One of the oldest sweeteners on earth, honey has been widely accepted as food and medicine by all generations, traditions, and civilisations, both ancient and modern.
For nearly three millennia, honey has been used by humans to treat a variety of ailments:
Anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, anti-fungal
All honey is antibacterial because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide. "Honey or isolated honey-derived components might be of great value for prevention and treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria," says said Sebastian A.J. Zaat, Ph.D., a researcher involved in the work from the Department of Medical Microbiology at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam.
Natural cough syrup
Honey helps to alleviate cough symptoms and soothes throat irritation. Buckwheat honey is most effective as a cough syrup.
Helps regulate blood sugar levels
Honey contains simple sugars, but it's the same as white sugar or artificial sweeteners. Its exact combination of fructose and glucose actually helps the body regulate blood sugar levels.
Wound healer
Honey has been shown to be as effective as conventional treatment with silver sulfadiazine. Only for suitable for external cuts, burns and bruises.
May help alleviate pollen allergy symptoms
Consuming locally produced honey may help allergy sufferers develop immunity to local pollen.