Soy sauce. Honey. Vodka. Tai-na

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<h1>Soy sauce</h1>

is produced by fermenting soybeans with Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus soyae molds[1] along with roasted grain, water, and salt. It is used in traditional East and Southeast Asian cuisines, but also appears in modern Western cuisine and prepared foods.

Contents

1 History

2 Production

2.1 Traditional

2.2 Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein

3 Types

3.1 Chinese soy sauce

3.2 Japanese soy sauce

3.3 Indonesian soy sauce

3.4 Malaysian soy sauce

3.5 Korean soy sauce

3.6 Taiwanese soy sauce

3.7 Vietnamese soy sauce

3.8 Philippine soy sauce

4 Nutrition

4.1 Allergies

4.2 Carcinogen contamination

5 See also

6 Notes

7 References

<h2>History</h2>

Soy sauce originated in China 2,500 years ago and its use later spread to East and Southeast Asia.[2] Like many salty condiments, soy sauce was probably originally a way to stretch salt, historically an expensive commodity. The recipe for Chinese soy sauce, 酱油 jiàngyóu, originally included fermented fish as well as soybeans.[3]

Records of the Dutch East India Company list soy sauce as a commodity in 1737, when seventy-five large barrels were shipped from Dejima, Japan, to Batavia (present-day Jakarta) on the island of Java. Thirty-five barrels from that shipment were then shipped to the Netherlands.[4]

In the 18th century, Isaac Titsingh published accounts of brewing soy sauce, known as shōyu in Japan. Although earlier descriptions of soy sauce had been disseminated in the West, this was among the earliest to focus specifically on the brewing of the Japanese version.[5]

By the mid-19th century, the more expensive Japanese "shōyu" gradually disappeared from the European market and "soy sauce" became synonymous with the Chinese product. Europeans were unable to make soy sauce because they did not understand the function of kōji., the fungus used in its brewing.[6]

[edit] Production

Soy sauce is made from soybeans.

[edit] Traditional

Traditional soy sauces are made by mixing the soybeans and grain with cultures such as Aspergillus oryzae and other related microorganisms and/or yeast. Historically, soy sauces were fermented under natural conditions, such as in giant urns and under the sun, which was believed to contribute additional flavors. Today, most sauces produced for retail are fermented in clean, machine-assisted environments instead. Some soy sauces made in the Japanese way or styled after them contain nearly fifty percent wheat, or in some cases slightly more wheat than soy. All varieties of soy sauce are salty, earthy, brownish liquids intended to season food while cooking or at the table. Soy sauce has a distinct basic taste called umami (旨味?, literally "delicious taste") in Japanese. Umami was identified as a basic taste in 1908 by Kikunae Ikeda of the Tokyo Imperial University. The free glutamates occurring naturally in soy sauces give it this taste quality.

[edit] Acid-hydrolyzed vegetable protein

Some brands of soy sauce are often made from acid hydrolyzed soy protein instead of brewed with a traditional culture. This type of soy sauce production requires less aging to produce.[citation needed] Although they have a different flavor, aroma, and texture when compared to brewed soy sauces, they have a longer shelf-life and are more commonly produced for this reason. They are sometimes called Chemical Soy Sauce ("化學醬油" in Chinese) by those who prefer brewed sauces, but despite this name are widely used due to greater availability and lower prices. [citation needed] Some people feel the hydrolyzed sauces taste better, but some prefer the naturally brewed varieties. The clear plastic packets of dark sauce common with Chinese-style take out food typically use a hydrolyzed vegetable protein formula. In a surprising twist some higher quality hydrolyzed vegetable protein products with no added salt, sugar or colorings are sold as low-sodium soy sauce alternatives called "liquid aminos" in health food stores, similar to the way salt substitutes are used.

In 2001, some counterfeit, imported soy sauces had been found to have high levels of the potentially cancer causing chemicals 3-MCPD (3-chloro-1,2-propanediol) and 1,3-DCP (1,3-dichloro-2-propanol), both belonging to a group of chemicals known as chloropropanols.[7]

[edit] Types

This section is missing citations or needs footnotes. Please help add inline citations to guard against copyright violations and factual inaccuracies. (January 2009)

Soy sauce has been integrated into the traditional cuisines of many East Asian and Southeast Asian cultures. Soy sauce is widely used as a particularly important flavoring in Japanese, Thai, Korean, and Chinese cuisine. Despite their rather similar appearance, soy sauces produced in different cultures and regions are different in taste, consistency, fragrance and saltiness. Soy sauce retains its quality longer when kept away from direct sunlight.

