Can a child have honey? Is it possible for a child to have bee honey? When honey is desirable

Almost every person has known about the undoubted benefits of honey since childhood. This natural product is a source of sucrose, fructose and glucose, as well as B vitamins, vitamin E, K, C, provitamin A. It is useful for pregnant women due to the folic acid content, and replaces white sugar for people on a diet.

It has been used by previous generations as a natural sweetener in baby food. But modern pediatricians are categorically against such use of honey. Why are modern doctors against introducing it into complementary foods and is it possible for children to eat honey?

Is it possible to give honey to children

Honey should be given to children with caution. Despite the naturalness, this product has a number of contraindications. It is a strong allergen, so it should be used carefully and wisely for nutrition and treatment.

Honey should be introduced into the diet in small portions. For children with allergies, other bee products are shown: propolis, royal jelly, perga. But you need to use them under the supervision of a pediatrician.

When answering the question of what age honey is for children, one should be guided by the opinion of children's doctors, who categorically do not recommend giving this product to newborns.

Older children can be given a honey treat in small portions, but here the opinions of doctors are divided. Some pediatricians allow the use of the product from the age of three, others recommend introducing it into the diet from 1-2 years if there is no allergy.

Usage rate per day

Daily use of honey will help strengthen the children's skeleton, protect against colds, calm the nervous system, increase hemoglobin levels, and improve the functioning of the digestive tract. The bee product promotes mental development, is used to treat enuresis.

For infants under one year old, the use of honey can only harm. The digestive and immune systems of the baby are imperfect, therefore they will not be able to effectively cope with the microbes that enter the body along with the product. The bee product is non-sterile. When collecting nectar, bees interact with various far from pure matters. The body of an adult and a schoolchild successfully copes with the penetration of microbes into the body, while a baby can develop a dangerous disease of botulism.

When introducing honey into the menu, the following rules should be followed:

children under one year are prohibited from using;
babies 1-3 years old with caution half a teaspoon, dividing the portion into several doses a day;
preschoolers 3-5 years old can eat no more than 10 g;
junior schoolchildren 6-9 years old are allowed to increase daily allowance up to 30 g;
schoolchildren 9-15 years old are given the norm of an adult - 70 g.

In the absence of rash, redness, and other skin reactions, a honey massage may be useful for an infant. Children can be massaged to get rid of SARS as soon as possible. When side effects procedures are immediately cancelled.

Harm of the honey product

In addition to the undoubted benefits, honey can also harm the body. In addition to allergies and botulism, in young children, the abuse of honey leads to early development of caries and excessive weight gain. Therefore, the product should be used in accordance with the daily allowance table.

In order to avoid problems with teeth, you should teach your child to use a toothbrush after every meal. If brushing your teeth is not possible, just rinse your mouth with clean water.

It is sometimes impossible to predict the effect of honey on the body; use can cause itching, indigestion and headache.

Therefore, up to 6 years it is better to do without this product, especially if there is no urgent need to give it to a child.

Signs of an allergic reaction

The bee product is the same strong allergen as nuts, citrus fruits, eggs, fish, chocolate. Therefore, if the child has various reactions, you should immediately stop introducing honey into the diet.

With allergies, a child may experience the following symptoms:

itching, swelling and redness of the skin;
shortness of breath and cough;
tearing, swelling and redness of the eyes;
headache;
swelling of the nasal mucosa, the appearance of a runny nose;
swelling of the tongue and throat;
the occurrence of nausea and abdominal pain;
appearance of diarrhea.

If one or more signs are observed without concomitant diseases, it is better to cancel honey and consult a doctor to determine the cause of such body reactions.

Undoubted benefit

Allergy is an individual feature of the body to a specific product or non-food component. In the vast majority of children, bee products are well tolerated. Children who ate honey were less likely to suffer from vitamin deficiencies, anemia, colds, sore throats, anxiety, and underweight.

A child who consumes honey according to the age norm is less likely to suffer from memory problems and bedwetting. Parents should give the product after consulting with a pediatrician or physician.

Aromatic and fragrant honey is a ready-made mineral-vitamin complex of natural origin, which contains the most important and useful substances for the human body. It is used for preventive and health purposes, as an addition to all kinds of diets, instead of sugar in confectionery dishes and drinks. Is it possible for his children, and if “yes”, then from what age?

