A Comprehensive Review of the Effect of Honey on Human Health

Abstract

Honey is a nutritious, healthy, and natural food, to which antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties have been attributed, mainly due to its content of phenolic compounds. The aim of this review is to analyze the available evidence of the effect of honey on humans. Forty-eight clinical trials published between 1985 and 2022 were analyzed, with a total of 3655 subjects. More beneficial effects of honey intake than no or negative effects on different cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors, glucose tolerance, mucositis caused by chemo-radiotherapy, cough in children and wound healing, among others have been observed. Although the number of studies conducted to date is limited and the different investigations are not standardized, beneficial effects of honey intake have been observed, especially when its intake replaces the intake of other sweeteners. In addition, honey could be a safe adjuvant to be administered alongside drugs used for certain diseases.

Sensitive immunoenzyme assay for the detection of antibiotic flumequine in honey

“…Honey and other beekeeping foodstuffs have long been included in the human diet as products with high nutritional value and unique therapeutic and prophylactic properties. [1][2][3] Following the latest trends toward environmentally friendly and healthy food, the consumer is inclined to purchase natural, high-quality, and safe honey that does not contain foreign impurities. 4 However, in recent years, beekeepers have begun widely using various antibiotics, which are intended to prevent and combat bee diseases and stimulate their colonies.…”

Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Apis cerana honey from Lombok and Bali Islands

“…The search for high-quality honey free from human contamination and also rich in natural products is crucial to ensure that the honey is fit for consumption as this commodity is highly prone to adulteration worldwide [1,2]. Apis cerana is commonly found all over Indonesia, especially in the Bali and Lombok Islands [3,4].…”

(−)-Gallocatechin Gallate: A Novel Chemical Marker to Distinguish Triadica cochinchinensis Honey

“…Honey is broadly classified based on its botanical origin into monofloral and polyfloral types [ 7 ]. Monofloral honey is widely considered more valuable than polyfloral honey owing to its distinct flavor and pharmacological properties and, in recent years, has witnessed increased consumer demand [ 8 , 9 ].…”