Why are the Japanese so obsessed with honey and is it really very nutritious?

Human consumption of honey has a long history, with Stone Age paintings showing the use of bee products. Around 5,500 years ago, honey began to be widely used by humans, including the Chinese, Greeks, Egyptians, Romans, Mayans and Babylonians, who consumed honey and regarded it as a precious natural nutrient.

The ancients recognized honey as a valuable medicinal herb when they discovered that it was not perishable and could be stored in a dry place at room temperature. In the traditional medicine of many countries, honey is described as having numerous effects. Traditionally, honey was often used to treat bronchial asthma, throat infections, eye diseases, eczema, ulcers and more. In modern times, businesses often promote honey as having antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects.

In fact, the antimicrobial effect of honey comes mainly from oxidative reactions, as well as a number of physical dimensions, including high osmotic pressure, low water activity, low pH, and so on. And honey is not easily spoiled, mainly because it is relatively low in protein, high in reducing sugars (which are not easily oxidized), and also contains certain oxidizing enzymes and hydrogen peroxide, thus not conducive to the reproduction of yeast and bacteria.

What are the main components of honey?

Throughout the world, there are about 300 types of honey, and all of them are mainly composed of carbohydrates, with a content of roughly 95% to 97%.

Honey is sweet because it is high in fructose. In addition, it does contain traces of proteins, amino acids, minerals, organic acids and so on, as well as a certain amount of antioxidant components such as flavonoids and polyphenols, but these are very low in content.

Does honey really have those effects that businesses advertise?

In vitro studies have shown that Manuka honey has a strong antibacterial effect on E. coli and Staphylococcus aureus.

However, Manuka honey has shown anti-Helicobacter pylori effects only in in vitro experiments. Experiments using Manuka honey therapy to eradicate H. pylori have not found beneficial effects. Small human trials have shown that a spoonful of Manuka honey taken orally every day for two weeks did not reduce H. pylori.

In terms of fighting infection, in vitro trials have shown that honey is useful for wound healing, helping to provide a moist environment and a protective barrier against microbial infections, as well as helping to regenerate tissues, thereby promoting wound healing.

For sore throats, honey helps to relieve the symptoms, mainly by inhibiting Streptococcus mutans.

Other rumors about honey

Some people say that eating honey is good for diabetics. However, the advantages of honey found in clinical trials of type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes were mainly compared to sucrose and glucose. The positive effects of honey are mainly through oxidative stress and hyperglycemic interventions, then honey doesn't make much sense if you if the other factors are perfectly capable of having a greater effect than honey.

There are also claims that honey improves oral health, with the main effect being to reduce the formation of plaque, thus reducing the risk of gingivitis and caries. This is really counter-intuitive, and the average person can think, isn't honey just sugar, so eating honey is supposed to exacerbate dental caries. Also, honey is sticky and tends to get on other food debris, which can do more harm than good to your oral health.