. For example, within a three-kilometer radius of the hive, the nectar and pollen crop should consist mainly of organic crops with low environmental impact. This means the surrounding fields should be organically grown. However, it is important to be aware that bees can fly farther than three kilometers and therefore may fly to sprayed fields. In addition, the following specifications apply to organic honey:
- The bee boxes must be made of wood instead of plastic.
- The wooden coatings of the boxes must not transfer to the honey in such a way that they cause residues there.
- Furthermore, the feeding is done with an organic sugar solution if necessary.
- Also in the treatment of bee diseases are strict rules to follow.
However, because of the required certification, strict regulations, regular inspections and high costs, a production of organic honey is often worthwhile for beekeepers only from a certain farm size.
Fair trade honey as a good alternative
Fair trade honey is a good alternative to honey from the region. Much of the imported honey comes from developing countries. The Fairtrade seal guarantees that the price of the honey covers the production costs of the producers there. In a study of fair-trade honey, the consumer magazine Öko-Test was unable to detect any residues of genetically modified pollen – as it did in the honey of German beekeepers.