[edit] Chinese soy sauce

Chinese soy sauce (simplified Chinese: 酱油; traditional Chinese: 醬油; pinyin: jiàngyóu; or 豉油 chǐyóu) is primarily made from soybeans, with relatively low amounts of other grains. There are two main varieties:

* Light or fresh soy sauce (生抽 shēngchōu; or 酱清 "jiàng qing"; ): A thin (non-viscous), opaque, lighter brown soy sauce. It is the main soy sauce used for seasoning since it is saltier, less colourfully noticeable (due to its lighter colour), and also adds a distinct flavour. The light soy sauce made from the first pressing of the soybeans is called tóuchōu (simplified Chinese: 头抽; traditional Chinese: 頭抽), which can be loosely translated as first soy sauce or referred to as premium light soy sauce. Touchōu is sold at a premium because, like extra virgin olive oil, the flavor of the first pressing is considered superior. An additional classification of light soy sauce, shuānghuáng (雙璜), is double-fermented to add further complexity to the flavour. These last two more delicate types are used primarily for dipping.

* Dark and old soy sauce (老抽 lǎochōu), a darker and slightly thicker soy sauce, is aged longer and contains added molasses to give it its distinctive appearance. This variety is mainly used during cooking since its flavour develops during heating. It has a richer, slightly sweeter, and less salty flavour than light soy sauce. Dark soy sauce is partly used to add color and flavour to a dish after cooking, but, as stated above, is more often used during the cooking process, rather than after.

In traditional Chinese cooking, these soy sauces were employed in strategic ways to achieve a flavour and colour for the dish.

Another type, thick soy sauce (醬油膏 jiàngyóugāo), is a dark soy sauce that has been thickened with starch and sugar. It is occasionally flavored with MSG. This sauce is not usually used directly in cooking but more often as a dipping sauce or poured on food as a flavorful addition.

[edit] Japanese soy sauce

Koyo organic tamari sauce

Buddhist monks introduced soy sauce into Japan in the 7th century[citation needed], where it is known as shoyu (醤油, shōyu?).[8][9] The Japanese word tamari is derived from the verb tamaru (溜る?) that signifies "to accumulate", referring to the fact that tamari was traditionally a liquid byproduct produced during the fermentation of miso. Japan is the leading producer of tamari.[citation needed]

Shōyu is traditionally divided into five main categories depending on differences in their ingredients and method of production. Most, but not all Japanese soy sauces include wheat as a primary ingredient, which tends to give them a slightly sweeter taste than their Chinese counterparts. They also tend towards an alcoholic sherry-like flavor, sometimes enhanced by the addition of small amounts of alcohol as a natural preservative. The widely varying flavors of these soy sauces are not always interchangeable, some recipes only call for one type or the other much like a white wine can't replace a red's flavor or beef stock does not produce the same results as fish stock.

* Koikuchi (濃口?, "dark color"): Originating in the Kantō region, its usage eventually spread all over Japan. Over 80% of the Japanese domestic soy sauce production is of koikuchi, and can be considered the typical Japanese soy sauce. It is produced from roughly equal quantities of soybean and wheat. This variety is also called kijōyu (生醤油) or namashōyu (生しょうゆ) when it is not pasteurized.

* Usukuchi (淡口?, "light color"): Particularly popular in the Kansai region of Japan, it is both saltier and lighter in color than koikuchi. The lighter color arises from the usage of amazake, a sweet liquid made from fermented rice, that is used in its production.

* Tamari (たまり?): Produced mainly in the Chūbu region of Japan, tamari is darker in appearance and richer in flavour than koikuchi. It contains little or no wheat; wheat-free tamari can be used by people with gluten intolerance. It is the "original" Japanese soy sauce, as its recipe is closest to the soy sauce originally introduced to Japan from China. Technically, this variety is known as miso-damari (味噌溜り), as this is the liquid that runs off miso as it matures.

