This section needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sourcesin this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. ( July 2021) ( Learn how and when to remove this template message) A 2013 NMR spectroscopy study of 20 different honeys from Germany found that their sugar contents comprised:

Report: Georgia Unearths the World's Oldest Honey. EurasiaNet (30 March 2012). Retrieved on 3 July 2015. Beesource Beekeeping: Honey Composition and Properties". Beesource.com. October 1980 . Retrieved 6 February 2011. Gounari, Sofia (2006). "Studies on the phenology of Marchalina hellenica (gen.) (Hemiptera: coccoidea, margarodidae) in relation to honeydew flow". Journal of Apicultural Research. 45 (1): 8–12. doi: 10.3896/IBRA.1.45.1.03.The melting point of crystallized honey is between 40 and 50°C (104 and 122°F), depending on its composition. Below this temperature, honey can be either in a metastable state, meaning that it will not crystallize until a seed crystal is added, or, more often, it is in a "labile" state, being saturated with enough sugars to crystallize spontaneously. [44] The rate of crystallization is affected by many factors, but the primary factor is the ratio of the main sugars: fructose to glucose. Honeys that are supersaturated with a very high percentage of glucose, such as brassica honey, crystallize almost immediately after harvesting, while honeys with a low percentage of glucose, such as chestnut or tupelo honey, do not crystallize. Some types of honey may produce few but very large crystals, while others produce many small crystals. [45] Altman, Nathaniel (9 March 2010). The Honey Prescription: The Amazing Power of Honey as Medicine. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. ISBN 9781594773464. In myths and folk medicine, honey was used both orally and topically to treat various ailments including gastric disturbances, ulcers, skin wounds, and skin burns by ancient Greeks and Egyptians, and in Ayurveda and traditional Chinese medicine. [136] History Honey seeker depicted in an 8000-year-old cave painting at Coves de L'Aranya, Bicorp in València Fermentation of honey usually occurs after crystallization, because without the glucose, the liquid portion of the honey primarily consists of a concentrated mixture of fructose, acids, and water, providing the yeast with enough of an increase in the water percentage for growth. Honey that is to be stored at room temperature for long periods of time is often pasteurized, to kill any yeast, by heating it above 70°C (158°F). [30] Thermal characteristics Creamed honey: the honey on the left is fresh, and the honey on the right has been aged at room temperature for two years. The Maillard reaction produces considerable differences in the color and flavor of the aged honey, which remains edible. a b Pereira, Ana Paula; Mendes-Ferreira, Ana; Estevinho, Leticia M.; Mendes-Faia, Arlete (2015). "Improvement of mead fermentation by honey-must supplementation". Journal of the Institute of Brewing. 121 (3): 405–410. doi: 10.1002/jib.239. hdl: 10198/16120.

Honey and Bees". Archived from the original on 5 March 2010. Retrieved 17 November 2015. National Honey Board In ancient Greece, honey was produced from the Archaic to the Hellenistic periods. In 594BC, [145] beekeeping around Athens was so widespread that Solon passed a law about it: "He who sets up hives of bees must put them 300 feet [90 metres] away from those already installed by another". [146] [4] Greek archaeological excavations of pottery located ancient hives. [147] According to Columella, Greek beekeepers of the Hellenistic period did not hesitate to move their hives over rather long distances to maximize production, taking advantage of the different vegetative cycles in different regions. [147] The spiritual and supposed therapeutic use of honey in ancient India was documented in both the Vedas and the Ayurveda texts. [136] Religious significance Ancient Greece Over its history as a food, [10] the main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, desserts, as a spread on bread, as an addition to various beverages such as tea, and as a sweetener in some commercial beverages. [35]There are plenty of options for sweetening agents, from cane sugar to artificial sweeteners made in laboratories. One of the best options is honey. It is a great natural sweetener that comes from hardworking honey bees. Also, it is naturally occurring and requires minimal human intervention for us to enjoy it. Marlowe, Frank W.; Berbesque, J. Colette; Wood, Brian; Crittenden, Alyssa; Porter, Claire; Mabulla, Audax (1 June 2014). "Honey, Hadza, hunter-gatherers, and human evolution". Journal of Human Evolution. 71: 119–128. doi: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2014.03.006. PMID 24746602. Frequently Asked Questions". National Honey Board. Archived from the original on 1 February 2010 . Retrieved 6 February 2011.

Most commercially available honey is a blend [69] of two or more honeys differing in floral source, color, flavor, density, or geographic origin. [70] Polyfloral Crane E, Walker P, Day R (1984). Directory of important world honey sources. International Bee Research Association. ISBN 978-0860981411.The Christian New Testament says that John the Baptist lived for a long of time in the wilderness on a diet of locusts and wild honey [144] (see for instance Mark 1:6). Britto, Fábio Barros; Caetano, Flávio Henrique (2006). "Morphological Features and Occurrence of Degenerative Characteristics in the Hypopharyngeal Glands of the Paper Wasp Polistes versicolor (Olivier) (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)". Micron. 37 (8): 742–47. doi: 10.1016/j.micron.2006.03.002. PMID 16632372. Consumption is sometimes advocated as a treatment for seasonal allergies due to pollen, but scientific evidence to support the claim is inconclusive. [122] Honey is generally considered ineffective for the treatment of allergic conjunctivitis. [122] [124] a b c Grüter, Christoph (2020). Stingless Bees: Their Behaviour, Ecology and Evolution. Fascinating Life Sciences. Springer New York. doi: 10.1007/978-3-030-60090-7. ISBN 978-3-030-60089-1. S2CID 227250633.