Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Health Benefit, Traditional, and Modern Uses of Natural Honey

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Non-Timber Forest Products

Abstract

Honey is a sweet gift of nature to mankind. It is a miraculous liquid produced from the nectar of flower by the action of honeybees. Honey provides multiple nutritional and curative benefits owing to its chemical composition and physical properties which in turn depend on floral source, geographical origin, processing, and storage. Chemically, honey is a concentrated carbohydrate solution. In addition to sugars, small amounts of minerals, proteins, vitamins, acids, and antioxidants are also present that impart biological attributes to honey, i.e., antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. These biological properties are responsible for its health-promoting effects. History of honey is as old as human civilization on this earth. Several Stone Age evidence show that the practice of beekeeping and honey harvesting was performed since ever. During ancient civilization, honey was used as a sweetener in various foods, sacred products for religious offerings, eye cosmetics, ointment to treat wounds and burns as well as medicine to cure disease and disorders of the digestive system and eye ailments. In the modern era, clinical and laboratory studies have scientifically proved the traditionally claimed nutritional and medicinal attributes of honey. Recently, honey is used in various commercially available products as sweetener, wound healing ointment, food preservative, prebiotic, in skincare products, and as medicine to treat cough and eye ailments. The present chapter is intended to provide information on multiple health benefits of honey as well as its utilization in traditional and modern culture.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 149.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 199.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Abbreviations

H2O2:

Hydrogen peroxide

HMF:

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural

IL-6:

Interleukin

LDL:

Induced low-density lipoprotein

MRSA:

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

ROS:

Reactive oxygen species

TNF-α:

Tumor necrosis factor- α

VRE:

Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci

VZV:

Varicella Zoster virus

WHO:

World Health Organization

References

  • Afroz R, Tanvir E, Little PJ (2016) Honey-derived flavonoids: natural products for the prevention of atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. Clin Exp Pharmacol 6:3. https://doi.org/10.4172/2161-1459.1000209

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ajibola A, Chamunorwa JP, Erlwanger KH (2012) Nutraceutical values of natural honey and its contribution to human health and wealth. Nutr Metab 9(1):61. https://doi.org/10.1186/1743-7075-9-61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ali AT, Chowdhury MN, Al Humayyd MS (1991) Inhibitory effect of natural honey on Helicobacter pylori. Trop Gastroenterol 12:139–143

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aliyu M, Odunola OA, Farooq AD, Rasheed H, Mesaik AM, Choudhary MI, Channa IS, Khan SA, Erukainure OL (2013) Molecular mechanism of antiproliferation potential of Acaciahoney on NCI-H460 cell line. Nutr Cancer 65:296–304

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez-Suarez JM, Tulipani S, Díaz D, Estevez Y, Romandini S, Giampieri F, Damiani E, Astolfi P, Bompadre S, Battino M (2010a) Antioxidant and antimicrobial capacity of several monofloral Cuban honeys and their correlation with color, polyphenol content and other chemical compounds. Food Chem Toxicol 48:2490–2499

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez-Suarez JM, Tulipani S, Romandini S, Bertoli E, Battino M (2010b) Contribution of honey in nutrition and human health: a review. Mediterr J Nutr Metab 3(1):15–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alvarez-Suarez JM, Giampieri F, Battino M (2013) Honey as a source of dietary antioxidants: structures, bioavailability and evidence of protective effects against human chronic diseases. Curr Med Chem 20(5):621–638

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Waili NS (2001) Therapeutic and prophylactic effects of crude honey on chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Eur J Med Res 6:306–308

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Waili NS (2004) Natural honey lowers plasma glucose, c-reactive protein, homocysteine, and blood lipids in healthy, diabetic, and hyperlipidemic subjects: comparison with dextrose and sucrose. J Med Food 7:100–107

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Waili NS (2005) Mixture of honey, bees wax and olive oil inhibits growth of staphylococcus aureus and candida albicans. Arch Med Res 36:10–13

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Waili NS, Boni NS (2003) Natural honey lowers plasma prostaglandin concentrations in normal individuals. J Med Food 6:129–133

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Waili NS, Haq A (2004) Effect of honey on antibody production against thymus-dependent and thymus-independent antigens in primary and secondary immune responses. J Med Food 2004(7):491–494

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ansari MJ, Al-Ghamdi A, Usmani S, Al-Waili NS, Sharma D, Nuru A, Al-Attal Y (2013) Effect of jujube honey on Candida albicans growth and biofilm formation. Arch Med Res 44(5):352–360

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arawwawala LD, Hewageegana HGSP (2018) Health benefits and traditional uses of honey: a review. J Apither. https://doi.org/10.5455/JA.20170208043727

  • Atwa ADA, AbuShahba RY, Mostafa M, Hashem MI (2014) Effect of honey in preventing gingivitis and dental caries in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment. Saudi Dent J 26(3):108–114