* Shiro (白?, "white"): A very light colored soy sauce. In contrast to tamari soy sauce, shiro soy sauce uses mostly wheat and very little soybean, lending it a light appearance and sweet taste. It is more commonly used in the Kansai region to highlight the appearances of food, for example sashimi.

* Saishikomi (再仕込?, "twice-brewed") : This variety substitutes previously-made koikuchi for the brine normally used in the process. Consequently, it is much darker and more strongly flavored. This type is also known as kanro shōyu (甘露醤油) or "sweet shōyu".

shōyu (koikuchi) and light colored shōyu (usukuchi) as sold in Japan by Kikkoman, 1 litre bottles.

Newer varieties of Japanese soy sauce include:[10]

* Gen'en (減塩?, "reduced salt"): Contains 50% less salt than regular shōyu for health conscious consumers.

* Usujio (薄塩?, "light salt"): Contains 20% less salt than regular shōyu.

All of these varieties are sold in the marketplace in three different grades according to how they were produced:

* Honjōzō (本醸造?, "genuine fermented"): Contains 100% genuine fermented product.

* Kongō-jōzō (混合醸造?, "mixed fermented"): Contains genuine fermented shōyu mash mixed with 30–50% of chemical or enzymatic hydrolysate of plant protein.

* Kongō (混合?, "mixed"): Contains Honjōzō or Kongō-jōzō shōyu mixed with 30–50% of chemical or enzymatic hydrolysate of plant protein.

All the varieties and grades may be sold according to three official levels of quality:[11]

* Hyōjun (標準?): Standard grade. Contains more than 1.2% of total nitrogen.

* Jyōkyū (上級 ?): Upper grade. Contains more than 1.35% of total nitrogen.

* Tokkyū (特級?): Special grade. Contains more than 1.5% of total nitrogen.

[edit] Indonesian soy sauce

Kecap manis Indonesian thick and sweet soy sauce is nearly as thick as molasses.

In Indonesia, soy sauce is known as kecap (also ketjap or kicap), which is a catch-all term for fermented sauces. According to one theory, the English word "ketchup" is derived from this word. Five main varieties of Indonesian kecap exist:

Kecap asin

Salty soy sauce, which is very similar to Chinese light soy sauce, but usually somewhat thicker and has a stronger flavor; it can be replaced by light Chinese soy sauce in recipes.

Kecap manis

Sweet soy sauce, which has a thick, almost syrupy consistency and a pronounced sweet, treacle-like flavor due to generous addition of palm sugar. It is a unique variety; in a pinch, it may be replaced by molasses with a little vegetable stock stirred in.

Kecap manis sedang

Medium sweet soy sauce, which has a less thick consistency and a more saline taste than Manis.

Kecap inggris

("English fermented sauce"), or saus inggris ("English sauce") is the Indonesian name for Worcestershire sauce.

Kecap Ikan

is Indonesian fish sauce.

[edit] Malaysian soy sauce

In Singapore and Malaysia, soy sauce in general is dòuyóu (豆油); dark soy sauce is called jiàngyóu (醬油) and light soy sauce is jiàngqīng (醬清). Angmo daoiu (紅毛豆油, lit. "foreigners' soy sauce") is the Hokkien name for Worcestershire sauce.

Malaysia, which has language and cultural links with Indonesia, uses the word 'kicap' for soy sauce. Kicap is traditionally of two types: kicap lemak and kicap cair. Kicap lemak is similar to kecap manis but with very much less sugar while kicap cair is the Malaysian equivalent of kecap asin.

[edit] Korean soy sauce

Korean soy sauce, (called Joseon ganjang, 조선간장, in Korean) is a byproduct of the production of doenjang (Korean fermented soybean paste). They are mainly used in making soups, seasoning, and dip sauce. Joseon ganjang, thin and dark brown in color, is made entirely of soy and brine, and has a saltiness that varies according to the producer. Wide scale use of Joseon ganjang has been somewhat superseded by cheaper factory-made Japanese style soy sauce, called waeganjang (hangul: 왜간장/倭간장). According to the 2001 national food consumption survey in Korea, traditional fermented ganjang comprised only 1.4% of soy sauce purchases.[12]

[edit] Taiwanese soy sauce

The history of soy sauce making in Taiwan can be traced back to southeastern China, in the provinces of Fujian and Guangdong. Taiwanese soy sauce is perhaps most markedly known for its black bean variant, known as black bean soy sauce (黑豆蔭油). Most major soy sauce makers in Taiwan such as KimLan (金蘭), WanJaShan (萬家香), President-Kikkoman (統萬) make exclusive soybean and wheat soy sauce. A few other makers such as WuanChuang (丸莊), O'Long (黑龍), TaTung (大同) and RueiChun (瑞春) make black bean soy sauce, which takes longer to produce (about 6 months).

