Honey is a food products produced by bees. It is one of the few sources of concentrated sugars found in the natural word. It is particularly interesting because it contains high amounts of fructose but is absent of fibre. The high sugar and low fibre content of honey would tend to suggest that it is a low quality food that should be avoided. However, honey does have a number of health benefits. Consumption of honey is not associated with detrimental health outcomes as long as its consumption is limited. In the natural world, honey is protected by angry bees and this in this way its consumption is not easy, and this limits intake somewhat. Over Consumption of honey will very likely cause the same metabolic dysfunction that results from overconsumption of any concentrated source of sugar including soft drinks and fruit juices. However, when moderated honey provides a number of healthy substances that may confer significant and unique health benefits. Propolis and royal jelly are other products made by bees that may confer beneficial effects in humans.
The colour of honey can vary considerably based on the geographical region that it is located. The honey is produced by the bees to nourish themselves and in this regard can be considered bee food. The bees can travel several miles to collect the nectar from flowers. Within the bees mouths there are enzymes that convert the nectar into honey, which is then deposited in the hive as a store of food. The honey is aerated by the movement of the bees and this reduces the water content of the honey. Because honey is made from nectar, it originates from plants and this means that it contains a range of phytochemicals. In particular honey may contain high levels of antioxidants, which may be the reason for some of the health benefits of honey such as the ability to prevent the oxidation of lipoproteines. Honey also has wound healing effects and can be used topically to treat wounds. This wound healing effect likely relates to the presence of glucose oxidase, which when exposed to water produces hydrogen peroxide, and the high sugar content of the honey which osmotically can dry wounds.
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