Is honey just a sweetener? (Honey) - Let's find out for sure!

Honey is an indispensable thing in our homes, isn't it? We all like to add a little honey to tea, sweets, and especially when we have a cough, along with ginger and coriander. Some people even use honey instead of sugar. But is this honey just a sweet taste? Or does it really have health benefits that we don't know about? On the other hand, do we also need to think about the risks when using honey? Let's talk about all this precisely and simply today.

First, let's see, what is honey? How is it produced?

Simply put, honey is a food produced by bees for their own consumption. We have been fascinated by its sweet taste for thousands of years.

Bees make honey by sucking nectar from flowers. But there is a misconception that many people have. That is, honey is the vomit of bees. That is completely wrong. When bees suck nectar, it does not go into their normal stomach. It goes into a special bag (honey stomach or crop) that is specially designed for it. That is where the nectar turns into honey. This never goes into the bees' digestive system.

The bees then store this honey in their honeycombs, which they make from wax. We use the honey to separate it from these honeycombs.

Raw Honey and Processed Honey

Many bottles of honey you buy in the store are pasteurized. This heat is used to reduce stickiness, make it easier to filter, and to kill yeast cells that can cause the honey to spoil. Raw honey, however, is honey that has been taken from the hive and filtered to remove large particles, but has not been heated in any way.

How is honey nutritious?

Honey is basically a type of sugar . In fact, honey has more calories than the white sugar we use. But since honey is sweeter than white sugar, you only need to use a small amount. Also, honey has a special taste and aroma that white sugar does not have.

Let's see what the nutrition in a tablespoon of honey is.

In addition, honey contains very small amounts of vitamins and minerals such as iron, zinc, and potassium.

Are there types of honey?

Yes, the taste, color, and quality of honey vary depending on the type of flower the bees collect nectar from and the method of making it. There are several popular types around the world.

• Clover honey: This is the most common type in the world. Made from white clover flowers, it has a mild flavor.
• Wildflower honey: The flavor and color of this honey vary from place to place because it is made from a combination of different types of flowers, rather than from the same type of flower.
• Acacia honey: This is very sweet. Many people use it in tea.
• Whipped honey: This is a type of crystallized honey. It can be spread on bread like butter.
• Mad honey: This is a very dangerous type . This honey, which is produced from the flowers of the Rhododendron plant that blooms in some mountainous areas of countries like Nepal and Turkey, contains a toxic chemical called grayanotoxin. Although some people use it to get drunk, it can cause severe poisoning. Blurred vision, dizziness, vomiting, and even heart disease can occur. If something like this is ingested by mistake, the patient should be immediately taken to the nearest Emergency Treatment Unit (ETU) and the National Poisons Information Centre at the Colombo National Hospital should be informed.

Honey Crystallization

Any type of honey can harden over time and crystallize. This is normal. There is no harm in eating honey that has hardened. If you want to re-liquefy it, place the bottle of honey in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for a while. Never microwave it , as this can alter the flavor.

What are the health benefits of honey?

Although honey is not a nutritionally rich food, it does have several scientifically proven health benefits.

• Anti-inflammatory effects: Honey is rich in antioxidants. These reduce damage to cells in the body and inflammation. This inflammation is the root cause of many diseases such as heart disease and cancer.
• Cough relief: Research has found that honey can help relieve nighttime coughs, especially in young children. But there is a very important caveat here. We'll talk about that next.
• Wound healing: Honey has been used to treat burns and wounds for thousands of years. The antibacterial properties of honey help wounds heal faster.
• Controls cholesterol levels: According to some research, consuming a small amount of honey daily can help reduce the levels of bad cholesterol (`LDL` cholesterol) in the body and increase the levels of good cholesterol (`HDL` cholesterol).

The risks we must know about when using honey!

Although honey is safe for most people, it can be dangerous in some cases. Be sure to be aware of these facts.

Do not give honey to babies under one year old! (Infant Botulism)

The reason is that honey can contain spores of the bacteria `Clostridium botulinum`. While the digestive systems of adults and children over one year old can handle these, a baby's immature immune system cannot. These spores can grow inside the baby's body and cause a very dangerous, life-threatening illness called `Infant Botulism`.

Symptoms of this condition include constipation, lethargy, inability to hold the neck properly, difficulty sucking, and weak crying. If you notice these symptoms, seek medical advice immediately.

Allergies

Allergies to honey are rare, but they can happen. The reason for this is the bee pollen found in honey. Symptoms of an allergy can include hives, dizziness, vomiting, and irregular heartbeat.

Some people believe that drinking local honey can help relieve seasonal allergies. However, there is not enough scientific evidence to prove this. Therefore, if you have allergies, it is wise to seek medical attention.

Fake Honey

Sometimes, honey available in the market may have added sugar syrup or corn syrup. Therefore, it is important to buy honey from a trusted source and read the label carefully.

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