Food mentioned in the Qur'an - Honey

“And thy Lord taught the bee to build its cells in hills, on trees and in (men’s) habitations…. there emerges from their bellies a drink, varying in colors, in which there is a healing for people. Verily in this is a Sign for those who give thought”. [Soorah Nahl: 68-69].

Honey is a naturally sweet, viscous liquid made from the nectar of flowers and collected by honey bees.

Honey is mainly composed of fructose, glucose and water. It contains trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins, amino acids and can act as a prebiotic, aiding the growth of friendly bifidobacteria, thus improving gut health.



It comes in numerous varieties with different colours, textures and flavours. The flavour, colour and sweetness of honey depend on which type of flower the nectar was collected from.



There is a huge choice of honeys available


The taste of honey varies according to the nectar it’s made from.


Since bees gather the honey from within only a few miles of their hives, beekeepers are able to influence where and upon what the bees feed and the final style and flavour the honey will have.


 Lighter-colored honeys are milder in flavor, while darker honeys are usually stronger in flavor.


Standard honey is heat-processed and finely filtered, which makes it stay liquid. Otherwise, it can be purposefully crystallised and sold as ‘set honey’ – the kind that you spread with a knife.

Conventional honey has been processed to prolong its shelf life and improve its appearance, and although research has shown that this honey does contain some health benefits, many of the phytonutrients found in raw honey as it exists in the hive, are largely removed through this processing.

Specialist honey comes from bees that have been set to work harvesting nectar in a specific place. They are simply warmed and gently filtered so that more of the taste and nutritional goodness stays in the pot.



Raw honey, which has not been pasteurized, clarified or filtered, contains an abundance of vitamins and minerals, and is a natural and powerful medicine, which is superior to the processed honey most commonly available.



Raw honey also contains bee pollen, which many nutritional experts refer to as a potent superfood.



Honey Shortens the Duration of a Cold
A new study has found that eating honey reduces the duration of the common cold; more specifically, eating two ounces of honey a day reduces the length of the common cold by up two days.

 

Honey Fights Viruses and skin Infections

 

Honey  Relieves dandruff and Its Causes so you have a healthy scalp. Honey Is An Effective Treatment for eczema and Psoriasis Fungal Infections and bedsores.Some other benefits of honey mentioned are that it cleanses the arteries and bowels of impurities. It can clear obstructions in the liver, kidney and bladder and is useful in the treatment of diarrhea.

The Messenger (Sallallaahu alayhi Wasallam) said, “There is a cure in three substances, a drink of honey…” [Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (5356)].

Ibn al-Qayyim states that the Prophet (Sallallaahu alayhi Wasallam) used to drink honey and water on an empty stomach for health preservation.
Ibn al-Qayyim classed honey as both a food and medicine.

Source

Various references have been used

BBC Honey, Healthy Muslim.com, Wikipedia