Dark Honey Has More Illness-Fighting Agents Than L...( entire tomato would balk at eating t...)

Honey could be a supplemental source for antioxidants, the researchers concluded, noting that many fruits and vegetables often include other desirable sources for antioxidants. Although honey can't replace fruits and vegetables in the diet as a source of antioxidants, it has a lot to offer as a replacement for table sugar, which has little value other than as a sweetener, Berenbaum said.

Depending on the floral source, honey varies widely in color, water composition and sugar, ash, nitrogen and metal content. The U. of I. researchers gathered and analyzed honeys produced in 1994 and 1995.

The findings could impact the beekeeping industry, which has been growing nationwide, mostly as a hobby, Robinson said. "Bees are essential for pollinating many of the crops that we grow for food and fiber. The estimated value of bee pollination in America alone is $10 billion per year," he said. "Now, honey may also take on extra importance as there may be health issues to add to the equation. Not all nectars are created equal, thus not all honeys are created equal."

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Contact: Jim Barlow
b-james3@uiuc.edu
217-333-5802
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
6-Jul-1998