Honey|Composition of Honey.

How bees produce honey.

Honey is produced by the bees. The bees feed on the nectar of the flowers, drawing it from the flowers with the help of their long proboscis (a long and complex tongue). The nectar mixes with the enzymes present in the saliva of the bee and by the process of ingestion, regurgitation and partial digestion by the bee, honey is produced.

How Bees Store and Preserve Honey.

The honey is then deposited  into the cells of the wall of the beehive, which has a typical honeycomb appearance. Once the honey is mature enough, the bees seal off the honey with wax like caps, which they produce themselves. This sealing is necessary because honey is hygroscopic and absorbs moisture from the atmosphere.

The fluttering of the wings of the bees acts as a dehumidifier to reduce the moisture content in honey. It is sweet to taste and a healthier alternative to white sugar. Honey is harvested in summer and winter and that is the time, honey is the freshest. These tireless bees have to collectively visit some 2 million flowers to produce one pound of honey.

Picture of honeycomb beehive.

Nutritional Contents of Honey|Composition of Honey.

• Honey in its raw form contains traces of 27 minerals, 22 amino acids and some 5000 live enzymes.
• 1 oz of honey contains about 130 calories while one tablespoon of sugar contains 64 calories.
• Carbohydrates mainly in the form of fructose and glucose. Honey also contains other complex carbohydrates.

• Traces of vitamins B1, B2 and B6..
• Negligible fat content.
• Traces of minerals such as calcium, potassium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, manganese, sodium and selenium.
• Traces of protein.
• Traces of dietary fiber.
• Honey contains small amounts of compounds such as chrysin, pinobanksin, pinocembrin, Vitamin C and catalase which exhibit antioxidant properties.
• Being slightly acidic, growth of microorganisms is inhibited.

Picture showing composition of honey.

Word of Caution about honey.

Honey is never to be fed to infants under the age of 12 months. Honey is sometimes found to contain spores and toxins of  Clostridium botulinum, a bacteria which produces a very powerful neurotoxin. This bacteria causes botulism  which is a terminally paralytic disease. Infants under the age 12 months particularly are very susceptible to this disease. Honey can be safely consumed after the age of 12 months.

Next posts on honey.

• How to Choose Your Honey|Testing for purity of Honey.
• Raw Honey-Advantages.
• Amazing Benefits of Honey.

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6. Honey and Cinnamon.