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ayaad TH, Shaker GH, Almuhnaa AM (2012) Isolation of antimicrobial peptides from Apis florae and Apis carnica in Saudi Arabia and investigation of the antimicrobial properties of natural honey samples. J King Saud Univ Sci 24(2):193–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ball DW (2007) The chemical composition of honey. J Chem Educ 84(10):1643

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bansal V, Medhi B, Pandhi P (2005) Honey - a remedy rediscovered and its therapeutic utility. Kathmandu Univ Med J 3:305–309

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Beegum N, Nandan N, Vishwanathan S (2019) Honey the paradisiacal panacea: a review. J Ayurveda Integr Med Sci 4(5):273–280

    Google Scholar 

  • Bertoncelj J, DoberÅ¡ek U, Jamnik M, Golob T (2007) Evaluation of the phenolic content, antioxidant activity and colour of Slovenian honey. Food Chem 105(2):822–828

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bogdanov S (2012) Honey as nutrient and functional food. Proteins 1100:1400–2700

    Google Scholar 

  • Bogdanov S, Jurendic T, Sieber R, Gallmann P (2008) Honey for nutrition and health: a review. J Am Coll Nutr 27(6):677–689

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bucekova M, Majtan J (2016) The MRJP1 honey glycoprotein does not contribute to the overall antibacterial activity of natural honey. Eur Food Res Technol 242(4):625–629

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlando B, Cornara L (2013) Honey in dermatology and skin care: a review. J Cosmet Dermatol 12(4):306–313

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cenet M, Bozdogan A, Sezer G, Acar L, Ulukanli Z (2017) Antimicrobial activities, pollen diversity and physicochemical properties of natural honey from Southeastern Anatolia of Turkey. Adv Life Sci 4(2):47–54

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen JH, Ho CT (1997) Antioxidant activities of caffeic acid and its related hydroxycinnamic acid compounds. J Agric Food Chem 45(7):2374–2378

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chen CT, Chen BY, Nai YS, Chang YM, Chen KH, Chen YW (2019) Novel inspection of sugar residue and origin in honey based on the 13C/12C isotopic ratio and protein content. J Food Drug Anal 27(1):175–183

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chew CY, Chua LS, Soontorngun N, Lee CT (2018) Discovering potential bioactive compounds from Tualang honey. Agric Nat Resour 52(4):361–365

    Google Scholar 

  • Chua LS, Rahaman NLA, Adnan NA, Eddie Tan TT (2013) Antioxidant activity of three honey samples in relation with their biochemical components. J Anal Methods Chem 25(2):320–325

    Google Scholar 

  • Crane E (1975) History of honey. In: Crane E (ed) Honey, a comprehensive survey. William Heinemann, London, pp 439–488

    Google Scholar 

  • Crane EE (1977) The past and present importance of bee products to man. In: Mizrahi A, Lensky Y (eds) Bee products. Properties, applications, and apitherapy. Springer, New York, NY, pp 1–13

    Google Scholar 

  • Da Silva PM, Gauche C, Gonzaga LV, Costa ACO, Fett R (2016) Honey: Chemical composition, stability and authenticity. Food Chem 196:309–323

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dunford C, Cooper R, Molan PC (2000) Using honey as a dressing for infected skin lesions. Nurs Times 96:7–9

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Emarah MH (1982) A clinical study of the topical use of bee honey in the treatment of some occular diseases. Bull Islam Med 2(5):422–425

    Google Scholar 

  • Emsen IM (2007) A different and safe method of split thickness skin graft fixation: medical honey application. Burns 33:782–787

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Erejuwa OO (2014) Effect of honey in diabetes mellitus: matters arising. J Diabetes Metab Disord 13(1):23. https://doi.org/10.1186/2251-6581-13-23

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Erejuwa OO, Sulaiman SA, Ab Wahab MS (2012) Honey-a novel antidiabetic agent. Int J Biol Sci 8(6):913–934

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Erejuwa OO, Sulaiman SA, Wahab MS (2014) Effects of honey and its mechanisms of action on the development and progression of cancer. Molecules 19:2497–2522

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eteraf-Oskouei T, Najafi M (2013) Traditional and modern uses of natural honey in human diseases: a review. Iran J Basic Med Sci 16(6):731–742

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • FAO, Standard for Honey (CODEX STAN 12) (1981) Codex alimentarius: sugars, cocoa products and chocolate and miscellaneous products. FAO, Rome, p 11

    Google Scholar 

  • Hadagali MD, Chua LS (2014) The anti-inflammatory and wound healing properties of honey. Eur Food Res Technol 239(6):1003–1014

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hemmati M, Karamian M, Malekaneh M (2015) Anti-atherogenic potential of natural honey: Anti-diabetic and antioxidant approaches. J Pharm Pharmacol 3:278–284

