Nectar
Nectar is the most important raw material for honey production;
flowers produce it to attract pollination.
Nectar and Pollen
Worker bees collect pollen from flowers, mix it with nectar and bee saliva, and then pack it into honeycomb cells in the hive.
Pollen grains are specific; their shape and structure are genetically determined, allowing their botanical and geographical origin to be identified.
This allows honey to be named according to its origin.
Pollen improves brain activity and intellectual capacity. It regulates the nervous system and mood. It improves the digestive system and helps regenerate intestinal flora.
Bees and Honey
Anthophila, commonly known as bees, comes from the Greek word Anthophila, meaning "those who love flowers." Bees contribute to safeguarding ecosystem biodiversity and maintaining balance.
One kilogram of honey represents the work of 2,500 bees.
There are over 20,000 species of bees, of which only 5 produce honey.
The species Apis mellifera is the most well-known.
Bees are synonymous with virtue and abundance. They have always enjoyed an excellent reputation. Since ancient times, the taste of their honey and their hard work have been admired. Bees are messengers between worlds; you can ask them to send a message to a loved one on whatever plane they may be.
They represent good luck, hope, and good fortune.
Honey as a source of power
There's something truly poetic about honey, this alchemical elixir produced by bees that has been part of human life since ancient times. Besides its alluring color, it possesses superpowers that add to its charm.
Honey has an unusual chemical composition that keeps it fresh indefinitely without spoiling, as seen in jars recovered from Egyptian tombs.
Honey is particularly low in moisture and extremely acidic, making it an inhospitable environment for bacteria and microorganisms.
Honey has been used as a remedy for millennia. And ever since, in addition to having a delicious taste and being used to sweeten all kinds of foods, honey is used for healing.
It relieves coughs, improves memory, heals wounds, provides nutrients, prevents the decrease of leukocytes, kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria, can help metabolize alcohol, and is a great source of energy.
Nectar, from the Latin “nectar”, and this from the Greek “nektar” (drink of the gods), was the drink of the gods in Greek mythology.
Floral nectar plays a very important role in plant ecology. It is produced in the stamens and petals of flowers to attract pollinating animals.
Nectar is the food of different species, such as hummingbirds, butterflies, and bees. It is the most important raw material for the production of honey by the Apis mellifera bee.
Antonieta: means beautiful as a brave flower. Anthoethas “Anthos” means flower, “Ethos” means character.
Honey: is a yellowish, very sweet, viscous substance produced by bees by transforming flower nectar in their stomachs. They then regurgitate it to fill the honeycombs, which serves as food for the young.
Raw: the aroma and flavor of honey are more intense. It has not been subjected to high temperatures, so its enzymatic richness and medicinal properties remain intact, preserving its natural antifungal, antibiotic, and antibacterial effects.
Raw honey is extracted immediately from the honeycomb cells inside a beehive.
This honey contains pollen and propolis, both of which are very beneficial for health.
It may also contain dead bees, legs, wings, wax particles, and other impurities that are filtered out before packaging.
Raw honey cannot be heated above 35 degrees Celsius, which is the normal temperature of a beehive.
While it is okay to strain raw honey, it is never filtered or pasteurized. It also cannot contain any other additives.
Commercial honey is often highly processed and even chemically refined.
Excessive heat can destroy the natural enzymes, vitamins, and minerals in honey.
Filtering and processing remove many of the beneficial phytonutrients, including pollen and propolis.
The only way to achieve clear, bright honey is through heat, so avoid golden, syrupy honey in favor of opaque, organic raw honey.
Commercial honey may come from bees treated with antibiotics or fed winter food in the form of sugar or inexpensive high-fructose corn syrup.
Most honey sold in supermarkets contains no traces of bee pollen.
The FDA maintains that any honey product that has been ultra-filtered like these is not actually honey and, therefore, its health benefits cannot be assumed.
From prehistory, through Ancient Egypt, Classical Antiquity and Asian culture to the present day, honey and bees have played a very important role in human life.
Honey has been used for food and health purposes as well as for mystical and religious meanings. Honey was used as a means of purification and cleansing before the gods.
A papyrus from 300 BC tells the story of the god Ra and the origin of bees and says "The god Ra wept, and the tears from his eyes fell to the ground and became a bee. The bee made its honeycomb and tended to the flowers of all plants, and so wax and also honey were made from the tears of Ra."
Bees were considered sacred because they were a gift from Ra. They were made from his tears, which gave bees not only a valuable aspect for what they have contributed and attracted to Egyptian society, but they were also theologically important.
