More than a Sweet Treat

Honey bees search for sweet nectar 

Honey bees. Hardworking, busy, joyful (they dance when they find sweet flowers) creatures made by a creator with a sense of humor and a sweet tooth. Bees are often times thought of as annoying or hurtful. While it is true that bees occasionally sting, they only attack those who are considered a threat to their hive. Without these creatures that buzz around our pick-nick spread, we wouldn't have the sweet, stick syrup that is honey.

If you were in early elementary when I was, you've probably seen at least one episode of of The Magic School Bus. It's about a teacher who has a magic bus that can change shape and size with which she takes her class on crazy field trips teaching them about a variety of sciences. One episode, In a Beehive, is what taught me how bees make honey. The bees look for sweet nectar in flowers within a wide radius of their home. Once they find the nectar they return to the hive and tell the other bees where the flowers are located by "dancing" in circles. The nectar is brought back to the hive where saliva is mixed with the nectar to make honey, to be used as food in the cold winter months.

Did you catch that? Honey has bee spit, that's what makes it honey. Honey is a type of sweetener, but if it is a lot healthier than processed, white sugar which can increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and impairs the immune system. Substitutes advertised to replace sugar in sweets include stevia, splenda, and aspartame. Each of these substitutes, however, also has an adverse effect on the body. In fact, one side effect of large doses of aspartame includes blindness!

Okay, so honey bee's make honey, what makes honey so much better? Did you know that eating honey has benefits?  Well, for one thing, it's completely natural, that is, if it is eaten raw. Honey for Health states that unpasteurized honey (uncooked) contains "enzymes, phytochemicals and essential nutrients." Not only can raw honey help digestion, eating local honey can also help relive allergies. Honey may gradually expose the body to allergens, which could immunize a person against allergies. Honey can also be used in facials and acne treatment.

So why all the talk about honey and bees? My name means honey bee, and my mother is constantly on a health-kick. No, this blog is not about the meanings of names, farms, or insects, but about simple ways to improve health using natural resources, even as a college student.