Composition of honey

Honey is a product formed as a result of the digestion of flower nectar by bees. He has complex composition and has high biological activity. It contains the following components:

carbohydrates, their share in honey is: 39% fructose and 31% glucose, they are more useful than those contained in sugar, as they are easily digestible;
proteins - represented by a group of amino acids, the intensity of development of muscle cells, the full nutrition of internal organs and the brain depend on these elements;
malic and lactic acids;
iron - supports the hematopoietic system;
phosphorus - needed for full development;
magnesium - important for heart function;
calcium is an indispensable element that plays an important role in the development of the skeletal system.

In addition, honey contains carotene, B vitamins, as well as many other useful substances, including enzymes that normalize metabolism: amylase, invertase, and others. Once in the blood, easily digestible carbohydrates do not require energy for processing, they ensure the regeneration of old and the formation of new cells.

Depending on the type of honey, its composition may vary. So, it is believed that acacia honey is most useful for children. It has a special color - pale yellow, similar in appearance to saturated sugar syrup. Buckwheat honey is no less useful, it can be easily recognized by its rich dark brown hue. The properties of the product depend not only on the type of plants from which it is collected, but also on the region, climatic conditions and many other factors.

In total, honey contains about 60 trace elements. Many of them are extremely important for the proper functioning of the human body. With proper use of honey, it becomes a powerful tool that allows you not only to successfully deal with various diseases but also to prevent their occurrence.

Benefits of honey for children

Honey is valued for its pronounced antibacterial and antifungal effect. Unlike pharmaceuticals, it does not have side effects, the only possible complication is an allergy. In reasonable doses, honey is used to fight viral diseases and fungi, to promote health and improve immunity.

Honey has been used as a remedy for centuries. V different times people used it to alleviate the condition of diabetes, in combination with medicinal plants used to get rid of serious ailments. The benefits of honey are scientifically proven, today it is used in many cases, achieving a significant improvement in health:

With anemia - as a source of iron, as well as B vitamins.
To strengthen the body - due to the minerals and vitamins contained in honey, it completely replaces the complexes, moreover, it is absorbed much better than pharmaceuticals in the form of tablets or liquids.
To normalize sleep - just one teaspoon (for an adult - a tablespoon) provides a lasting relaxation effect.
As a source of energy, it is enough to drink honey diluted in 200 ml of warm boiled water (by no means hot) in order to quickly restore strength.

Recipe for the occasion::

Honey is an irreplaceable remedy in the treatment of colds. So, it is enough to mix it in a ratio of 1: 1 with butter and dissolve - this will facilitate expectoration with bronchitis and dry cough. Add a teaspoon of honey and a pinch of baking soda to a glass of slightly warmed milk, and you will get an excellent cough medicine.

Honey can be used in small doses as an alternative to vitamin and mineral complexes. It is advisable not to swallow it immediately, but slowly dissolve - so it is better absorbed. Honey in honeycombs is especially useful - it contains more useful substances. Kids love it very much, and you will agree that this is a great alternative to chewing gum.

Due to the antibacterial properties, honey is useful for intestinal disorders. And during the period of intense intellectual loads, this product - the best remedy for elementary and high school students. In addition, it normalizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract - all thanks to the many enzymes it contains: they contribute to the normal digestion of products.

When can honey be given to children?

This has been debated for many years. There are cases when parents gave honey from 2-3 months - without any consequences. However, in the CIS it is generally accepted that it is unacceptable to use it for babies under 18 months. Honey is a powerful allergen, and this must be taken into account if you intend to introduce it into your child's diet.

When choosing the optimal time for the introduction of honey, consider the individual characteristics of the baby and consult a pediatrician. If one of the parents is allergic to bee products, you should be more careful and careful: it is likely that the child’s body will not accept them either.

How to enter honey in the child's menu?

Start with a microdose, for example, add 1g of honey to your drink. Check the reaction - if no rashes on the skin or other suspicious symptoms appear during the day, the amount of the product can be slightly increased. Gradually bring the daily intake of honey to half a teaspoon. For a two-year-old baby, it is permissible to consume no more than 20–30 g of honey per day. From three years you can up to 30-40 g, and from four years - up to 50 g.

