A LOOK AT HONEY FROM ANOTHER PERSPECTIVE

When bees are mentioned, what comes to the mind of most people is honey. Most societies all-over the world have traditionally known and used honey for various purposes from time immemorial. Both the Bible and the Koran extol the virtue of honey as a valuable and nourishing food with healing or the rapeutic properties.

Honey is made by bees from nectar produced inside flowers of some plants. These flowers need to be visited by bees for them to be pollinated, so as an inducement, they supply nectar. Bees collect this nectar and concentrate it into honey which they store for use as their source of nutrition and energy.

Composition of honey varies depending on the source of the nectar collected but in excess of 180substances have been found in honey. These include water, glucose, sucrose, fructose, vitamins, minerals, proteins, alcohol, yeast and enzymes.

Honey has a number of interesting properties which makes it useful and suitable for various applications. It is anti septic and is a sterile solution which kills bacteria and prevents the growth of micro-organisms. It is medicinal with antibiotic properties which aid healing. Honey is also acidic and will react when in contact with metal. It is hygroscopic, meaning it will absorb moisture from the environment when exposed. It will as well ferment if mixed with water or when harvested when its moisture content is still higher than 20%

For thousands of years, honey has traditionally been used as food, as a sweetener as well as for medicinal purposes. Income generation through its sale and sale of its derived products is another important use. However, over and above these uses, honey has a lot of applications which are equally important and beneficial.

In gardening or farming generally, honey can be used to stimulate root formation in plants. This is especially helpful in plant cloning or propagation of plants from stem or branch cuttings. Honey contains enzymes which stimulate the plants to release their natural rooting hormones such as Indole Butyric acid (IDA) and Naphthalene Acetic Acid (NAA). Further, the antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties of honey prevents the planting material from plant rot. Simply add 1 teaspoon of honey to 2 cups of boiled water which has been allowed to cool. Dip or apply this solution to the portion which will be buried in the soil and plant without much delay.

Honey can also be used for skin care and beauty treatment. It will moisturize dry skin, soften and condition eyebrows and condition hair. For hair conditioning, just add a tea spoonful of honey to your hair shampoo. Alternatively, you can mix one part honey with4 parts olive oil and apply to your hair, leaving it for 20 minutes before washing it off. For eyebrows, wash eyebrows and massage raw honey into them. Leave for half an hour before washing off. For soft and smooth skin, add 2 tablespoons off honey and3drops of lavender essential oil to bathing water.

When you use honey as a face wash, it will moisturize as it cleans, will fight bacterial that causes blackheads and will improve complexion.

If you want a sound, relaxed sleep, honey can help you achieve that. Honey will calm nerves and relax the mind. Take a warm cup of milk or herbal tea to which you add honey to suit your taste. This will send you to sleep and is also a great way to start the day in a calm and relaxed mood.

Honey can also be used to cure alcohol hang over. Eat 2-3 spoonfuls of honey, 2-3 may be enough. It will revive you by speeding up the metabolism of alcohol and revert you to soberness.

The benefits of honey are numerous and can not be exhausted in a space like this one. You can be a beneficiary when you are a beekeeper. If you are not beekeeping yet, the time to start is now. To you existing fellow beekeepers, big-up to you all and continue enjoying the noble craft of the wonderful world of beekeeping.

This information is brought to you in the community service of Al – Apis Concepts Ltd.

For your questions and clarifications from this feature, contact the author on 0967 419 551/0954 186 973. Email: apisconcepts@gmail.com. For all your beekeeping requirements contact Al-Apis Concepts Ltd. Phone: +260 966 474757

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