Concept in Definition ABC
Miscellanea / / July 04, 2021
By Dra. Maria de Andrade, CMDF 21528, MSDS 55658., on Oct. 2015
The honey It is a sweet-tasting food that is made by bees from the nectar of flowers for their own consumption, is produced and stored in their nests in hexagonal structures that converge to form the honeycomb.
To be obtained it is necessary to collect it from a honeycomb, however it is possible to domesticate bees and achieve the production industrial honey in a process known as beekeeping.
The main use of honey is gastronomic, being used in the elaboration from food and beverages such as Arabic yogurt flavored like peppermint and sweetened with honey, it is also used in a large variety of breakfasts that include pancakes and fritters that are usually dipped in honey, in the preparation of desserts, in the preparation of sauces and dressings such as honey mustard vinaigrette.
Honey is an ancient food
Biblical accounts refer to the use of honey both as food and as an element to be exchanged to obtain other values, The ancient Egyptians used it, even pots with honey have been found in archaeological excavations, drawing attention to the fact that honey with more than two thousand years of elaboration was still suitable for consumption, highlighting the fact that honey is not decomposes.
Therapeutic uses of honey
Outside the kitchen, honey is used for its medicinal properties either directly or by forming part of preparations such as various types of tea and infusions in which it is usually combined with juice lemon. Its main use is in the symptomatic treatment of conditions such as colds, sore throat due to pharyngitis or tonsillitis and in the relief of coughs.
In these cases the effectiveness of honey is due to its anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, the latter means that it is capable of stopping the proliferation of germs, especially viruses and bacteria.
Honey is also used in the treatment of skin lesions by being placed directly on the lesion, for Its same antimicrobial effects are able to fight bacteria while stimulating wound healing. Another of the mechanisms by which honey contributes to wound healing is due to its antioxidant power, by eliminating free radicals stimulates the production of collagen and the formation of new tissue to repair the wound.
Honey is rich in sugars so it has effects on metabolism
Honey is mainly made up of carbohydrates of the fructose type, although they are more natural than refined sugar, they are also capable of raising blood sugar, causing overweight and leading to the development of endurance to insulin if it is ingested excessively as it would happen with any other type of sugar. It is estimated that about 100 grams of honey provide a total of 300 calories.
Photos: iStock - knape / jeangill
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