The Tastiest Antibiotic
There was more to ancient Egyptian medicine than setting broken bones. As you may know, honey doesn't need to be refrigerated. For many reasons, bacteria don't survive well in it, so it doesn't spoil. The doctors of ancient Egypt put this property of honey to work, treating open wounds with honey to prevent infection. This treatment is described in an ancient Egyptian scroll known as the Edwin Smith Papyrus, and the method must have saved untold numbers of lives from deadly infections at pyramid work sites where scrapes, gashes, and cuts would have been common.
There's a lot we don't know about how honey fights infection, as we often develop technologies before science can explain how they work. We do know that honey contains some amount of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2). This compound kills germs, and is often used to sterilize cuts today. Today, doctors have begun to investigate honey's antibiotic properties scientifically. Early experimental results show that honey might help stop even some of the bacteria that are the toughest to kill, such as Staphylococcus aureus.
What's more, when honey (raw) is applied to burns or wounds, they often heal without leaving scars. Scientists are still asking why this is. But they know that honey contains a large amount of glucose, a very simple sugar. We also know that scar tissue contains a lot of a protein called collagen. One theory is that glucose combines chemically with collagen in such a way that prevents the collagen from forming scar tissue.
- It was the accepted practice in Babylon 4,000 years ago that for a month after the wedding, the bride's father would supply his son-in-law with all the mead he could drink. Mead is a honey beer and because their calendar was lunar based, this period was called the honey month, which we know today as the honeymoon.
- Honey is one of the earliest forms of saccharine substances known to man.
- The purest of honey is from the honeycomb.
- Most honey that has been made up commercially has been thinned with added syrups.
- Did you know that honey has more calories than sugar? Honey has 18 calories more per tablespoon than granulated sugar! Honey has 64 calories, while granulated sugar has 46 calories per tablespoon!
- The ingredients in honey are water, pollen, fructose, glucose, organic acids, proteins and enzymes.
- Use Honey to help heal a small wound. Apply the honey to the bandage, not directly on the wound. Honey will help prevent scarring.
- Honey has many good uses from cooking to helping skin heal! It helps dissolve mucus when you have a cold.. Hot tea with lemon and honey works wonders.
- Do not give honey to children under 2 year of age. Many babies can become very ill from honey, even a small amount. Certain young children can get botulism.
- The different flowers which were gathered determine the flavor of honey.
Colors of Honey
- White Color is from Clovers and Alfalfas
- Very Light Amber Color is from Wildflowers
- Light Amber Color is from Orange Blossoms
- Plain Amber Color is from Buckwheats, Tupelos and Others.
- The colors of honey comes from the nectar of the plants.
- The lightest colors of honey have the mildest flavors, while the darker colors have fuller flavors.
- White Color is from Clovers and Alfalfas