Pursuant to the Greek Food and Beverages Code, "honey is the food produced by honey bees from flower nectar or secretions of or on plants, which the bees select, alter, mix with substances of their own, store and allow to ripen in honeycomb cells". Honey can be liquid, creamed or crystallised.
Bees buzz from flower to flower, collecting nectar. They use their tongue (proboscis) to suck a small drop of nectar and transfer it to the hive, where they work together as a group to ingest and regurgitate the nectar a number of times, mixing it with special enzymes which will ensure its preservation. They then deposit it into the honeycomb cells. When every cell is full, they add wax to preserve the honey as long as possible for the coming Winter.
Honey is a unique sweetener of significant biological and nutritional value; it is nature’s gift to man. It is a natural and nutritious food, and it has been scientifically proven that it contains a number of compounds essential for the body. It mostly contains glucose and fructose, but also myriads of natural compounds such as enzymes, amino acids, hydrogen peroxide, minerals, antioxidants, etc. whose vital role in a modern diet is unquestionable.
Honey is therefore a direct source of energy, which is easily digested, meaning it does not fatigue the liver or other organs. It is ideal for children, pregnant women, athletes and all those watching their diet.
And… it goes with everything! Coffee, milk, tea and any other hot beverage! It’s the perfect addition to yogurt, cream or ice cream, fruit and of course, loukoumades (golden puffs of fried dough), diples (a cross between a doughnut and funnel cake) and melomakarona (spiced cookies, usually prepared at Christmas)! It is delicious on bread, crispbread, corn flakes, or with cheese. And it will give your home-cooked dishes an exotic flavour!
Bees also provide us with their poison, wax, propolis, royal jelly and flower pollen. And they make a significant contribution to farming and mankind through the pollination of plants and crops.
