“My son, eat honey, for it is good, and the drippings of the honeycomb are sweet to your taste.” (Proverbs 24:13)
The phrase “milk and honey” appears many times in Tanach to describe the fertility and prosperity of the Promised Land, says health writer Cal Orey, author of The Healing Powers of Honey. While rabbis and historians may debate whether the honey was actually bee honey or produced from dates or fruits, the concept of a land flowing with milk and honey conjures up images of health, happiness, and well-being. Rabbi and food historian Gil Marks points out that honey, which comes from nature and does not spoil, symbolizes immortality and truth in many cultures. As far back as 4,000 years ago, ancient Greeks and Egyptians believed that eating honey increased physical energy and enhance mental acuity. Medicinal uses of honey are also noted in the ancient texts of traditional Chinese medicine and in Ayurvedic medicine, a healing system that originated in India. Even in modern medicine, honey is recognized for its antibacterial and wound-healing properties, and as an aid in treating coughs.
And, of course, in what has become one of the most familiar and beloved Jewish customs, on Rosh Hashanah we dip a slice of apple in honey and ask the Creator to grant us a good and sweet year. Aside from its delicious taste, though, what can we say about the health properties of honey? Let’s look at a few basic facts concerning honey and its health benefits:
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What exactly is honey? Honey is a super-saturated solution produced by certain types of bees from the nectar of blossoms. Honey is about 80 percent natural sugars, mostly fructose and glucose. The remaining 20 percent is water (about 18 percent), plus minerals, vitamins, antioxidants, pollen, and protein. Importantly, honey does not spoil and does not need refrigeration.
Isn’t honey just another type of sugar, and shouldn’t we eat it sparingly or avoid it altogether? Some health professionals consider honey no healthier than other forms of sugar. But experts like Dr. Ron Fessenden have a different take. He was co-chair of a recent international symposium on honey in human health and is the author of several books on the topic, mostly recently, The New Honey Revolution. Fessenden writes that in addition to fructose and glucose, “honey contains small amounts of other compound sugars and over 180 substances not found in HFCS (high fructose corn syrup) and sugar (sucrose). These are part of the reason why honey is metabolized in the human system differently that other sugars.”
Another champion of honey, Dr. Steven Pratt, coauthor of Superfoods HealthStyle and Super Health, points out that “honey’s most important health-promoting benefit is its antioxidant ability. We know that daily consumption of honey raises blood levels of protective antioxidants.”
Is honey considered a super-food? Honey is indeed a super-food, mainly because of its disease-fighting antioxidants, similar to those found in green tea, blueberries, spinach, and certain other fruits and vegetables. Other compounds in honey include vitamin E, enzymes, polyphenols, oligosaccharides, and salicylates.
How much honey should we eat? Even with its outstanding health benefits, honey should be consumed in moderation. Nutritionist Jonny Bowden writes, in The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, that “because [honey] is real food and does contain nutrients, it’s one of the best sweeteners to use, provided you use it judiciously.” Dr. Pratt recommends one to two teaspoons five to seven times per week as a rough guide.
Does it matter what type of honey I buy? The National Honey Board explains on its website that “honeys differ in color and flavor depending on what blossoms the honey bee visits in search of nectar. Honey color ranges from almost colorless to dark amber brown, and its flavor varies from delectably mild to richly bold. As a general rule, light-color honey is milder in taste and dark-colored honey is stronger.” Dark buckwheat honey, says Dr. Pratt, contains more of the antioxidant-rich polyphenols.
Another basic choice is raw versus processed honey. Some believe that raw honey is more nutritious than processed honey, which is heated and filtered. A major study conducted by the National Honey Board found that, while processing honey did decrease enzyme levels somewhat, it did not result in the destruction of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. The researchers concluded that “neither raw nor processed honey is superior to the other in every way. Both filtered and unfiltered honey provides benefits that are not found in most other sweeteners.…” One 2004 study did find that buckwheat honey, but not clover honey, lost some of its antioxidants as a result of processing.
