Nutritional value of honey
September 23, 2008
Everything about honey is sweet. Nectar, from which honey is extracted consist of sucrose and water. Bees add certain enzymes in order to create chemical compounds. These chemical compounds result in the conversion of sucrose into fructose and glucose. Water content present in nectar gets evaporated and due to the absence of water the product does not get stale. Thus honey can rightly be called nature’s own sweet.
Honey is a rich source of carbohydrate that contains eighty per cent natural sugar. The natural sugar in honey is mainly fructose and glucose. Honey is sweeter than the sweet table sugar because of the high level of fructose present in it. About eighteen percentage of honey is water. The quality of honey improves as the water content in it decreases. Pollen, protein, minerals and vitamins together constitute the remaining two per cent of a honey molecule.
Vitamin B6, thiamine, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids are the major nutrients present in honey. Calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc are the mineral salts contained in it. The natural sweetener, honey, is free from harmful fats, cholesterol and sodium content. Even one tablespoon of honey provides sixty-four calories of energy. Its Glycemic Index (GI) is also a healthy one. This indicates that sugars will be naturally absorbed into the bloodstream and that will result in enhanced rate of digestion. Food materials that have a high glycemic index will prompt an insulin rise and will thus stimulate the pancreas. The stimulated pancreas will metabolise the sudden surge of glucose in the blood stream.
Due to the presence of natural minerals and vitamins, honey helps in the metabolism of harmful cholesterol and fatty acids. Thus it plays a vital role in checking obesity and ensuring better health. By effectively regulating the level of cholesterol accumulation, heart disorders and stroke can be controlled.
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