Honey is a product obtained from the activity of bees by processing sugary juices by buzzing, or harvesting.
Honey contains more than 180 substances among which sugars such as fructose and glucose. Vitamins and phytochemicals are also present, even though to a lesser extent. The composition of substances varies according to the areas of harvesting.
Harvested from honeycombs by pressure, centrifugation or dripping, honey can have a semi-liquid, dense or syrupy consistency and, over time, solidify and become opaque and in granules due to the glucose that forms a suspension of crystals.
Depending on the flowers, the bottled plants and the season, its colour and taste vary.
Some types of honey:
- Chestnut honey, rather bitter and brown in colour
- Acacia honey, sweet and light in colour
- Honey of lime, sweet and of light colour, almost white
In the chemical composition we find, (the percentages are approximate) :
- Water 15%
- Sucrose 10%
- Levulose
- Glucose
- Mannite
- Fats
- Caffeic acid
- Cinnamic acid
- Phenolic acid
- Dextrins
and bioactive biological essential components:
- Vitamin A Retinol
- Vitamin E Tocopherol
- Vitamin B Thiamine
- Vitamin C Ascorbic acid
- Cinnamic acid
- Pantothenic acid
There are also 320 varieties of honey by-products on the market, including :
Rosé honey which is composed of 20% honey in water with red rose petals and which is used as a disinfectant, , cicatrizant, astringent, etc.
Whole virgin honey, obtained by centrifugation at temperatures not exceeding 40 °, with antibiotic properties, antibacterial.
Honey is added to cosmetic products such as ointments for the lips, cleansing milk, moisturizing creams, after sun, tonic lotions, shampoos and conditioners. The quantities used vary between 1 and 10%, but concentrations of up to 70% can be achieved by mixing with oils, gels, emulsifiers, or polymers.
Honey contains some amount of fructose, a natural component that, when consumed in quantity can lead to hepatic and extrahepatic insulin resistance, obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and high blood pressure. There is, however, no objective reason to argue that moderate fructose intake, or fructose consumed with fruit or honey, is unsafe (1).
Safety
Although current EU legislation does not allow the use of antimicrobials, their residues are often detected in honey intended for human consumption. This study aims to investigate whether bees living in hives located near tanks filled with pig manure containing oxytetracycline residues, by collecting the water contained therein, thus contaminate their honey (2).
Another problem concerning food safety is the presence of pesticide residues in honey. Pesticides can be either chlororganic or phosphororganic.
However, honey contains a high content of fructose. Fructose is another component with an innocuous and inviting name, but consuming too much of it can create health risks. And honey also contains antibiotics that keep bees from infection, so by consuming honey, some antibiotic will pass into your body. When buying honey, check that it says 'antibiotic-free' on the label.
Honey studies
References_____________________________________________________________________
(1) Tappy L, Lê KA. Metabolic effects of fructose and the worldwide increase in obesity. Physiol Rev. 2010 Jan;90(1):23-46. doi: 10.1152/physrev.00019.2009.
(2) Ricchiuti L, Petrollini E, Annunziata L, D'Aloise A, Leonardi D, Pomilio F. Contamination of honey by oxytetracycline from pig manure. Vet Ital. 2019 Jun 30;55(2):123-129. doi: 10.12834/VetIt.1033.5510.4.
Honey 
Dextrins