    Google Scholar 

  • Ibrahimi H, Hajdari A (2020) Phenolic and flavonoid content, and antioxidant activity of honey from Kosovo. J Apic Res 1:6

    Google Scholar 

  • Jibril FI, Hilmi ABM, Manivannan L (2019) Isolation and characterization of polyphenols in natural honey for the treatment of human diseases. Bull Natl Res Centre 43(1):4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s42269-019-0044-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kajiwara S, Gandhi H, Ustunol Z (2002) Effect of honey on the growth of and acid production by human intestinal Bifidobacterium spp.: an in vitro comparison with commercial oligosaccharides and inulin. J Food Prot 65(1):214–218

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kassim M, Achoui M, Mansor M, Yusoff KM (2010) The inhibitory effects of Gelam honey and its extracts on nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2 in inflammatory tissues. Fitoterapia 81:1196–1201

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Katsuki A, Suematsu M, Gabazza EC, Murashima S, Nakatani K, Togashi K, Yano Y, Adachi Y, Sumida Y (2006) Increased oxidative stress is associated with decreased circulating levels of adiponectin in Japanese metabolically obese, normal-weight men with normal glucose tolerance. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 73:310–314

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kek SP, Chin NL, Tan SW, Yusof YA, Chua LS (2017) Classification of honey from its bee origin via chemical profiles and mineral content. Food Anal Methods 10(1):19–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Khan SU, Anjum SI, Rahman K, Ansari MJ, Khan WU, Kamal S, Khattak B, Muhammad A, Khan HU (2018) Honey: Single food stuff comprises many drugs. Saudi J Biol Sci 25(2):320–325

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krishnakumar GS, Mahendiran B, Gopalakrishnan S, Muthusamy S, Elangovan SM (2020) Honey based treatment strategies for infected wounds and burns: a systematic review of recent pre-clinical research. Wound Med 2020:100188

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kurek-Gorecka A, Górecki M, Rzepecka-Stojko A, Balwierz R, Stojko J (2020) Bee products in dermatology and skin care. Molecules 25(3):556

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Kwakman PH, Velde AAT, de Boer L, Speijer D, Vandenbroucke-Grauls CM, Zaat SA (2010) How honey kills bacteria. FASEB J 24:2576–2582

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Liu JR, Ye YL, Lin TY, Wang YW, Peng CC (2013) Effect of floral sources on the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-inflammatory activities of honeys in Taiwan. Food Chem 139(1–4):938–943

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Majtan J (2014) Honey: an immunomodulator in wound healing. Wound Repair Regen 22(2):187–192

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McLoone P, Warnock M, Fyfe L (2016) Honey: an immunomodulatory agent for disorders of the skin. Food Agric Immunol 27(3):338–349

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mohammed SE, Kabashi AS, Koko WS, Azim MK (2015) Antigiardial activity of glycoproteins and glycopeptides from Ziziphus honey. Nat Prod Res 29:2100–2102. https://doi.org/10.1080/14786419.2014.986659

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mosavat M, Ooi FK, Mohamed M (2014) Effects of honey supplementation combined with different jumping exercise intensities on bone mass, serum bone metabolism markers and gonadotropins in female rats. BMC Complement Altern Med 14:126

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakanishi S, Yamane K, Kamei N, Nojima H, Okubo M, Kohno N (2005) A protective effect of adiponectin against oxidative stress in Japanese Americans: the association between adiponectin or leptin and urinary isoprostane. Metabolism 54:194–199

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nanda MS, Mittal SP, Gupta V (2017) Role of honey as adjuvant therapy in patients with sore throat. Natl J Physiol Pharm Pharmacol 7(4):412

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nayak PA, Nayak UA, Mythili R (2010) Effect of Manuka honey, chlorhexidinegluconate and xylitol on the clinical levels of dental plaque. Contemp Clin Dent 1(4):214–217

    CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Nik Man NM, Hassan R, Ang CY, Abdullah AD, Mohd Radzi MA, Sulaiman SA (2015) Antileukemic effect of Tualang honey on acute and chronic leukemia cell lines. Biomed Res Int 2015:e307094

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nisbet C, Kazak F, Ardalı Y (2018) Determination of quality criteria that allow differentiation between honey adulterated with sugar and pure honey. Biol Trace Elem Res 186(1):288–293

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nooh HZ, Nour-Eldien NM (2016) The dual anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities of natural honey promote cell proliferation and neural regeneration in a rat model of colitis. Acta Histochem 118(6):588–595

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pavlackova J, Egner P, Slavík R, MokrejÅ¡ P, Gál R (2020) Hydration and barrier potential of cosmetic matrices with bee products. Molecules 25(11):2510

    Article  CAS  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Pichichero E, Cicconi R, Mattei M, Muzi MG, Canini A (2010) Acacia honey and chrysin reduce proliferation of melanoma cells through alterations in cell cycle progression. Int J Oncol 37:973–981

