It is savoured by all due to its taste as well as health benefits. What makes honey so popular is the ease with which it can be consumed. One can eat honey directly, put it on bread like a jam, mix it with juice or any drink instead of sugar, or mix it with warm water, lime juice, cinnamon and other herbs to make a medicine.

The health benefits of honey include the following:

* Sweetener: Sugar can be substituted with honey in many food and drinks. Honey contains about 69% glucose and fructose enabling it to be used as a sweetener.
* Energy Source: Honey is also used by many as a source of energy as it provides about 64 calories per tablespoon. One tablespoon of sugar will give you about 50 calories. Further the sugars in honey can be easily converted into glucose by even the most sensitive stomachs. Hence it is very easy to digest honey.
* Weight Loss: As honey has lower calories than sugar, replacing sugar with honey helps you in reducing your calorie intake. Honey when consumed with warm water also helps in digesting the fat stored in your body. Similarly honey and lemon juice and honey and cinnamon help in reducing weight.
* Improving Athletic Performance: Recent research has shown that honey is an excellent ergogenic aid and helps in boosting the performance of athletes. Honey facilitates in maintaining blood sugar levels, muscle recuperation and glycogen restoration after a workout.
* Source of Vitamins and Minerals: Honey contains a variety of vitamins and minerals. The vitamin and mineral content of honey depends on the type of flowers used for apiculture.
* Antibacterial and Antifungal Properties: Honey has anti-bacterial and anti-fungal properties and hence it can be used as a natural antiseptic.
* Antioxidants: Honey contains nutraceuticals, which are effective in removing free radicals from our body. As a result, our body immunity is improved.
* Skin Care with Milk and Honey: Milk and honey are often served together as both these ingredients help in getting a smooth soothing skin. Hence consuming milk and honey daily in the morning is a common practice in many countries.

Honey in Wound Management
Significant research is being carried out to study the benefits of honey in treating wounds. Nursing Standard provides some of these benefits in the document - The benefits of honey in wound management. These have been given below:

* Honey possesses antimicrobial properties.
* It helps in promoting autolytic debridement.
* It deodorizes malodorous wounds.
* It speeds up the healing process by stimulating wound tissues.
* It helps in initiating the healing process in dormant wounds.
* Honey also helps in promoting moist wound healing.

Answered by Khursheed , an ibibo Master, at 8:53 AM on March 08, 2008

All have given very descriptive and informative replies to this question. so there is not much that i can add, except to say that NATURAL HONEY IS THE ONLY FOOD THAT WILL NEVER SPOIL. Honey has been recovered from the ancient jars found in the Egyptian pyramids and they still maintain their chemical structure and taste good. They have not spoilt even after thousands of years !

Answered by sand999piper , an ibibo Citizen, at 6:56 PM on March 06, 2008

HONEY IS A NATURAL IMMUNITY BOOSTER.IT IS VERY EFFECTIVE IN TREATING COLD .HONEY IS GOOD FOR SKIN AND IT CAN BE USED AS A FACE MOISTURIZING MASK INSTEAD OF CHEMICAL MASKS .IT CAN BE USED AS A HAIR CONDITIONER TOO.IT IS ALSO CONSIDERED AS ANTIINFLAMMATORY AS IT CAN HEAL WOUNDS AND ULCERS TOO.WHEN IT IS APPLIED ON WOUNDS IT PREVENTS INFECTION.HONEY WHEN MIXED WITH WATER HELPS IN TREATING DEHYDRATION.HONEY IS GOOD FOR HEART AND PREVENTS CANCER TOO.IT REDUCES FATIGUE AND IMPROVES BLOOD CIRCULATION CLEANS BLOOD AND TREATS ANEMIA .

Answered by sanya , an ibibo Master, at 6:42 AM on March 06, 2008

Perhaps your parents failed to mention it when they discussed the birds and the bees with you, but honey has long been known to have a multitude of healing powers with everything from relieving a sore throat, allergies, healing wounds, etc. It also goes great with peanut butter.

Research shows that a spoonful of honey is more effective than DM cough syrup in treating coughs - and is safe for children over 12 months old, according to Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, December 2007.Down south we have honeywith [pepper for cough/

Other research from the University of California, Davis reveals that honey consumption raises antioxidant levels. Honey soothes on contact and has well-established antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, which helps explain its contributions to wound healing.

