Honey is defined as the natural substance produced by Apis mellifera bees from plant
nectar, from secretions of the living parts of plants, or from the excretions of plant
sucking insects feeding on the living parts of plants.1,2 Honeybees collect, transform,
and combine this with specific substances of their own, and then store it and leave it
in the honeycomb to ripen and mature. This natural product is generally composed of
a complex mixture of carbohydrates and other less common substances, such as
organic acids, amino acids, proteins, minerals, vitamins, lipids, aroma compounds, flavonoids,
pigments, waxes, pollen grains, several enzymes and other phytochemicals.3 5
However, the specific composition depends on many factors, such as the nectar composition
of the source plant, the species of bee, the climate, environmental and seasonal
conditions, agricultural practices and treatment of honey during extraction and
storage.6-9
As a natural, unprocessed and easily digested food, honey plays an important role in
the human diet, and is also used in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.10
Modern science has studied the medical significance of honeys in healing wounds and
burns,11 oncology care,12 as well as its antioxidant and antimicrobial properties.
