Factors Governing the Benefits of Honey

Factors Governing the Benefits of Honey


There are numerous health benefits of honey; it can be used as an antioxidant, has antimicrobial, antibacterial and antifungal properties, boosts athletic performance, and is a rich source of vitamins and minerals. Milk and honey are used by many due to its skin care benefits. However, the benefits of honey that we get greatly depend on its quality. Honey available in different honey jars are not of same quality and hence do not provide same benefits.

The high dependence of the health benefits of honey and its price on its quality have made it important for both honey manufacturers and consumers understand the various factors that affect the quality of honey. Some of these factors include the type of fowers used, the blending process, storage conditions, temperature of heatng, etc. These factors have been explained in detail below:

• Type of flowers: According to the Honey Research Center at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, there is not enough evidence to draw conclusion on the properties of honey especially the antimicrobial properties based on the type of flowers used for honey production. However, extensive research has been carried out on honeydew honey obtained from the conifer forests in central European mountains and manuka honey obtained from New Zealand. The above mentioned honeydew honey has been found to have high microbial activity while manika honey has been found to have high non-peroxide activity.
• Blending: It is also believed that polyfloral honey (honey obtained from more than one flower) provides more benefits than monofloral honey. Hence many companies sell blended honey. Blended honey offers benefits of variety of honeys and hence is considered to be healthier than non-blended honey.
• Storage: Honey when stored for a long duration becomes dark in color. It loses some of its properties and may also ferment if the water content is high. Hence prolonged storage of honey should be avoided and newly harvested honey should be preferred.
• Heating: Heating honey leads to drastic changes in its chemical composition. As a result, heating to high temperatures reduces the benefits of honey. No wonder many people prefer raw honey or organic honey or raw organic honey. While raw honey by definition signifies less process (and no heating), organic honey is prepared using stringent organic honey production and processing standards, in which heating to high temperatures is not allowed.
• Water content: Honey can also udergo fermentation occasionally. If the water content of honey is high (above 19%), the chances of it getting fermented are high. You can find the water content of honey using a refractometer. Further, freely flowing honey either contains higher water content or has been heated to disturb the natural crystallization process.
• Color of honey: Color of honey is a very useful tool to judge its quality. Light colored honey is more valued than dark colored honey as the former has a delicate flavor. Honey becomes dark upon storage and heating.

Benefits of Organic Honey

Benefits of Organic Honey


Some people have the opinion that all honey available in the market is natural honey obtained from the wild. Others feel that honey production carried out on chemically sprayed farms cannnot get contaminated with the pesticides sprayed on the crops and weeds.

However, the truth is that honey bees may also get affected by the extensive pesticide usage which goes on the chemically treated farms. Moreover, non-organic honey production involves extensive usage of antibiotics for disease control. It should be noted that so far, there is no proof that organic honey is healthier than non-organic honey.

Then why should one eat organic honey? People prefer to be cautious. Most of our decisions are based on our beliefs and conscience. Since organic honey production involves following stringent guidelines, people feel secure when they eat organic honey as compared to when they eat non-organic honey.

Given below are some of the ways in which pesticide and antibiotic contamination of honey can take place:

Contamination of Pesticides in Honey
Honey can be contaminated with the pesticides sprayed on crops through one or more of the following ways:

• In some cases, when the plants and weeds containing flowers have been sprayed with pesticides, the honey bees are poisoned with pesticides.
• At times, the pesticide gets sprayed on the honey bees directly.
• In many occasions, honey bees collect nectar and pollen that is contaminated with pesticides.
• When pesticides are sprayed, part of it gets accumulated in water on or near the plants. When honey bees drink this water, they are also contaminated.
• In few occasions, the pesticide gets sprayed on the honey bee hives or gets transported to it from the sprayed plants.

Residues of Antibiotics in Honey
Conventional honey bees are given large doses of antibiotics to help them protect from diseases. Unfortunately, the honey also gets contaminated with these antibiotics. In 2002, samples of Chinese honey were tested for the presence of antibiotics in Europe. Several samples were found to contain traces of antibiotics, which led to a ban on the imports of Chinese honey in Europe. (The ban was later removed in 2004 due to improvements in Chinese veterinary standards and imports of honey from China were resumed.)

What leads to this antibiotics contamination? Unlike organic honey production, conventional honey production does not involve stringent guidelines for the quantity and mode of transmission of antibiotics to the honey bees. As a result, apiculturists have a free hand in using these antibiotics. When farmers use excessive quantities of antibiotics the chance of contamination increases.

What is the problem with residues of antibiotics being found in honey? The antibiotics given to the honey bees are veterinary antibiotics such as chloramphenicol, streptomycin and sulfonamides. Large doses of chloramphenicol administered into the human beings may cause cancer and aplastic anaemia. Similarly, high doses of streptomycin and sulfonamides are harmful to the human body.

Many countries have not banned the usage of these harmful drugs in apiculture. The EU has banned all three while the US has banned chloramphenicol.