[edit] Vietnamese soy sauce

Vietnamese soy sauce is called xì dầu derived from Cantonese name 豉油, nước tương, or sometimes simply tương. It is used mostly as a seasoning or dipping sauce for a number of dishes. Vietnamese cuisine itself favors fish sauce in cooking but nước tương has a clear presence in vegetarian cooking.

[edit] Philippine soy sauce

A type of soy sauce based product which is a popular condiment in the Philippines is called toyo, usually found alongside other sauces such as fish sauce (patis) and sugar cane vinegar (suka). The flavor of Philippine soy sauce is a combination of ingredients made from soybeans, wheat, salt, and caramel, is interestingly milder compared to its Asian counterparts—possibly an adaptation to the demands of the Filipino palate and its cuisine. It is thinner in texture and has a saltier taste compared to its Southeast Asian counterparts, much more similar to the Japanese shōyu. It is used as a staple condiment to flavor many cooked dishes and as a marinade during cooking, it is also a table condiment, and is usually mixed and served with calamansi, a small Asian citrus-lime.

[edit] Nutrition

A bottle of commercially produced light soy sauce.

A study by National University of Singapore shows that Chinese dark soy sauce contains 10 times the antioxidants of red wine, and can help prevent cardiovascular diseases.[13] (However, it is unlikely to be used in nearly as great a quantity as wine.) Soy sauce is rich in lactic acid bacteria and of excellent anti-allergic potential.[14][15]

Soy sauce does not contain a level of the beneficial isoflavones associated with other soy products such as tofu or edamame.[16] It can also be very salty, having a salt content of between 14%–18%, so it may not be a suitable condiment for people on a low sodium diet. Low-sodium soy sauces are produced, but it is difficult to make soy sauce without using some quantity of salt as an antimicrobial agent.[17]

[edit] Allergies

Further information: Soy allergy

Most varieties of soy sauce also contain wheat. Individuals with a wheat allergy, Celiac disease, or a gluten intolerance should avoid soy sauce that is made with wheat.[1] However, some naturally brewed soy sauces, made with wheat, may be tolerated by gluten intolerant individuals, because gluten is no longer detectable.[2] Japanese tamari soy sauce is traditionally wheat free, and some tamari available commercially today is wheat and gluten free.

[edit] Carcinogen contamination

* In 2001 the United Kingdom Food Standards Agency found that in a test of various soy sauces and related products available in the UK, that 22 out of 100 samples contained a chemical called 3-MCPD (3-monochloropropane-1,2-diol) at levels considerably higher than those deemed safe by the European Union.[18] About two-thirds of the 22 samples also contained a second chemical called 1,3-DCP (1,3-dichloropropane-2-ol) which experts advise should not be present at any levels in food. Both chemicals have the potential to cause cancer and the Agency recommended that the affected products be withdrawn from shelves and avoided.[7] Furthermore, the latter unregulated chemical can cause genetic damage to be passed on to offspring who never consumed the sauces.[19]

* Britain's Food Standards Agency (FSA) issued a Public Health Advice leaflet[20] in June 2001 to warn against a small number of soy sauce products having been shown to contain high levels of potentially cancer-causing chemicals. The leaflet singled out brands and products (some by batch numbers) imported from Thailand, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. Although the leaflet primarily looked at soy sauce, the leaflet does include oyster sauce, marinades and other types of sauces, that affected the brands Golden Mountain, King Imperial, Pearl River Bridge, Jammy Chai, Lee Kum Kee, Golden Mark, Kimlan, Golden Swan, Sinsin and Tung Chun. Despite these being small in number in the UK, they are the dominant brands in their respective nations.[citation needed]

