Honeydew Honey is a brief description of the forest honey.
While it is true that honeys are known for its numerous advantages to offer, still, its health benefits may classify according to its type. As you can see types of honey may differ accordingly and each type has a unique classification and benefits to provide. Yet, one of these classifications which are known to be a good source of a much bigger nutritional advantages to its consumers is the honeydew honey.
Basically, honeydew honeys are types of honey which are created from the secretions of aphids and other plant sap feeding insects. Based on research and studies, because it is quite common in some countries, honeydew honeys are known to have higher levels of disease fighting antioxidants. Thus in order to know more on some of the important facts of honeydew honey, common vital information includes:
· Origins – basically, honeydew honeys does not really come from the nectar of flowers but fundamentally gathered from the lymph of various botanical species such as aphid or scale insect. The process of producing this type of honey begins with the collection of the drops of honeydew, falling on the surface of the leaves as well as smaller branches of plants that are infested with parasites by the bees. Typically, the plants that are usually involved in this process include conifers such like silver fir, nectar producing species such as lime, maple, chestnut and fruit trees as well as deciduous, non nectar producing species which is the oak and beech.
· Consistency – compared to the other types of honey, honeydew honey have lower levels of glucose and fructose as well as higher levels of complex sugars which makes it more darker. This consistency is due to the extra enzymatic actions between the sap sucking insect’s guts. It doesn’t normally crystallize and also has a high mineral and conductivity.
· Benefits – normally this type of honey is known to have stronger antioxidant properties due to its highest levels of polyphenolics which is one of the most significant classes of antioxidant compounds. As we all know, antioxidants are the soldiers that fight against free radical molecules in the body which are known to be the core foundation of diseases. Another health benefit that experts do look upon to is its capacity to battle against bacteria. Glucose Oxidase activity levels are very high thus giving an increase degree of antibacterial activity compared to the levels found in manuka honey.
· Disadvantages – although there are no particular and proven disadvantages of honey, experts do recommend in taking some test first for any allergic reactions before using honey for some people do have allergies on bees which may cause serious problems such as allergic reactions, asthma or diarrhea. As for honeydew honeys, studies have conducted that it has a large population of yeast due to presence of huge amount of food resources in honeydew nectars as well as wet conditions particularly after the rain. There are also times wherein there is a quite sour smell in the forest due to the fermentation.
