Honey is recognized for its nutritional as well as medicinal value. Honey has been used since ancient times both as a food and as a medicine. Apiculture, the practice of beekeeping to produce honey, dates back to at least 700 B.C. The high quality natural honey can be distinguished by its fragrance and taste. However, the benefits of honey that we get greatly depend on its quality.

The advantage of pure honey is that it not only prevents infections from occurring, it actually accelerates skin healing. Since the sugar in honey absorbs water it helps to trap some of the moisture so that the bacteria and other microbes can't grow as easily as in other food.Natural honey contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, and is a wonderful beauty aid that nourishes the skin and the hair.

It was already known that honey contained varying levels of antioxidants, with dark honey having more than light. Darker honeys have more nutrients than light ones. Vitamin and mineral content depend on the floral source of the honey.

Honey is good food preservative. While baking cakes by replacing sugar with honey, they will stay fresher longer due to natural antibiotics as honey retains moisture.
It can be a good substitute for sugar in our drinks and food.

Another quality of raw honey is that, when it is compared with the same amount of sugar, it gives 40% less calories to the body. Although it gives great energy to the body, it does not add weight.When accompanied by mild water, honey diffuses into the bloodstream in 7 minutes. Its free sugar molecules make the brain function better since the brain is the largest consumer of sugar, thus, reduces fatigue.

Honey improves appetite in children suffering from conditions of Appetite loss. In cases of Insomnia, one teaspoon full of honey mixed in lukewarm water or milk and drunk before going to bed helps in getting sound sleep. Unlike medical preparations, it causes no side effects: depression, tiredness and attention and coordination disorder.The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, as a spread on breads, and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a sweetener in commercial beverages.

Organic honey contains many vitamins such as B1, B2, C, B6, B5, and B3 along with several minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphate, potassium, sodium chlorine, and sulfur. It also contains copper, iodine, zinc, and several kinds of hormones. All these are required by human body in some quantity.

One thing should be mentioned here, never feed honey to a child under one year of age. Honey sometimes contains Clostridium botulinum spores. Although they’re inactive in the honey itself, once inside a digestive tract they can multiply and cause a potentially fatal disease of the nervous system called infant botulism.

Thus, honey is a magical liquid that has indefinite shelf-life and adapts to all cooking processes. There are enormous benefits associated with honey. It takes care of your skin, improves appetite, accelerates skin healing and increases antioxidant level.