* In Vietnam, 3-MCPD was found in toxic levels (In 2004, the HCM City Institute of Hygiene and Public Health found 33 of 41 sample of soya sauce with high rates of 3-MCPD, including six samples with up to 11,000 to 18,000 times more 3-MPCD than permitted, an increase over 23 to 5,644 times in 2001)[21] in soy sauces there in 2007, along with formaldehyde in the national dish Pho, and banned pesticides in vegetables and fruits. A prominent newspaper Thanh Nien Daily commented: "Health agencies have known that Vietnamese soy sauce, the country's second most popular sauce after fish sauce, has been chock full of cancer agents since at least 2001."[22] (See 2007 Vietnam food scare.)

* In March 2008, some Australian soy sauces were found to contain carcinogens and consumers were advised to avoid consumption.[23]

<h2>Honey<h2>

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For other uses, see Honey (disambiguation).

Jars of honey and honeycomb

A variety of honey flavors and container sizes and styles from the 2008 Texas State Fair

Honey in honeycombs

Honey (English pronunciation: /ˈhʌni/) is a sweet food made by honey bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees (the genus Apis) is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans. Honey produced by other bees and insects has distinctly different properties.

Honey bees form nectar into honey by a process of regurgitation and store it as a food source in wax honeycombs inside the beehive. Beekeeping practices encourage overproduction of honey so that the excess can be taken without endangering the bee colony.

Honey gets its sweetness from the monosaccharides fructose and glucose and has approximately the same relative sweetness as that of granulated sugar (74% of the sweetness of sucrose, a disaccharide).[1][2] It has attractive chemical properties for baking, and a distinctive flavor which leads some people to prefer it over sugar and other sweeteners.[1] Most micro-organisms do not grow in honey because of its low water activity of 0.6.[3] However, honey sometimes contains dormant endospores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, which can be dangerous to infants as the endospores can transform into toxin-producing bacteria in the infant's immature intestinal tract, leading to illness and even death[4] (see Health hazards below).

Honey has a long history of human consumption and is used in various foods and beverages as a sweetener and flavoring. It also has a role in religion and symbolism. Flavors of honey vary based on the nectar source, and various types and grades of honey are available. It is also used in various medicinal traditions to treat ailments. The study of pollens and spores in raw honey (melissopalynology) can determine floral sources of honey.[5] Because bees carry an electrostatic charge, and can attract other particles, the same techniques of melissopalynology can be used in area environmental studies of radioactive particles, dust, or particulate pollution.[6][7]

Contents

[hide]

* 1 Formation

* 2 In history, culture, and folklore

o 2.1 Ancient times

o 2.2 Religious significance

o 2.3 In Western culture

* 3 Modern uses

o 3.1 As a food and in cooking

* 4 Nutrition

* 5 Classification

o 5.1 Floral source

+ 5.1.1 Blended

+ 5.1.2 Polyfloral

+ 5.1.3 Monofloral

+ 5.1.4 Honeydew honey

o 5.2 Classification by packaging and processing

* 6 Preservation

* 7 Distinguishing honey

o 7.1 Honey grading

o 7.2 Indicators of quality

o 7.3 In medicine

+ 7.3.1 Osmotic effect

+ 7.3.2 Hydrogen peroxide

# 7.3.2.1 In diabetic ulcers

+ 7.3.3 Acidity

+ 7.3.4 Methylglyoxal

+ 7.3.5 Nutraceutical effects

+ 7.3.6 For throats

+ 7.3.7 Other medical applications

o 7.4 Health hazards

* 8 Honey producing countries

* 9 Gallery of honey harvesting

* 10 See also

* 11 Notes

* 12 References

* 13 External links

[edit] Formation

A honey bee on calyx of goldenrod

Honey is created by bees as a food source. In cold weather or when fresh food sources are scarce, bees use their stored honey as their source of energy.[8] By contriving for bee swarms to nest in artificial hives, people have been able to semi-domesticate the insects, and harvest excess honey. In the hive (or in a wild nest) there are three types of bee: a single female queen bee, a seasonally variable number of male drone bees to fertilize new queens, and some 20,000 to 40,000 female worker bees.[9] The worker bees raise larvae and collect the nectar that will become honey in the hive. Leaving the hive, they collect sugar-rich flower nectar and return.

