Honey

Honey is composed primarily of carbohydrates and water, and also contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc.

Honey contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals. Generally, darker honeys have higher antioxidant content than lighter honeys.

Honey contains antioxidants and, although in trace amounts, a wide array of vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Honey contributes to a persons overall intake of recommended nutrients. Sweeteners, such as refined sugar, offer no additional nutrients. Be aware, of course, that honey should not be fed to infants under one year of age. Honey is a safe and wholesome food for older children and adults.

Eating honey regularly, not just when colds and flu strike, makes good nutritional sense. There are approximately 300 varieties of honey in the United States. In general, lighter-colored honeys are milder tasting, while darker-colored honeys are bolder in flavor. Darker honeys also tend to have a higher mineral content and antioxidant potential.

Eating honey that is local to your surrounding area has also been shown to help with building immunity for allergies so always buy your honey locally.

Cooking with Honey
For best results, use recipes developed for using honey. When substituting honey for granulated sugar in recipes (for example, in sauces, marinades and salad dressings), begin by substituting honey for up to half of the sugar called for in the recipe. With a little experimentation, honey can replace all the sugar in some recipes.

Baking with Honey
· Use pure honey for up to half the granulated sweetener in a recipe.
· Reduce oven temperature by 25°F to prevent over-browning.
**For each cup of honey used:
· Reduce any liquid called for by 1/4 cup.
· Add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda.

Because of it’s high fructose content, honey has a higher sweetening power than sugar. This means you can use less honey than sugar to achieve the desired sweetness.

When measuring honey, coat the measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray or vegetable oil before adding the honey. The honey will slide right out. A 12-ounce jar of honey equals a standard measuring cup.

Color and Flavor
Honeys differ in color and flavor depending on what blossoms the honey bees visit in search of nectar. Honey color ranges from almost colorless to dark amber brown and its flavor varies from delectably mild to richly bold. As a general rule, light-colored honey is milder in taste and dark-colored honey is stronger.

A Spoonful of Honey Helps!
When it comes to soothing throats, singers have known for generations that a spoonful of honey would sweeten their performance. You don’t have to sing an aria to appreciate the soothing benefits of honey—yelling at a football game can strain your voice and lead to a sore throat.

Try a spoonful of honey to soothe and coat your throat. Take a spoonful straight, as often as you need, to relieve the irritation. In between, keep up your liquids with a steaming cup of tea sweetened with honey. For added vitamin C, try mixing in orange, grapefruit or lemon juice.

Source: honey.com