Honey

Honey is a sweet and viscous fluid produced by bees and other insects from the nectar of flowers. "The definition of honey stipulates a pure product that does not allow for the addition of any other substance. This includes, but is not limited to, water or other sweeteners," according the United States National Honey Board 2003 and other nations' food regulations.

Use of honey

The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, spreading on bread or toast, and as an addition to various beverages such as tea. Because honey is hygroscopic (drawing moisture from the air), a small quantity of honey added to a pastry recipe will retard the staling process. Raw honey also contains enzymes that help in its digestion, several vitamins and antioxidants.

Related Topics:
Cooking - Bread - Tea - Hygroscopic - Enzyme - Digestion - Vitamins - Antioxidants

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Honey is the main ingredient in the alcoholic beverage mead, which is also known as honey wine, and methelgin.

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Honey is used in traditional folk medicine and apitherapy, and is an excellent natural preservative.

Related Topics:
Folk medicine - Apitherapy - Preservative

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Most vegans consider honey to be an animal product and avoid using it, instead choosing sweetening alternatives such as golden syrup.

Related Topics:
Vegan - Golden syrup

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Without commercial beekeeping, large-scale fruit and vegetable farming and some of the seed industry would be incapable of sustaining themselves, since many crops are pollinated by migratory beekeepers who contract their bees for that purpose.

Related Topics:
Fruit - Vegetable - Seed - Pollinated - Contract

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