Honey : 10 interesting facts you didn't know about Honey

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Honey, as we all know, is a remarkable gift from nature to humans. Produced by the honeybees or Apis Mellifera, from the nectar of flowering plants, honey has been cherished by the humans for centuries across cultures all over the world. Honey is not just a golden, viscous liquid filled with sweetness, but also a treat of nature which comes with different flavours and various health benefits, all blended in history and stories.

So let's dig in to discover 10 interesting facts you didn't know about Honey :




1. Approximately, 1779 metric tons of honey is produced worldwide per year with China contributing about 28% to the total production of honey followed by Turkey, Iran, USA and India.


2. Monofloral Mānuka Honey from New Zealand and parts of coastal Australia is considered as the highest quality of honey and is one of the most expensive honey varieties of the world.





3. Honey is the only food that contains all the necessary substances to sustain life and hence sometimes regarded as 'superfood' by many.


4. Human use of honey can be traced back to 8000 years. Several cave paintings from the stone age depict the use of honey by the early humans.


5. The ancient Vedic civilization of India considered honey as one of the most useful healers to mankind. The mention of honey can be found in the traditional texts of Ayurveda, where Honey is regarded beneficial for various ailments like cough, insomnia, skin disorders to name a few.





6. The use of honey was quite popular among the ancient Egyptians. The Smith papyrus, an Egyptian text dated between 2600-2200 BC has a mention of honey as a treatment for wounds.


7. In the ancient Greek religion, honey in the form of nectar and Ambrosia was considered and offered as food to several Greek gods like the Gods of Olympus and the Greek God Zues.


8. In the Jewish tradition honey denotes the symbol of the Jewish new year Rosh Hashanah.





9. Honey never spoils. Due to its hygroscopic nature and high acid content of pH 3.4 - 4.5 along with added enzymes by honeybees, honey, if stored properly, never gets an expiry date.


10. Honey filled jars are also discovered in the ancient Egyptian tombs and pyramids. The most interesting fact is that, this honey is still found suitable for consumption even after 3000 years.