In the hive the bees use their "honey stomachs" to ingest and regurgitate the nectar a number of times until it is partially digested.[10] The bees work together as a group with the regurgitation and digestion until the product reaches a desired quality. It is then stored in honeycomb cells. After the final regurgitation, the honeycomb is left unsealed. However, the nectar is still high in both water content and natural yeasts which, unchecked, would cause the sugars in the nectar to ferment.[8] The process continues as bees inside the hive fan their wings, creating a strong draft across the honeycomb which enhances evaporation of much of the water from the nectar.[8] This reduction in water content raises the sugar concentration and prevents fermentation. Ripe honey, as removed from the hive by a beekeeper, has a long shelf life and will not ferment if properly sealed.[8]

[edit] In history, culture, and folklore

Honey use and production has a long and varied history. In many cultures, honey has associations that go beyond its use as a food. Honey is frequently used as a talisman and symbol of sweetness.[citation needed]

[edit] Ancient times

Honey collection is an ancient activity. Eva Crane's The Archaeology of Beekeeping states that humans began hunting for honey at least 10,000 years ago.[11] She evidences this with a cave painting in Valencia, Spain. The painting is a Mesolithic rock painting, showing two female honey-hunters collecting honey and honeycomb from a wild bee nest. The two women are depicted in the nude, carrying baskets, and using a long wobbly ladder in order to reach the wild nest.

In Ancient Egypt, honey was used to sweeten cakes and biscuits, and was used in many other dishes. Ancient Egyptian and Middle-Eastern peoples also used honey for embalming the dead.[12] In the Roman Empire, honey was possibly used instead of gold to pay taxes.[citation needed] Pliny the Elder devotes considerable space in his book Naturalis Historia to the bee and honey, and its many uses. The fertility god of Egypt, Min, was offered honey.[13]

In some parts of post-classical Greece, like Rhodes, it was formerly the custom for a bride to dip her fingers in honey and make the sign of the cross before entering her new home.[13]

Honey was also cultivated in ancient Mesoamerica. The Maya used honey from the stingless bee for culinary purposes, and continue to do so today. The Maya also regard the bee as sacred.[14]

Some cultures believed honey had many practical health uses. It was used as an ointment for rashes and burns, and used to help soothe sore throats when no other medicinal practices were available.

[edit] Religious significance

In Hinduism, honey (Madhu) is one of the five elixirs of immortality (Panchamrita). In temples, honey is poured over the deities in a ritual called Madhu abhisheka. The Vedas and other ancient literature mention the use of honey as a great medicinal and health food.

In Jewish tradition, honey is a symbol for the new year, Rosh Hashana. At the traditional meal for that holiday, apple slices are dipped in honey and eaten to bring a sweet new year. Some Rosh Hashana greetings show honey and an apple, symbolizing the feast. In some congregations, small straws of honey are given out to usher in the new year.

The Hebrew Bible contains many references to honey. In The Book of Judges, Samson found a swarm of bees and honey in the carcass of a lion (14:8). The Book of Exodus famously describes the Promised Land as a "land flowing with milk and honey" (33:3). However, the claim has been advanced that the original Hebrew (devash) actually refers to the sweet syrup produced from the juice of the date.[15]

In Buddhism, honey plays an important role in the festival of Madhu Purnima, celebrated in India and Bangladesh. The day commemorates Buddha's making peace among his disciples by retreating into the wilderness. The legend has it that while he was there, a monkey brought him honey to eat. On Madhu Purnima, Buddhists remember this act by giving honey to monks. The monkey's gift is frequently depicted in Buddhist art.

In the Christian New Testament, Matthew 3:4, John the Baptist is said to have lived for a long period of time in the wilderness on a diet consisting of locusts and wild honey.

In Islam, there is an entire Surah in the Qur'an called al-Nahl (the Honey Bee). According to hadith, Prophet Muhammad strongly recommended honey for healing purposes.[16] Qur'an promotes honey as a nutritious and healthy food. Below is the English translation of those specific verses.