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Raeessi MA, Aslani J, Raeessi N, Gharaie H, Zarchi AAK, Raeessi F (2013) Honey plus coffee versus systemic steroid in the treatment of persistent post-infectious cough: a randomised controlled trial. Prim Care Respir J 22(3):325–330

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Ramsay EI, Rao S, Madathil L, Hegde SK, Baliga-Rao MP, George T, Baliga MS (2019) Honey in oral health and care: a mini review. J Oral Biosci 61(1):32–36

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rani GN, Budumuru R, Bandaru NR (2017) Antimicrobial activity of honey with special reference to methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA). J Clin Diagn Res 11(8):DC05

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Samarghandian S, Farkhondeh T, Samini F (2017) Honey and health: a review of recent clinical research. Pharm Res 9(2):121

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Santos-Buelga C, Gonzalez-Paramas AM (2017) Chemical composition of honey. In: Alvarez-Suarez JM (ed) Bee products-chemical and biological properties. Springer, Cham, pp 43–82

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Sanz ML, Polemis N, Morales V, Corzo N, Drakoularakou A, Gibson GR, Rastall RA (2005) In vitro investigation into the potential prebiotic activity of honey oligosaccharides. J Agric Food Chem 53:2914–2921

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Shahzad A, Cohrs RJ (2012) In vitro antiviral activity of honey against Varicella Zoster virus (VZV): a translational medicine study for potential remedy for shingles. Transl Biomed 3(2):2

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Shamala TR, Jyothi YS, Saibaba P (2000) Stimulatory effect of honey on multiplication of lactic acid bacteria under in vitro and in vivo conditions. Lett Appl Microbiol 30(6):453–455

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Singhal R, Siddibhavi M, Sankeshwari R, Patil P, Jalihal S, Ankola A (2018) Effectiveness of three mouthwashes - Manuka honey, raw honey, and chlorhexidine on plaque and gingival scores of 12-15-year-old school children: a randomized controlled field trial. J Indian Soc Periodontol 22(1):34–39

    PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Soares S, Amaral JS, Oliveira MBPP, Mafra I (2015) Improving DNA isolation from honey for the botanical origin identification. Food Control 48:130–136

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Subrahmanyam M (1998) A prospective randomized clinical and histological study of superficial burn wound healing with honey and silver sulfadiazine. Burns 24:157–161

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Subramanian R, Umesh Hebbar H, Rastogi NK (2007) Processing of honey: a review. Int J Food Prop 10(1):127–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Talebi M, Talebi M, Farkhondeh T, Samarghandian S (2020) Molecular mechanism-based therapeutic properties of mechanism-based therapeutic properties of honey. Biomed Pharmacother 130:110590

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Umarani S, Eswaran VU, Keerthika E, Mathumitha K, Elakkiya S, Bhargava HR (2015) A relative study on the chemical composition among the pure and branded honey types collected from diverse sources of Tamil Nadu, India. World Appl Sci J 33(3):401–408

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Waykar B, Alqadhi YA (2016) Biological properties and uses of honey: a concise scientific review. Indian J Pharm Biol Res 4(3):58–68

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yaacob NS, Nengsih A, Norazmi MN (2013) Tualang honey promotes apoptotic cell death induced by tamoxifen in breast cancer cell lines. Evid Based Complement Alternat Med:989841. https://doi.org/10.1155/2013/989841

  • Yap SK, Chin NL, Yusof YA, Chong KY (2019) Quality characteristics of dehydrated raw Kelulut honey. Int J Food Prop 22(1):556–571

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zafar M, Latafat T, Zehra A, Farooqui Y (2020) Therapeutic properties of honey: a review of literature. Res Rev J Pharmacol 10(1):41–49

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Environmental Science, School for Environmental Sciences, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Lucknow, India

    Swati Sachdev

  2. Department of Sociology, STJM PG College, Kanpur, India

    Anil Kumar

  3. Department of Botany, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, India

    Mohammad Israil Ansari

Authors
  1. Swati Sachdev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Anil Kumar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Mohammad Israil Ansari
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mohammad Israil Ansari .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Wolaita Sodo University, Wolaita, Ethiopia

    Azamal Husen

  2. Department of Industrial Chemistry, College of Applied Sciences, Addis Ababa Science and Technology University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Rakesh Kumar Bachheti

  3. Department of Environmental Science, Graphic Era University, Dehradun, India

    Archana Bachheti

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2021 The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG

About this chapter

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this chapter

Sachdev, S., Kumar, A., Ansari, M.I. (2021). Health Benefit, Traditional, and Modern Uses of Natural Honey. In: Husen, A., Bachheti, R.K., Bachheti, A. (eds) Non-Timber Forest Products. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-73077-2_12

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation