The Thing About Honey...

 Honey is a sweet substance often used as an independent food source, though it’s frequently combined with other foods in a variety of production methods. It is produced all over the world and comes in many varieties. 

Honey is often touted as a health food because its naturally occurring antioxidants and electrolytes make it a healthier alternative to table sugar. However, those with diabetes and other sugar-sensitive diets, such as insulin resistance or sensitivity, likely won’t benefit from it. It’s still an added sugar with 64 calories per serving, and its glycemic index ranges from 31 to 78, so adding a tablespoon or two to a mug of herbal tea will sabotage any health goals the drink could have achieved for those individuals.  

Honey is used medicinally as a treatment for skin wounds and burns as well. Research has shown that it can heal wounds days faster and with fewer side effects than antiseptic and gauze. The FDA has also approved many medical-grade honey products for the treatment of minor burns and wounds, and this sweet substance is also known to control the growth of bacteria. Furthermore, some medical agencies advocate the use of honey and lemon for the treatment of cough because it works similarly to over-the-counter medications. (This is not recommended for children under a year old, however, because honey can cause infant botulism, which can be fatal.)  

Another great thing about honey is that it never spoils. Ever. Because of this, it has been used as a preservative for centuries. Archeologists routinely find ancient pots of the sweet treat still in pristine condition.

So, aside from the harm it can bring to babies, honey seems pretty amazing! Everyone should just get rid of their aloe vera plants and stock their pantries full of this stuff, right?

Weeeeeellllll… not so fast. 

As mentioned before, those with certain health issues may want to avoid honey. Furthermore, just because something appears to be honey doesn’t mean that it actually is—at least not in its pure state. Honey is often mixed with water and additional sugars, syrups, and sweeteners in order to increase its flavors and cut production costs.  Consumers should always check the labels of products they purchase in stores. American law makes it illegal to label a product as honey if it is not, however, clever packaging and deceptive marketing can trick buyers into thinking they’re partaking of the real thing. 

The Bible has a few things to say about honey, too. Eat it, because it’s good (Prov. 24:13), but not too much, or it will make you sick (Prov. 25:16). The Promised Land was flowing with it (Num. 13:7), and the laws of God are sweeter than it (Prov. 19-9-10). 

What’s especially interesting is that God did not always want it. According to Lev. 2:11, the Israelites could eat honey, but they were not allowed to add any to the grain offerings that were burned on the altar. This is likely because of its fermenting capability. Another possible reason is that the Egyptians used honey in the worship of their gods, and Israelite worship was not to resemble the worship of other gods (Lev. 18:3, Deut. 12:31). 

That’s the thing about honey!