Honey Adulteration
Is the honey we buy actually pure? We try to look for high quality products in supermarkets, but often counterfeit foods are hidden on the shelves, a lot of which are imported from China.
Among these products lies honey, one with many important properties, which are lost during the adulteration process. In some cases we stumbled upon completely fake products, that are not only adulterated but are made without even the slightest trace of the original product, but instead filled with chemicals that simulate real honey.
Some experts have analyzed honey samples sold in supermarkets and have recorded alterations up to 40%. In fact, not only syrup is added to the honey, but also corn, glucose, fructose and rice are also used to cut the honey.Unfortunately, an average consumer is not able to distinguish pure honey from its counterfeit part.
The Netflix docuseries “Rotten” addresses the delicate issue of food cultivation and production quite well, with its first episode dealing with honey fraud.
What are the BENEFICIAL PROPERTIES of Honey?
It is known that in ancient times people attributed healing powers to honey and this belief continued over the centuries to the present day. With the arrival of science, there started to be a need to investigate with greater objectivity the validity of these honey remedies.
6 highlights of research on the beneficial properties of honey:
- It is effective in the treatment of small lesions and burns;
- It has antioxidant properties, therefore it slows down the aging processes and helps prevent some diseases;
- Honey has antibacterial properties, are mainly due to oxygen peroxide and to a lesser extent also the abundance of sugar and its acidity contribute. Not only is honey effective against most bacteria, but it is also effective against various bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics and some mushrooms;
- It is an excellent sedative to fight cough and sore throat;
- It can assist in the treatment of infections of the ocular, respiratory and dental systems, as well as in gastroenteritis and fungal infections of the skin of some farm animals;
- Depending on the type of honey the therapeutic properties also change: for example, acacia honey has a positive effect on the digestive system, forest honey is indicated in flu states, while wildflower honey has a detoxifying action on the liver.