And your Lord inspired the bees, saying: "Take you habitations in the mountains and in the trees and in what they erect. (68) Then, eat of all fruits, and follow the ways of your Lord made easy (for you)." There comes forth from their bellies, a drink of varying colour wherein is healing for men. Verily, in this is indeed a sign for people who think.[17]

[edit] In Western culture

The word "honey", along with variations like "honey bun" and the abbreviation "hon", has become a term of endearment in most of the English-speaking world. In some places it is used for loved ones; in others, such as the American South, it is used when addressing casual acquaintances or even strangers.

Also, in many children’s books bears are depicted as eating honey, (e.g., Winnie the Pooh) even though most bears actually eat a wide variety of foods, and bears seen at beehives are usually more interested in bee larvae than honey.[18] In some European languages even the word for 'bear' (e.g. in Russian 'medvéd', in Czech 'medvěd, in Hungarian medve, in Croatian 'medvjed') is coined from the noun which means 'honey' and the verb which means 'to eat'. Honey is sometimes sold in bear-shaped jars or squeeze bottles.

[edit] Modern uses

A jar of honey with honey dipper

[edit] As a food and in cooking

The main uses of honey are in cooking, baking, as a spread on breads, and as an addition to various beverages such as tea and as a sweetener in some commercial beverages. According to international food regulations, "honey stipulates a pure product that does not allow for the addition of any other substance...this includes, but is not limited to, water or other sweeteners".[19] Honey barbecue and honey mustard are common and popular sauce flavors.

Honey is the main ingredient in the alcoholic beverage mead, which is also known as "honey wine" or "honey beer". Historically, the ferment for mead was honey's naturally occurring yeast. Honey is also used as an adjunct in beer.

[edit] Nutrition

Honey Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy 1,272 kJ (304 kcal)

Carbohydrates 82.4 g

Sugars 82.12 g

Dietary fiber 0.2 g

Fat 0 g

Protein 0.3 g

Water 17.10 g

Riboflavin (Vit. B2) 0.038 mg (3%)

Niacin (Vit. B3) 0.121 mg (1%)

Pantothenic acid (B5) 0.068 mg (1%)

Vitamin B6 0.024 mg (2%)

Folate (Vit. B9) 2 μg (1%)

Vitamin C 0.5 mg (1%)

Calcium 6 mg (1%)

Iron 0.42 mg (3%)

Magnesium 2 mg (1%)

Phosphorus 4 mg (1%)

Potassium 52 mg (1%)

Sodium 4 mg (0%)

Zinc 0.22 mg (2%)

Shown is for 100 g, roughly 5 tbsp.

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults.

Source: USDA Nutrient database

Honey is a mixture of sugars and other compounds. With respect to carbohydrates, honey is mainly fructose (about 38.5%) and glucose (about 31.0%),[1] making it similar to the synthetically produced inverted sugar syrup which is approximately 48% fructose, 47% glucose, and 5% sucrose. Honey's remaining carbohydrates include maltose, sucrose, and other complex carbohydrates.[1] Honey contains trace amounts of several vitamins and minerals.[20] As with all nutritive sweeteners, honey is mostly sugars and is not a significant source of vitamins or minerals.[21] Honey also contains tiny amounts of several compounds thought to function as antioxidants, including chrysin, pinobanksin, vitamin C, catalase, and pinocembrin.[22][23][vague] The specific composition of any batch of honey depends on the flowers available to the bees that produced the honey.[21]

Typical honey analysis.[24]

* Fructose: 38.2%

* Glucose: 31.3%

* Sucrose: 1.3%

* Maltose: 7.1%

* Water: 17.2%

* Higher sugars: 1.5%

* Ash: 0.2%

* Other/undetermined: 3.2%

Its glycemic index ranges from 31 to 78, depending on the variety.[25]

Honey has a density of about 1.36 kilograms per liter (36% denser than water).[26]

Isotope ratio mass spectrometry can be used to detect addition of corn syrup or sugar cane sugars by the carbon isotopic signature. Addition of sugars originating from corn or sugar cane (C4 plants, unlike the plants used by bees which are predominantly C3 plants) skews the isotopic ratio of sugars present in honey, but does not influence the isotopic ratio of proteins; in an unadulterated honey the carbon isotopic ratios of sugars and proteins should match. As low as 7% level of addition can be detected.[

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