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About Honey

Introduction Honey is very common these days among us, but most of us don't know its actual use. In fact its just known as something which is produced by honey bees & people eat it due to its sweet taste. Below you can read some of the important features & facts of honey which you can get in bulk. Honey is Therapeutic Agent Honey has been used as a therapeutic agent since ancient times for “disorders” ranging from baldness to gastrointestinal distress. During the early part of the 20th century, researchers began to document the wound healing properties of honey. The introduction of antibiotics in the 1940’s temporarily stymied honey's use. Nonetheless, concerns regarding antibiotic resistance and renewed interest in “natural” remedies has promoted a resurgence of interest in the anti microbial and wound healing properties of honey. Honey’s antibacterial effects are not exclusively due to osmolarity. Honey is effective in the treatment of post-surgical wounds. Honey’s ability to stimulate inflammatory cytokine production from moncytes may help explain it’s wound healing capacity. Honey contains a number of substances that contribute to its anti microbial activity.

Honey Heals Wounds
In addition to its use as a wound healing agent, honey has been used as an alternative treatment for clinical conditions ranging from gastrointestinal problems to ophthalmologic disorders. Unfortunately, research documenting the effectiveness of honey for these conditions is scarce. On the other hand, medications for these conditions abound, rendering honey a less popular choice. More recently, honey has been examined for its potential to treat chronic conditions including risk factors for heart disease and seasonal allergies. Research into these areas is preliminary but potentially promising.

Honey may lower plasma insulin levels, C-reactive protein, and homocysteine in healthy and diabetic subjects.

Natural honey lowers plasma prostaglandin concentrations in normal individuals.
Effect of ingesting honey on symptoms of rhino conjunctivitis.

Topical application of honey is an effective treatment in radiation-induced mucositis.

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Honey prevents mouth ulcers
Honey is known to possess a variety of antioxidants and antibacterial substances that have been shown to inhibit growth of a wide range of bacteria and fungi. The anti microbial properties of honey may render it beneficial in the treatment of various oral ailments including periodontal disease and mouth ulcers.
Manuka honey may aid in the treatment of gingivitis.

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Honey and Antioxidants
Antioxidants are nutritive and non-nutritive substances that can retard or inhibit oxidation and/or neutralize the effects of damaging “free radicals”. In humans, oxidative stress is implicated in an ever growing number of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease and cancer. Thus, increasing the body’s antioxidant content may help protect against cellular damage and the development of chronic diseases. Research indicates that honey contains numerous phenolic and non-phenolic antioxidants, the amount and type of which depends largely upon the floral source of the honey. Darker honeys (e.g., buckwheat) are generally higher in antioxidant content than lighter honeys and have been shown to be similar in antioxidant capacity to many fruits and vegetables on a dry weight basis.

Chronic honey consumption increases plasma antioxidant concentration.
Buckwheat Honey Increases Serum Antioxidant Capacity in Humans.
Honeys with high phenolic contents can increase serum antioxidant capacity in healthy human subjects.
Identification and quantification of antioxidant components of honeys from various floral sources.
Antioxidant capacity of honeys from various floral sources and inhibition of in vitro lipoprotein oxidation in human serum samples.

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Honey and Prebiotics
Bifidobacteria are a group of bacteria considered important to the health of the gastrointestinal tract (i.e., “good bacteria”). Increasing the populations of these “good bacteria” (and suppressing potentially deleterious microorganisms) are thought to be important to maintaining optimal gastrointestinal health. There are generally two approaches for increasing the populations of bifidobacteria in the gut: (1) ingesting the live and active cultures or (2) enhancing the growth of the indigenous bifidobacteria. The first method has been referred to as a “probiotic” while the second is considered a “prebiotic”.

Honey can enhance the growth and acid production of human Bifidobacterium ssp.
Honey enhances the production of lactic acid from Bifidobacteria.

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Honey and Sports Nutrition
The benefits of carbohydrate (CHO) consumption prior to, during and following endurance exercise are well-documented. In addition, recent research supports the benefit of CHO consumption prior to and during high-intensity exercise of shorter duration (e.g., soccer matches, swimming competitions, and even high-volume resistance exercise). Carbohydrates eaten before and during exercise help maintain blood glucose levels and prevent premature fatigue. After exercise, carbohydrates are necessary to replenish muscle and liver glycogen and prepare the athlete for the next training bout. It has been suggested that the glycemic index may be a useful tool for determining the type of carbohydrate that should be consumed before, during and after exercise; however, research is currently limited and inconclusive.

Honey can serve as an effective carbohydrate replacement during endurance exercise.
Frequent consumption of honey, tea and ham may be effective to improve selenium concentration in selenium-inadequate individuals.

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Dress up your cuisine with Honey
Honey possesses numerous functional characteristics that can improve the quality of a variety of food products. In meat products honey can enhance the meat flavors, bind ingredients and act as a culture substrate in cured products. Honey may also improve the cook yield in poultry meats by adding to the overall weight. In addition, honey contains large amounts of reducing sugars which can participate in the Maillard reaction along with the amines found in poultry meats. Finally, because of honey's unique antioxidant profile it may serve as an effective means of inhibiting foodborne pathogens, reducing heterocyclic aromatic amine (HAA) formation, and stabilizing lipid emulsion systems such as salad dressings.

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