One of only two
organic substances which have as their primary purpose
nourishment (the other being
mammalian breast milk). Unlike
flesh,
fruit,
roots, or
seeds, honey has no other purpose besides being
food.
That being said, in ancient times, honey was applied to wounds for healing. Today, the Honey Research Unit at Waikato University, New Zealand, specializes in research on the antimicrobial properties of honey. Clinical observations and
experimental studies have established that honey has effective antibacterial and anti-inflammatory
properties. It painlessly removes pus, scabs and dead tissue from wounds and stimulates new
tissue growth. “Randomized trials have shown that honey is more effective in controlling infection
in burn wounds than silver sulphadiazine, the antibacterial ointment most widely used on burns in
hospitals” says Dr. Peter Molan, Professor of Biochemistry at Waikato. These trials used sterilized honey. (Source: National Honey Board)
Honey is primarily composed of fructose, glucose and water. It also contains other sugars as well trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and digestive juices from bees' stomachs.
Bees may visit two million flowers to get enough nectar to create a single pound of honey.