Benefits of Honey in Weight Loss

Benefits of Honey in Weight Loss


The benefits of honey can be seen in your weight loss program as well. If you are trying to lose weight, honey can be of great help to you. But before we move on to the benefits of honey in weight loss we should address the concerns people have regarding honey.

Many people ask: Isn't honey a type of sugar? Does it not add any weight? Won't the calories in honey negate your weight loss efforts?

You are right - honey contains sugar. But unlike refined sugar, honey contains vitamins and minerals too. Normally, to digest sugar, the vitamins and minerals stored in body are utilized, rendering the body devoid of these nutrients. These nutrients are essential to dissolve fats and cholesterol. Thus when you eat too much sugar, you tend to increase weight not just because of the calories, but due to lack of vitamins and minerals. On the contrary, honey being a good source of nutrients, helps you in reducing weight.

Honey and warm water: Normally fat remains as an un-used resource in your body adding bulk and weight. It is believed that honey mobilizes this stored fat. When this fat is burnt to provide energy for your daily activities, you see a gradual decrease in your weight and obesity levels. It is suggested that you drink this honey (about one tablespoon daily), with equal amount of warm water.

Honey and lemon juice: Honey can also help in weight loss, when consumed with warm water and lemon juice. Many people drink this formula, first thing in the morning to reduce their weight.

Honey and cinnamon: Another useful recipe is cinnamon powder with honey and warm water. Take one tablespoon of cinnamon power, one tablespoon of honey and one cup of warm water, mix the ingredients properly and drink this mixture empty stomach. It is not clear how this mixture helps in weight loss; however, many people claim to have derived benefits from its regular consumption.

Honey also improves your digestion and helps in weight loss. Hence honey is also consumed after dinner after overeating.

Finally, many people stop eating food to reduce their weight. Beware of such practices. If you don't eat sufficient food (which involves calories, vitamin, minerals, fibers) your immune system will become weak. Your weight loss program should focus on reducing the intake of calories and not stopping the intake of calories. Further, you should also increase the daily expense of calories by regular exercise.

Health Benefits of Honey and Ginger

Health Benefits of Honey and Ginger


The health benefits of honey and ginger in treating respiratory problems are unmatched by any other concoction. Further, honey is an excellent medium for transmitting the benefits of herbs such as ginger to the body.

Both honey and ginger have their individual health benefits and the combination provides additional uses. (Click here for health benefits of honey, factors governing the benefits of honey and health benefits of ginger root.)

The health benefits of honey and ginger spice include the following:

• Respiratory problems: The mixture of honey and ginger is an excellent expectorant and therefore provides instant relief to a person suffering from cough, cold, sore throat, and runny nose.
• Asthma: It is also believed that a mixture of honey and ginger along with black pepper is capable of treating or reducing the effect of asthma.
• Indigestion: Ginger and honey are also available in the form of ginger honey tonic. It is believed that this tonic or syrup is a good digestive aid due to the inherent digestive properties of ginger. Further both ginger and honey have antioxidant properties thereby increasing the immunity of the body. Therefore, consumption of one tea spoonful of ginger and honey tonic is very useful for people who have a weak digestive system.

Therefore, many people, especially in India, always keep both ginger and honey in their house and prepare mixture whenever someone falls ill due to cold or cough.

The best way to consume ginger and honey is to mix one tea spoonful of ginger root juice with one tea spoonful of honey. Ginger honey crystals are also available in the market. The crystallized ginger and honey retain most of the health benefits present in a fresh preparation and are meant for instant preparation of a drink of ginger and honey.

Ginger honey candies are also very popular. If your throat is congested and you are not able to speak properly, you should eat candied ginger and honey as it clears the throat immediately. Ginger honey candies are also useful during traveling. They help in dealing with motion sickness.

Honey can also be added to ginger for improving its taste. Honey acts as sweetener, thereby making ginger more palatable. Further, honey can be added to ginger bread, ginger cookies, ginger ale, ginger beer, carrot ginger soup, ginger punch, ginger biscuits, ginger snap, ginger cake, and various other ginger recipes to enhance the taste of these recipes.

Honey is also often added to ginger root tea or ginger and cinnamon tea. You can replace sugar (if you add any) with honey while preparing the ginger tea and thus make your ginger tea healthier.

Health Benefits of Honey and Milk

Health Benefits of Honey and Milk


The health benefits of honey and milk include skin care and stamina development. This article elaborates the health benefits of milk and honey taken together. For health benefits of honey click here. For health benefits of organic milk click here.

Skin Care: Both honey and milk posses antimicrobial and cleansing properties. These properties are enhanced when the two are taken together. Numerous cleansers are prepared using milk and honey as the mixture gives a glowing skin. One can also enjoy a milk and honey bath, by mixing them in equal quantities. The combination is used in various spas throughout the world.

