| Beekeeping is an ancient activity. There is | | | | diseases, upset stomachs, constipation and |
| evidence from rock paintings that suggests | | | | diarrhea, cardiovascular disease and cancer. |
| beekeeping was happening as early as 13.000 | | | | It is also effective against |
| BC. The ancient Egyptians were excellent | | | | antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as |
| beekeepers, as were the Greeks. | | | | salmonella, and H. pylori, which cause |
| | | | stomach ulcers. |
| Honey is produced as food by the honeybees to | | | | |
| sustain them during the winter months. The | | | | Honey is used extensively in the cosmetics |
| bees take nectar from flowers, take it to the | | | | industry in moisturizers, lotions, facial |
| hive, and, by concentrating it, make honey. | | | | creams and bath and shower products. It is an |
| It is stored within the hive on structures | | | | anti-irritant, making it suitable for |
| called combs. | | | | sensitive-skin and baby products. Honey is a |
| | | | natural humectant, which means it both |
| The flavour, aroma and colour of honey differ | | | | attracts and retains moisture. Many hair care |
| depending on the flowers from which the bee | | | | products include honey in their basic |
| removed the nectar. Climate, humidity and | | | | ingredients. |
| altitude also have an affect on the | | | | |
| characteristics of honey. Clear honey has a | | | | There are some downsides to honey. |
| weak flavour and aroma. Dark honey is rich in | | | | Commercially processed honey is filtered and |
| proteins and minerals. Common flavours of | | | | contains few allergens. Raw honey, on the |
| honey include orange blossom, tupelo, | | | | other hand, retains a greater amount of |
| buckwheat, clover, blackberry, and blueberry. | | | | pollens and may cause a reaction in people |
| In Australia, the most common honey comes | | | | who are allergic to pollen. The reactions are |
| from eucalyptus trees, such as red gum, | | | | usually small, but severe reactions, although |
| yellow gum and stringybark. Other countries | | | | rare, have occurred. |
| are also noted for their honey, including | | | | |
| Tasmanian leatherwood honey, Greek wild thyme | | | | There are also several types of honey which |
| honey, and French lavender and acacia honey. | | | | are toxic to humans. Bees can produce "Mad |
| | | | Honey" from rhododendrons, mountain laurels |
| There are three forms of honey, liquid, | | | | and azalea flowers. The nectar of these |
| partially crystallized and granulated. Honey | | | | plants sometimes contains grayanotoxin, which |
| can be used as a food, preservative, or | | | | is poisonous to humans but harmless to bees. |
| medicine. As a food, honey is rich in | | | | Toxic honey also results when bees gather |
| fructose, sucrose and glucose, making it a | | | | honeydew produced by vine hopper insects |
| natural source of energy. Its antioxidant | | | | feeding on the tutu plant in New Zealand. |
| properties make it ideal as a preservative in | | | | This introduces poisonous tutin into the |
| foods, including meat, poultry and pastry. | | | | honey and as little as one teaspoon of this |
| For about 4,000 years, honey has been used as | | | | can produce severe effects or death in |
| a medicine. The ancient Egyptians used it for | | | | humans. To reduce the risk of tutin |
| the treatment of wounds. Today it is also | | | | poisoning, New Zealand beekeepers are |
| used to treat burns and skin ulcers. As a | | | | required to closely monitor tutu, vine |
| dressing on wounds, it provides a moist | | | | hopper, and foraging conditions within three |
| healing environment. Honey rapidly clears | | | | kilometers of their bee hives. |
| infection and reduces inflammation. Honey | | | | |
| kills bacteria and prevents yeast infections | | | | In addition, honey isn't for everybody. It |
| because neither can survive in its low | | | | contains Clostridium botulinum spores which |
| moisture content. Thus wounds are protected | | | | cause botulism. While adults and children can |
| from infections and they heal quicker, making | | | | safely digest the spores without harm, babies |
| skin grafting unnecessary. | | | | under one year of age cannot. They are |
| | | | susceptible to infant botulism, because their |
| Honey diluted with water has been used to | | | | gastrointestinal tracts are not fully |
| treat sore throats and coughs, inflammations, | | | | working. |
| some eye diseases, athlete's foot and fungal | | | | |