Honey

Honey:

About:

Honey is a sweet viscous food substance produced by bees and some related insects.  Bees produce honey from the sugary secretions of plants(floral nectar) or other insects through regurgitation, enzymatic activity and water evaporation, and store it in wax structures called honeycombs,  Honey is collected from wild bee colonies, or from hives of domesticated bees, by a practice known as beekeeping. 

Honey gets it sweetness from mono saccharides and glucose, and has about the same relative sweetness as granulated sugar.  Most micro=organisms do not grow in honey, so sealed honey does not spoil even after thousands of years.  Honey contains 64 calories in a typical serving of 1 tablespoon.  It has no significant nutritional value.  

 As of 2014, the world's largest producer of honey was China, followed by Turkey and third the U.S. 

History:

Honey use and production have a long and varied history as an ancient activity as depicted by a cave painting of humans foraging  for honey at least 8000 years ago in Valencia, Spain. Over its history  as a food the main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, desserts, as a spread on bread and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a sweetener in some commercial beverages.  Honey barbecue and honey mustard are other common flavors used in sauces.

Shelf life:

The shelf life of honey is due to an enzyme found in the stomach of bees.  Glucose oxidase is mixed by the bees with nectar previously consumed by the bees which creates two by-products: glucosic acid and hydrogen peroxide which are responsible for honey's acidity and ability to suppress bacterial growth.  

Characteristics of Honey:

Most commercially available honey is blended , meaning it is a mixture of two or more honeys differing in floral source, color, flavor, density, or geographic origin.   Adulteration of honey is the addition of other sugars, syrups, or compounds to change its flavor or viscosity, make it cheaper to produce, or increase the fructose content to stave off crystallization.  In the US according to the National Honey Board which is overseen by the USDA,' honey' stipulates a pure product that does not allow for the addition of any other substance including water or other sweeteners.

Most commercially available honey in blended, mean it is a mixture of two or more honeys differing in floral source, color, flavor, density or geographic origin.  

Mono floral honey is made primarily from the nectar of one type of flower.  Different mono floral honeys have a  distinctive flavor and color because of differences between their principle nectar sources.  Typical examples of North  American mono floral honeys are clover, orange blossom, blueberry sage, tupelo, buckwheat, fire weed, mesquite and sour wood. 

Indications of Quality:

High quality honey can be distinguished by fragrance, taste, and consistency.  Ripe, freshly collected high-quality honey at 68 degrees F. should flow from a knife in  a straight stream without beading into separate drops.  After falling down the honey should form into a bead.  In jars fresh honey appear as a pure consistent fluid and should not set into layers. 

A 1980 study found that mixed floral honey from several U.S. regions typically contains:

Fructose.............38.2%

Glucose..............31.3%

Maltose...............07.1%

Sucrose...............01.3%

Water..................17.2%

Higher sugars.....01.5%

Ash.....................00.2%

Other undetermined... 03.2%

Classification by Packaging and Processing:

Crystallized honey: when glucose has spontaneously crystallized from solution.  Also called                                               granulated homey, can be returned to liquid by warming.

Pasteurized honey: heated in a pasteurization process (161 degrees F.) Heat affects appearance                                              (darkens), taste, and fragrance.

Raw honey:   As it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, setting, or straining without                           adding heat.  Raw honey contains some pollen and may contain small particles of wax.
Strained honey: has been passed through a mesh to remove particulate material.
Filtered honey:  filtered to the extent that all or most of the fine particles, pollen, grains, air bubbles,                             or other materials have been removed.
Creamed honey: also called whipped honey, spun honey, churned honey or, honey fondant has been                              processed to control crystallization.
Comb honey: is still in the honeybee's wax comb.

Grades of \Honey:

In the U.S. honey grading is done voluntarily.  Honey is graded on the basis of many factors including water content, flavor and aroma, absence of defects and clarity.  Honey is also graded on the basis of color, though it is not a factor on the grading scale.

Honey is graded A, B, or C. 

 A - is for good normal flavor and aroma, free from caramelized flavor or objectionable flavors from fermentation, smoke, chemicals or other causes.  

B - is for reasonably good flavor and aroma . practically free from caramelized flavor.

C - is for fairly good flavor and aroma , and reasonably free from caramelized flavor.

Medical Uses:

Research into medical uses for honey is ongoing, particularly because of antimicrobial resistance to modern antibiotics.

Wounds and burns - to help healing.

Coughs - for chronic and acute coughs

Other - Honey is useful in controlling side effects of radiation therapy and chemotherapy.

Consumption of honey is sometimes advocated as a treatment for seasonal allergies due to pollen.

Honey contains an antimicrobial peptide effective for certain antibiotic resistant microbes.  Honey has both anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties.

Benefits:

• Natural Energy Booster
• Immunity System Booster
• Brain Booster 
• Remedy for Ailments: cuts and burns, hangovers, sore throats, sleeplessness

Ways to Incorporate Honey in your Diet:

1. Use honey to sweeten your dressings and marinades
2. Stir honey into coffee or tea
3. Drizzle honey on top of toast or pancakes
4. Mix honey into yogurt, cereal, or oatmeal
5. Spread raw honey onto wheat toast and cover with peanut butter.

Eat up.  Enjoy.  I'll show you how.

Simple but Good...........

Baked Honey Mustard Chicken:

6   Boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. honey

1/2 c. prepared mustard

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp paprika

1/2 tsp dried parsley

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F,

Sprinkle chicken breasts with salt and pepper and place into a 9 in x 13 in baking dish.

In a small bowl combine honey, mustard, basil, paprika, and parsley.  Mix well.  

Pour half of this mixture over the chicken and brush to cover.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.

Turn chicken pieces over and brush with remaining honey mustard mixture.  Bake for an additional 10 - 15 minutes, or until chicken is no longer pink and the juices run clear.  

Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.