A comprehensive review of the chemical composition of honey

Honey, also known as "engabin," is a sweet and complete food that provides health for the body and soul of humans. This substance is not only a vital food source but also has other uses. In ancient times, honey was used for mummifying corpses. Natural honey has many therapeutic properties due to its various sugar compounds, amino acids, enzymes, phenolic compounds, minerals, vitamins, pigments, and aromatic substances. The source of these compounds is the nectar of flowers or the body of honey bees or microorganisms. An important feature of honey is that this natural substance does not spoil for a long time due to its low water content. Natural honey has various health benefits. It has been shown that the origin of physical and mental diseases is internal and external stresses. These compounds lead to an increase in harmful compounds known as reactive radical and non-radical species, which cause the oxidation of compounds such as proteins and lipids and lead to chronic inflammation in tissues and organs. This chronic inflammation causes widespread cell death and reduces the normal function of organs. Honey contains very strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds that deactivate reactive species, especially free radicals, thus treating various inflammatory diseases such as cardiovascular, respiratory, skin, neurological problems, diabetes, obesity, various cancers, and other deficiencies. Among the anti-inflammatory compounds in honey, polyphenols play a very effective role in the therapeutic properties of honey. Honey not only treats but also prevents various diseases. This property is due to the regulation and strengthening of the immune system's activity, which will have a high defensive capacity against various infections. Polyphenols also create the diverse colors of honeys. Of course, other pigments such as carotenoids and xanthophylls are also present in honey, and all these pigments have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Darker honey has higher therapeutic properties. Honey also has therapeutic, disinfectant, and antimicrobial properties due to the presence of compounds such as hydrogen peroxide and small peptides, and it helps repair tissues and improve and treat various internal wounds like digestive ulcers and external wounds like dryness, spots, and acne, as well as eczema. Unlike common medications, consuming honey has no side effects. Honey contains enzymes, most of which originate from bees. Therefore, the type and breed of honeybee significantly affect the abundance and activity of the enzymes present in honey. Some of these enzymes increase the antibacterial properties of honey, while others are used to determine the freshness of honey. The shelf life of honey and its aging reduce the activity of honey's enzymes. The chemical compounds in honey depend on the type of food the bee consumes, such that the type of nectar the bee feeds on causes differences in the chemical composition and quality of honey. Properties such as the color, smell, and taste of honey relate to the bee's diet from flower nectar. The best way to distinguish natural honey from fake honey is to measure the chemical factors of honey in a specialized laboratory. Given the numerous frauds in the honey industry, familiarity with the content of honey can raise public awareness. Natural honey is a very effective substitute for various medications.