Honey – What’s in a Word?
Honey dates back to an 8000-year-old cave drawing that depicts a human collecting honey from a beehive, with bees swarming around. Some remains of honey have been found in Georgian clay pots dating back to at least 2700 B.C., so it’s been around a while.
The word honey has been used in Sumerian & Babylonian cuneiform writings, the Hittite code, and the sacred writings of India & Egypt, although the name honey as we know it today came from old English hunig. Before Hunig, there were writings from the Proto-Indo-European time, or PIE for short. During this time, almost all the European languages and the languages spoken from Iran to India came from one group of people. The word was originally melit, and eventually what we know now as mellifluous. It was then transformed from the Germanic PIE family who started describing honey by its color using the PIE word for golden-yellow, k’neko. This became Germanic hunago, which became Old Norse honung, and then hunig. Between Old English and now, the “ig” was changed to a “y” since it was spoken as an ē sound, and then became honey as we know it today.
Honey – How It’s Made
Honey is made by the ‘honey bee’ (Apis Mellifera) collecting nectar into its honey stomach, which lies adjacent to its food stomach. This stomach holds about 50% of the bee’s unloaded body weight, which requires a single ‘honey bee’ to visit more than 1000 flowers and takes more than an hour to fill.
Honey – The Benefits
Studies suggest honey may offer antidepressant, anticonvulsant, and antianxiety benefits. In some studies, it has been shown to help prevent memory disorders. Topical use of honey has been shown to promote wound healing, particularly in burns, due to maintaining a moist wound condition, helping to provide a protective barrier to prevent infection. The use of no more than 2 tablespoons of honey daily has been linked to improved heart health, wound healing, and blood antioxidant status.
Honey – Surprising Things You May Not Know
- The antioxidants it contains help fight cell damage – The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than 6 tsp. of total added sugar a day.
- It may help fight cancer – Preliminary studies on mice show some types of honey may inhibit cancer cell growth.
- It may help heal cuts and minor to moderate burns – Topical application speeds up healing.
- May ease coughs – Soothes and decreases coughs in children.
- Honey is sweeter than granulated sugar – Per tsp., it contains 20 calories and 5 grams of sugars. Granulated sugar has 15 calories and 4 grams of sugars.
- It may help with weight control – Be sure to consume no more than 6 tsp. (2 tbsp.) daily and that it is the ONLY added sugar you are eating. If you are getting sugar from other sources, be sure your total does not exceed 6 tsp.
