Cerrar

Today many people choose to sweeten solutions with honey, pushing white sugar and artificial sweeteners aside. Over the course of decades and many nutritional trends, honey has remained a healthy option despite its high calorie content.

According to the American Diabetes Association, honey is a very complex biological product whose nutritional composition largely varies depending on the flora of origin, the region, and the climate. Because of its sugar concentration, it's a high-calorie food. Potassium is the most abundant element followed by chlorine, sulfur, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, etc.

Even though honey contains certain vitamins and minerals that can't be found in refined sugar, the amounts are so small that they're not significant in terms of daily needs. The color and taste depend on the age of the honey and the source of the nectar. Lighter honeys tend to be of better quality than darker ones.

In addition to its nutritional components, honey contains inhibitors which are substances that give it its anti-bacterial and antiseptic qualities. A spoonful of honey exerts light expectorant and anti-cough effects. When gargled, it alleviates throat irritation, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis.

Experts explain that because honey is a highly concentrated food, it's best not to exceed a daily dose of 50 grams. Furthermore, it should be consumed slowly to avoid digestive problems due to poor absorption of the fructose it contains.

This natural, thousand-year-old food is the solution bees came up with to feed their larvae and to guarantee their survival during the winter. Worker bees ingest nectar and other sweet juices from flowers. Then they add their own substances (enzymes) from their body and transform it into honey in special sacs located in the esophagus. Finally they store and age it in honeycombs inside the beehive.

Known as the nectar of the gods, it undergoes seasonal production. There is spring honey(produced until the end of May), main honey(produced in June and July) and late honey(produced in August and September). It is divided between flower honey and dew honeyaccording to the origin. The first is obtained from heather, lime blossoms, acacia, rosemary, fruit trees, etc. It's transparent and thick when it's fresh. Dew honey comes from firs, red firs, or leaves and is difficult to solidify. Generally, it's not as sweet and it's not uncommon for it to give off a spiced and resinous smell and taste.