Honey

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Photo © Steven Foster

Introduction

Honeybees process nectar from the flower of various plants to produce honey.^1,2  The bees deposit their collections of nectar, mixed with substances of their own, into the honeycomb and store it to develop into honey.¹  Only five of the 10,000 types of bees actually make honey and one honeybee in its lifetime will only make the equivalent of a teaspoonful of honey.³  To produce one pound of honey, 160,000 bees need to make numerous trips to two million flowers to collect four pounds of nectar.³  The practice of beekeeping and the production of honey are found worldwide. The flowers of the basswood flower, clover blossom, and raspberry blossom are viewed as producing the most desirable and flavorful honey.^2,3  

History and Cultural Significance

Honey is an ingredient in numerous moisturizing cosmetic creams and lotions, bath products, personal cleansing products, masks, shampoos, conditioners, and lip balms.⁴  It is often used for its ability to attract, absorb, and hold moisture.¹  Honey is used externally to promote wound healing.^1,2  Internal uses of honey include as a food and flavor additive, as can be found in cough syrups.⁴  Traditionally, honey was used externally to treat eye ailments and skin sores, and internally to treat coughs, colds, diarrhea, sore throat, constipation, insomnia, and nausea.^2,4  Additionally, honey was believed to enhance physical performance and prevent fatigue, as well as serve as a remedy for mouth sores and bronchial infections.¹  In Ayurvedic (traditional Indian) medicine, honey is used to more quickly absorb herbal products and soothe mouth sores.¹  

Honey has been collected dating back to the third millennium BCE.³  The Egyptian texts listed at least 900 remedies that included honey.²  Honey was used on battlefield wounds as late as World War I.²  One of the oldest sweeteners known to mankind, honey was once listed in the U.S. National Formulary as the official flavor and sweetener of medicinals.^2,3  

Modern Research

Honey has shown to help soothe burns and other wounds by forming a protective barrier.⁵  Studies are being performed on the external uses of honey for its possible effect on wounds and eye infections, as well as for the management of skin lesions, sores, and irritations.^6,7,8,9,10  Other studies are being performed on the potential use of honey for gingivitis and plaque.^11,12  

Future Outlook

Honeybees are used for commercial production of honey in numerous regions, including Africa, the Americas, Asia, and Europe, and produce at least 300,000 tons of honey annually.²  Between its many versatile uses and ability to be produced around the world, honey production is sustainable at its current usage.