Il honey it is the food product that honey bees produce from the nectar of flowers. It does not require preservation treatments, since the high sugar concentration reduces the amount of water necessary for the growth of microorganisms. It may be subject to the addition of sugar mixtures.
Nutritional characteristics of honey
Honey contains about 18% water and 80% sugars (which give it an intense sweet flavor). These mainly comprise a mixture of simple sugars (glucose and fructose), followed by sucrose and maltose (each made up of a combination of two simple sugars) and a small fraction of dextrins (complex sugars, made up of several units of glucose).
There are no fats, while the protein content is small and derives from the pollen grains present in honey. The mineral salt content is also modest and potassium prevails. The traces of Vitamins of group B found also come from pollen.
Honey contains enzymes active, of vegetable and animal origin, responsible for the transformation of complex sugars into simpler ones.
There are acids in honey organic from from nectar or formed by sugars by enzymatic action, such as gluconic acid, which is obtained from the transformation of glucose.
Honey also contains natural antibiotic substances, such as l'inhibin. There are varying amounts of waxy substances, which originate from the residues of pollen grains. There are volatile odorous components (such as alcohols), which tend to degrade with heating and in contact with the air.
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Properties and uses of honey
As for the properties, honey is a food nutritious for its high sugar content and therefore suitable for restorative and high-calorie diets. It is easily digestible and assimilable, being composed mainly of simple sugars.
Honey also has invigorating, detoxifying properties liver, anti-inflammatory, is a calming agent for irritated mucous membranes and is slightly laxative.
Honey is widely used in cosmetics. It is used in beauty masks, as an ingredient in depilatory body waxes, in hair shampoos, in smoothing body creams, for rough hands, and in skin cleansing cleansers.
The pink honey (pack based on honey and rose petals).
Discover the characteristics, nutritional values ​​and properties of wildflower honey