What other studies been done on honey? A 2001 study by the National Honey Board and Michigan State University found that honey promotes the growth of bifidobacteria, a healthy, immune-enhancing type of bacteria in the gut.
In a study in Journal of Medicinal Food (2004), participants in the honey-consuming group were able to lower their triglycerides, whereas a comparison sugar-eating group ended up with increased levels, meaning greater cardiovascular risk.
At least two studies have suggested that honey can help those with diabetes. In 2013, researchers reported favorable effects of honey on diseased beta cells, the cells in the pancreas that produce insulin. And a study that appeared earlier this year found that people who consumed two tablespoons of honey daily had lower average daily rises in glucose than those who consumed five tablespoons of honey or the same amount of glucose.
An important warning about honey and infants: Government agencies and health professionals warn parents not to feed honey to infants less than one year of age, because they lack the ability to kill the botulism spores that may be present in honey. Please follow the advice of your child’s pediatrician in this matter.
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Honey Cake
Rabbi Gil Marks, author of The World of Jewish Cooking, writes that “honey serves as the basis for one of the most enduring Ashkenazic baked goods, lekach or honey cake, from the German work lecke, lick.” I’ve chosen a honey cake recipe from the late Jane Kinderlehrer. Besides being a culinary genius, cookbook author, and former senior editor of Prevention Magazine, she was also a very traditional Yiddishe bubbe. Below is a slightly modified version of her recipe for a healthy honey cake from her 1995 classic, Cooking Kosher the New Way.
2 large eggs
1/2 c. orange juice concentrate
1/3 c. olive oil, grapeseed oil, or liquid coconut oil
1/2 c. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 c. whole grain flour (wheat, spelt, Kamut or a gluten-free blend)
1/2 c. oat bran or ground flax seeds or ground Salba-brand chia
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. grated nutmeg
2 1/2 c. diced apples
1/2 c. chopped walnuts, (optional)
In a large mixing bowl, blend together eggs, orange juice concentrate, oil, honey and vanilla. In a smaller bowl, combine flour, oat bran, baking powder and soda, and nutmeg. Combine the two mixtures and mix just to moisten the dry ingredients. Fold in the apples and nuts. Oil 13x9–inch Pyrex or other baking pan. Transfer mixture to pan. Bake in a preheated 350 F. oven for 30 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool on a rack. Cover and let stand overnight to allow time for flavors to meld.
Carrot and Sweet Potato Tzimmes
Here’s a healthy take on the traditional tzimmes. I love the enticing description on allrecipes.com, where I found this honey-enhanced version: “Baby carrots, sweet potatoes, pineapples, and prunes simmer with honey, orange juice, and cinnamon for a delightful tzimmes that’s perfect for fall and winter holiday meals.” And of course Rosh Hashana!
32-ounce package baby carrots
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks
1 c. pitted prunes
1 3/4 c. pineapple chunks, drained (juice reserved)
1/2 c. pineapple juice from canned pineapple
1/2 c. honey
1 1/4 c. orange juice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. cornstarch
Preheat oven to 350 F. Oil a 9x13-inch baking dish. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and stir in the baby carrots. Reduce heat to a simmer, and cook until firm but tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in the sweet potato, and simmer for 5 more minutes; drain. Place the carrots, sweet potatoes, and prunes into the prepared baking dish, and stir to combine. In a bowl, whisk together reserved pineapple juice, honey, orange juice, salt, and cinnamon until smooth, and pour the mixture over the carrots, sweet potatoes, and prunes. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake until the mixture is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Remove from oven, and remove aluminum foil. Mix in the pineapple chunks and cornstarch until thoroughly combined, and return to the oven until slightly thickened, about 10 more minutes.
Enjoy these recipes to get you started. Look for more interesting findings and recipes about honey in the WWW Succos issue.
Lauren Mirkin, CNS, LDN, LCPC, is a licensed nutritionist and professional counselor. She provides nutritional counseling at the Johns Hopkins Integrative Medicine and Digestive Center at Green Spring Station. Contact her at 443-326-7023 or holisticnutritionhelp@gmail.com.
