Honey has been used by humans for nutritional and therapeutic purposes since ancient times. Several historical evidences clearly indicate the collection of honey and our ancestors used it well. Archaeological documents claim that wild honey was harvested by humans about 10,000 years ago. Some sources indicate that beekeeping was practiced by the Egyptians in 2400 BC. A scene of honey gathering from two bees can be seen in an 8,000-year-old rock cave in Bicorp near Valencia in eastern Spain. Similarly, a post-Mesolithic rock painting in Rajat Pratap in central India depicts a collection of honey.
The first written reference to honey was a Sumerian tablet dating back to 2100-2000 BC, which describes the uses of honey as an ointment and medicine. In ancient Vedic times, honey was one of nature’s most amazing gifts to man, and in Ayurveda honey was referred to as “Madhu” or “Kshaudra”. Traditionally, honey was used by the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, Romans, Assyrians, Indians, and Greeks for its taste and health benefits, as well as for healing wounds and internal ailments.
According to Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), drinking honey is good for health and honey has been mentioned several times in several ancient Bibles. In Egyptian texts, the use of honey is mentioned in 900 medicines. Similarly, a Sanskrit text called Sushruta Samhita on Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery describes eight types of honey and its health benefits. Honey is a yogurt substance, meaning that it carries other compounds effectively without changing its properties. Therefore, it is used in combination with other materials to increase their properties and performance.
We should know that the properties stated for honey are more true for our predecessors; Because in the new age, find and Buy natural honey, Is a very difficult challenge!
Therapeutic and dietary use of honey
According to the Papyrus Smith (Egyptian text), from 2600 to 2200 BC, honey was used as a wound ointment with fat and lint. using Properties of honey It was preferred as a wound healer because of its antimicrobial activity. According to Ayurvedic Indian literature, honey was used to aid digestion and treat coughs, urinary tract infections, diarrhea, ulcers, nausea and vomiting. Honey was used to maintain the health of the gums and teeth. Honey shows hypnotic function and was used to treat insomnia. In addition, honey was used on the skin to treat skin disorders.
Honey was recommended for heart pain, palpitations, treatment of lung imbalance and anemia. According to the Ayurvedic text, young honey was used to gain weight, while old honey was effective in weight loss. In ancient Greece, honey was mixed with unfermented grape juice called onomel, which was sometimes used to treat gout and some neurological disorders. In addition, honey was used as an aximal to reduce pain in combination with vinegar. To quench thirst, honey with water was used as a hydromel. It was used to treat acute fever, along with water and some medicinal compounds. Also for the treatment of problems such as cough and sore throat, wounds, baldness, constipation, eye diseases, prevention and treatment of scars (wounds). In the Islamic medicine system, honey was considered a healthy drink and its nutritional properties are stated in the Qur’an.
Religious use of honey
In Hinduism, honey is considered one of the five elixirs of immortality (Panchamrita) and is poured on the gods during a ritual known as “Madhu Abhisheka”. In India and Bangladesh, Buddhists celebrate the Madhu Purnima festival by offering honey to monks. The ancient Egyptians also used honey to offer sacrifices to the gods, as well as to embalm the dead.
Honey as a cosmetic and eye care product
According to archeological documents from the pre-reign of the nomadic tribes of the Tasian culture (around 4500 BC), honey along with malachite, fat, copper and spar were used to make eye cosmetics. Ancient Sumerian (3000 BC) and Egyptian (1500 BC) documents also state the use of honey in skin care. According to the Indian Ayurvedic style, honey was used to treat eye diseases and people used it to improve vision and prevent cataracts.
References:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2213909520300124