Stamina: A glass of milk and honey daily in the morning is known to improve the stamina of people. While milk contains proteins, honey contains the necessary carbohydrates required for effective metabolism. Milk and honey provides strength to all including children and old men and women.

Anti Aging: Milk and honey combination acts not only on the skin but also on the entire body by making it agile and youthful. People in many ancient civilizations including Greeks, Romans, Egyptians and Indians drank milk and honey to preserve their youth. Since milk and honey ensure long life, the combination was known as the elixir of life.

MilkAnti Bacterial: Research has shown than milk and honey have higher activity on staphylococcus bacteria than milk or honey taken alone. It is also believed that honey added to warm milk cures constipation, flatulence and intestine disorders. It is also good for treating respiratory disorders such as cold and cough.

The benefits of honey and milk to the human body are so enormous that the phrase “land of milk and honey” meaning “a place which has plenty” is commonly used. Jerusalem is referred to as the land of milk and honey in the Old Testament.

Benefits of Organic Honey Certification

Benefits of Organic Honey Certification


Increasing number of farmers, all over the world, are shifting to organic farming as it provides numerous benefits over conventional farming. Honey bee keepers are also favoring organic honey production as it is considered to have numerous benefits over conventional honey.

The NSW Department of Primary Industries, Australia provides the pros and cons of becoming a certified organic honey bee keeper in the document 'Organic Certified Production with Bees'.

Pros of organic honey production
Some of the advantages of organic honey production to the manufacturer are given below:

• Increased price of honey: Organic honey and organic raw honey both fetch a higher price in the market as compared to conventional honey.
• Increased marketability: It is easier to sell organic honey and raw organic honey as they are considered to have greater health benefits over non-organic honey. Reports of increased usage of antibiotics in Chinese honey have increased awareness about potential ill-effects of non-organic honey among health conscious consumers.
• Qualtiy honey assurance for buyers: Customers are assured of a quality product as the production and handling standards for organic honey are clearly defined by the certifying body. If the honey is not manufactured according to the set guidelines, the organic label is not granted.
• Satisfaction of producing a clean product: Many farmers shift to organic farming due to its benefits to the environment. Same is the case with organic apiculture. Organic honey bee keepers feel content at the end of the day when they do not use chemical pesticides and antibiotics.
• Every organic honey jar can be traced: Certified organic honey involves proper labeling of the product. Every organic honey jar can be traced to the honey bee hive from which the honey in it is obtained.
• Increased management awareness of the enterprise: Many conventional honey bee keepers are not aware of effective techniques to manage their apiaries. Since certified organic honey production involves following stringent guidelines, manufacturers are also educated about efficient management of their enterprise.

Cons of organic honey production
There are some disadvantages of organic honey production. Some of these disadvantages include the following:

• Availability of suitable apiary sites: It is difficult to get suitable apiary sites that favor the organic honey standards in all seasons.
• Limitation on disease management practices: Organic honey does not involve wide usage of antibiotics. Hence disease management is restricted.
• Limitation on feeding management practices: An organic honey bee keeper has to ensure that there is no non-organic farm in the vicinity of his honey bee hives. Further, there are other restrictions on the feeding practices.
• Transition cost and time: A conventional honey bee keeper cannot shift to organic honey production all of a sudden. As in case of organic milk production, there is transition time and cost involved in shifting to organic honey production as well. There is also one year probation period in some countries such as Australia before becoming a certified organic honey manufacturer.
• Other costs: Organic honey production also involves other costs such as cost of joining the certifying body, cost of certification, auditing cost, sampling cost, etc.
• Increased record keeping: Organic honey involves keeping detailed records throughout the manufacturing, processing and retailing processes.

Honey as Antibiotics

Honey as Antibiotics


Honey as the traditional medicine on preventing of a growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Staphylococcus bacteria that resistant to methicillin and other drug-resistant infections kill or hasten the death of 8,000 British patients per year, while MRSA now kills more people in US than annually AIDS. At the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England, many wounds are now being disinfected with Manuka honey rather than pharmaceutical antibiotics.

Honey has been used in healing for long ago, but now have been develop of new product that associated with honey and bring it into a modern healthcare setting. Honey is known as one of the oldest forms of medicine, and was employed both as food and antibiotic by the ancient Egyptians and more recently, by German doctors during World War I. High of sugar content in honey make this substance almost chemically inert, it make unavailable for bacteria growth, fungi and viruses growth. A naturally occurring enzyme known as glucose oxidase also make honey acidic enough to create a hostile environment for most bacteria.

Honey for antibiotic that is used in Royal United Hospital is not the same as honey that is usually sell in supermarket or minimarket. Honey that is usually use for antibiotic called as Manuka honey, which is produced from manuka plant, a natural honey from certain plant in New Zealand. This honey is then irradiated to kill any trace bacterial spores.

According to the manuka honey product criteria, this honey has proven effective at killing MRSA in scientific trial. Honey already contains a variety of chemicals that can be beneficial to the body, such as antioxidant pinocembrin, which only occur in honey.