The National Honey Board presents:
Antioxidants and Honey-A "Radical" Discovery
Mom always said, "Eat your fruits and vegetables, they'll help you grow big and strong." Although dietary recommendations have changed over the years, this is one bit of advice even Father Time can't ignore.
According to recent studies, antioxidant substances in produce and other foods may actually represent a modern-day "fountain of youth." Evidence suggests that vitamins C and E, and beta-carotene, a precursor to vitamin A, may reduce the risk of some forms of cancer, heart disease, strokes, and cataracts and may slow the aging process.
Although oxygen is vital to life, scientists are also finding that this essential element may contribute to human aging and illness. When oxygen is metabolized, cells form by-products called "free radicals." Free radicals travel through the cell, disrupting the structure of other molecules and resulting in cellular damage. Such damage is believed to contribute to aging and various health problems.
Antioxidants protect key cell components from damage by neutralizing the free radicals. Antioxidants that occur naturally in the body or are consumed through the diet may block damage to cells. However, over time, damaged cells can accumulate and lead to age-related diseases, researchers say.
In an effort to combat free-radical activity, scientists are studying the effects of increasing individuals' antioxidant levels through the diet and dietary supplements. Honey appears to act as an antioxidant in more ways than one. In the body, honey can take up free radicals and contribute to better health. When used in foods, the compounds produced when honey is heated can prevent rancidity in some products, particularly meats. Two recently completed research projects examine honey's unique antioxidative functions.
Honey as an Antioxidant for Human Health
"Gram for gram, antioxidants in buckwheat honey equal those of fruits and vegetables," said Dr. May Berenbaum, head of the University of Illinois' entomology department. "It packs the antioxidant power of Vitamin C in a tomato." Researchers at the University of Illinois-Champaign/Urbana have identified the antioxidant values of 14 unifloral honeys.
Honey, however, can be a highly variable ingredient. Depending on its floral source, honey's antioxidant levels can also vary. Researchers set out to determine just how much those levels do vary between different floral types and correlate those differences with moisture level and color.
The antioxidative components of honey were compared to an ascorbic acid standard. The water-soluble antioxidant content of the honey samples varied more than 20-fold, from a high value of 4.32 × 10-3 eq for Illinois buckwheat honey to a low value of 21.3 × 10-5 eq for California button sage honey. Research showed a correlation between color and antioxidant capacity, with the darker honeys providing the highest levels of antioxidants.
With antioxidant levels reaching 4.32 × 10-3 meq.,
honey rivals those levels found in tomatoes (2.83 × 10-3 meq)
and sweet corn (1.36 × 10-3 meq). Although honey by
itself may not serve as a major source of dietary antioxidants, it demonstrates the
potential for honey to play a role in providing antioxidants in a highly palatable form.
Due to honey's pleasing taste, it may be more readily consumed by individuals reluctant to
ingest plant-derived antioxidants. Certainly, compared to sucrose, which has no
antioxidant value, honey can be a flavorful, supplementary source of antioxidants.
National Honey Board
Food Technology Program
P.O. Box 281525
San Francisco, CA 94128
Fax: 415/340-8568
Honey Hotline: 800/356-5941
Website: www.nhb.org (see Related Sites
for a link)