Answered by wri ter , an ibibo Master, at 12:12 AM on March 06, 2008

Honey is a natural source of energy. It has plenty of sugar and vitamins in it. Moreover, it prevents cough and maintains the skin texture.

Answered by MRIDUL BORA , an ibibo Master, at 11:45 PM on March 05, 2008

well rajani i think Honey is composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate.

It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 all of which change according to the qualities of the nectar and pollen. Besides the above, copper, iodine, and zinc exist in it in small quantities. Several kinds of hormones are also present in it. Approximately one half of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from crops pollinated by bees. Today honeybees are an essential part of a healthy agriculture economy

Answered by sanjay , an ibibo Guru, at 2:40 PM on March 03, 2008

it helps to generate heat, create and replace energy, and furthermore, to form certain tissues

Answered by meenusai , an ibibo Specialist, at 3:52 PM on March 02, 2008

Honey has long been recognized as a natural remedy and has been used a s a medicine for thousands of years. Honey contains many antioxidants. It contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids. It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 all of which change according to the qualities of the nectar and pollen. If you have allergies, honey can be beneficial. If you eat honey that is local to your area, it may help prevent your seasonal allergies. Bees use the pollen from local plants and eventually it ends up in your honey. Honey may also be good for your skin. If you have a sore throat, take some honey. Honey may also be effective in the treatment of your ulcers. Honey is a natural antiseptic. In treating diarrhea, honey promotes the rehydration of the body and more quickly clears up the diarrhea and any vomiting and stomach upsets.

Answered by Meera , an ibibo Master, at 2:24 PM on March 02, 2008

Honey is a treat, and is man's oldest sweetener. It is an excellent substitute for sugar in our drinks and food. It is also good for many medicinal uses and treating certain conditions. Reliance on commercialized medicines which contain too many chemicals can become hazardous to our health.

"Honey is cheap, making it potentially useful for treating wounds in earthquake-stricken and war-torn areas where running water is scarce and aften contanimated. It is being used in Iraq to treat burn wounds in children."

Honey is composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate.

It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 all of which change according to the qualities of the nectar and pollen. Besides the above, copper, iodine, and zinc exist in it in small quantities. Several kinds of hormones are also present in it. Approximately one half of the human diet is derived directly or indirectly from crops pollinated by bees. Today honeybees are an essential part of a healthy agriculture economy.

If you have allergies, honey can be beneficial. If you eat honey that is local to your area, it may help prevent your seasonal allergies. Bees use the pollen from local plants and eventually it ends up in your honey.

Honey may also be good for your skin. It has the ability to attract water. It is also safe for sensitive skin. You can use it as a moisturizing mask for your skin as well as your hair. To use it as a conditioner, mix the honey with olive oil. Be sure to wash your hair thoroughly before you go outside.

If you have a sore throat, take some honey.[ Honey has powerful antimicrobial properties, which can soothe your raw tissues. Pour a teaspoon of honey into a large serving spoon and then top off the spoon with lemon juice. Swallow the concoction (without water) every few hours until symptoms clear up. Some people add a pinch of black or red pepper to increase blood circulation to the throat.] Due to its natural anti-inflammatory effect, it will help to heal the wounds more quickly.It also has different phytochemicals--chemicals found in plants and different foods--that kill viruses, bacteria, and fungus making it a good substitute for wound dressings. The taste may also take your mind off the pain. There is evidence that honey diluted in water will help with your stomach aches and dehydration.

Do you have a cut? Honey is a natural antiseptic. Medical journals cite more than 600 cases in which honey was employed to treat wounds.By applying honey to your wounds, you prevent infections. Honey contains antimicrobial agents, which prevents infections by killing the bacteria in and around your wounds. When using honey it may help to heat it up before putting it on your wound (caution test the heat before you place it on the wound).Many types of bacteria can’t survive in honey, so wounds heal, swelling eases, and tissue can grow back.

Honey may also be effective in the treatment of your ulcers.In Europe, honey has been used internally to help cure ulcers, particularly stomach ulcers. Burns, too, heal better with honey, studies show. The advantage of honey is that it not only prevents infections from occurring, it actually accelerates skin healing.. Since the sugar in honey absorbs water it helps to trap some of the moisture so that the bacteria and other microbes can’t grow as easily as in other food.

Answered by Rekha , an ibibo Advisor, at 12:33 PM on March 02, 2008