Is honey the elixir of life?
Beekeepers have long suspected that honey aids longevity - now it seems scientists agree. Researchers at the University of Waikato in New Zealand have found that honey could help decrease anxiety, improve memory and even slow the ageing process, thanks to its antioxidant properties. Honey has been used since ancient times not only as a sweetener but in cosmetics, and has been used as an antiseptic therapeutic agent for the treatment of ulcers, burns and wounds. It also contains various micronutrients said to help prevent some cancers and combat hay fever.

The Waikato team conducted tests on rats, feeding one set with a diet comprising 10 percent honey, one with eight percent sucrose and a control group with no sugar at all for a year. The rats were assessed every three months using tests designed to measure anxiety and spatial memory.  

Sweet memories
The honey-fed rats spent almost twice as much time in the open sections of an assessment maze than sucrose-fed rats, suggesting they were less nervous. They were also more likely to explore new areas, suggesting they knew where they had been previously and had better spatial memory.

 

BeeMail No6 Sep 2007

Cough drops!
Honey has long been recognised as a traditional remedy for coughs and sore throats, but recent research suggests it is more effective than modern medicine. Clinical trials by paediatricians linked to the University of Pennsylvania, USA, tested buckwheat honey against honeyflavoured dextromethorphan (a cough suppressant found in many medicines) and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty in 105 children aged 2-18. Significant differences in effectiveness were detected between treatment groups, with honey consistently scoring the best and no treatment scoring the worst. Parents rated the honey most favourably for relief of their child’s nocturnal cough and sleep difficulty.

BeeMail No7 Dec 2007