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Esteemed by humans ever since ancient times, honey was for centuries used as a natural sweetener, along with fresh or dried fruit, until the Arabs discovered how to extract sugar from sugarcane in the 9th century A.D.

Prehistoric man messing about with oozing beehives found out he was on to something unique -- a substance highly valued down through the ages as a source of energy and nutrition that is easy on the digestive tract and possesses some truly extraordinary therapeutic powers.

Honey consists of 75% sugar, but it also contains essential minerals such as potassium, magnesium, iron, sodium, calcium, phosphorus, sulphur, chlorine, copper and calcium. The exact percentages tend to vary in terms of the different types of nectar from which the honey is derived. It is, however, quite true that the darker varieties tend to be richer in mineral content than the more pale ones.

By the same token, this exquisite delicacy likewise contains significant amounts of vitamins C, B2, B6, K, folic acid, carotene, protein and organic acids that endow it with a broad range of antiseptic, dietary, tonic, sedative, diuretic and antibiotic properties.


AN AID TO A HEALTHY DIET
Taken daily as a tonic and food supplement, honey can form an important part of a balanced diet as well as being extremely useful in the treatment of certain ailments. It�s ability to ease coughing and other symptoms of the common cold is well-known and has to do with the high Vitamin C input that it channels to the organism. But it is also a major help in the treatment of anaemia, arthritis and rheumatism. Small doses taken daily at mealtime can be of considerable benefit for kidney ailments, eye problems, and cardiac complaints, and in treating skin sores and rashes. Many people recovering from surgery can testify to its role in the formation of scar tissue and its germicidal and bactericidal properties have proven themselves to be extremely effective with burns and skin injuries.


Some more of honey's multifarious benefits relate to its ability to enhance the assimilation of key nutrients by the intestinal tract, and as an aid in calming stomach upsets or in soothing duodenal ulcers.

In modern clinical practice, honey is used for liver ailments since its high fructose content eases the strain on that organ�s functions. Similarly, it helps eliminate alcohol from the bloodstream -- a sure-fire ingredient in home-made hangover cures.

Although there is virtually no end to the good uses which honey can be put to, its one major disadvantage is that it is not suitable for people who have come down with or who are susceptible to diabetes, on account of its high fructose and sacrose content. Despite this drawback, there is no question that honey is one of nature's pure foods and one that brings endless advantages to human existence.


THE ELIXIR OF BEAUTY
Some recent studies have shown that this delicate foodstuff that smells of flowers can be of great service in treating diseases of the mouth such as gingivitis, periodontitis and even cavities. According to Dr. Peter Molan, a biochemist at New Zealand's Waikato University, honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide, a substance that inhibits bacterial growth.

Its regenerative properties are closely associated with any number of cosmological and dermatological treatments for tired, ill-used skin as well as skin that has been marred by burns, pockmarks or blemishes.
Of all its properties, one of honey's most remarkable is its ability to moisturise dry and wrinkled skin, restoring its youthful aspect and elasticity, thanks to the nutritive effects of the vitamins and minerals that it contains.

Another relates to its sedative properties, which are much appreciated by those suffering from nerves or mild insomnia. There's simply no denying that this golden-hued foodstuff is one of the most versatile of nature's gifts to mankind.