How to give honey? As a vitamin and mineral supplement - along with other products. Important! When heated, honey loses its beneficial features, so it should not be added to hot tea or milk. Use it as a sweetener for oatmeal or drinks, and to make sandwiches.

Precautionary measures

When used a large number honey, the likelihood of allergies increases significantly. Please note that if the baby does not perceive the pollen of any of the plants, then the honey collected from its flowers will cause hay fever. Allergy to honey in children manifests itself in different ways. Possible options: skin rashes, tearfulness, runny nose, sharp pains in the abdomen, gastrointestinal upset, in rare cases, there is a high probability of edema and, as a result, suffocation.

At an early age, honey can cause acute poisoning even in healthy children. An overdose during the first dose is also dangerous - a serving should not exceed 1-2 g. Please note that due to the high content of fructose and glucose, honey provokes the formation of caries, so after using it, make sure that the child rinses the mouth thoroughly.

The breakdown of vitamins and enzymes occurs already at a temperature of 45? Therefore, when it is heated, it ceases to be useful. Moreover, when the temperature of honey rises to 70-80?C, the formation of carcinogenic substances begins. And although their concentration is high, this should not be allowed. It is for this reason that it is recommended not to use honey as ingredients for confectionery, jams or other sweets.

Honey is a natural delicacy with a high content of vitamins and minerals. But, despite the benefits, the product is not recommended for children, at least up to a year. First of all, such a delicacy is the strongest allergen. In addition, sometimes it leads to botulism. This is a rare, but serious and dangerous disease in which harmful paralyzing toxins accumulate in the baby's body. Let's see if it is possible to give honey to a baby. And also find out at what age they give this delicacy to babies.

Beneficial features

Honey is a natural product that contains a large amount of iron, magnesium and copper, B vitamins. It is an excellent prevention and remedy for colds. Honey will be an excellent substitute for sugar, since 76% of the sugar in the product is fructose and glucose. These substances are easier to digest and provide more benefits than sugar.

Honey performs a number of important functions:

Strengthens the immune system, effectively protects the body from harmful bacteria and viral diseases;
Fills the body with vitamins and useful elements;
Normalizes the work of nerve cells and stimulates the brain;
Improves mood, gives vitality and energy;
The newborn grows calm and resistant to stress;
Strengthens bones, gums and teeth, hair and nails;
Improves skin structure;
Cleanses the body, removes harmful carbon dioxide and toxins;
Normalizes the work of digestion and material metabolism;
Helps with constipation.

By the way, honey is useful for a nursing mother. It improves lactation, quickly restores the body after childbirth, improves the condition of the skin, nails and hair. Improves mood and helps fight postpartum depression. However, in this situation, the delicacy is not recommended to be eaten by lactating women in the first six months due to strong allergenicity. Read more about the benefits and use of this product during lactation. And then we will consider whether it is possible to give honey to a baby.

Harmful effect

Honey contains a strong allergen, so when using a sweet product in infants, a rash or itching, swelling, and others may occur. Negative consequences. In addition, honey can cause indigestion and stool disorders, severe poisoning.

However, experts note that an allergy to pure honey is extremely rare. Therefore, it is important to choose a natural product, not a fake. A real delicacy does not delaminate, and liquid does not form on the surface. The taste should be without extraneous shades, and the color should be transparent. Natural product flows from a spoon or stick slowly in a continuous thread.

The cloudy color of the product speaks of a fake, and due to the large amount of sugar, honey will drain in separate drops. If a treat good quality, it thickens over time.

The most dangerous effect that this delicacy can have is the occurrence and development of botulism. This is a toxic infectious disease that affects the nervous system and spinal cord, resulting in acute respiratory failure. To avoid possible problems, it is important to follow a number of important rules.

Rules for the use of honey for children

You can not give honey to newborns and lubricate their nipple, as some midwives advise;
The product is recommended to be introduced into the baby's diet no earlier than at the age of one, even if he is on artificial or mixed feeding. Some pediatricians do not allow honey;
Follow the dosage. The introduction begins with ¼-⅓ teaspoon and then gradually increase the rate to one teaspoon. You can not give the product more than once every two days. By the way, the benefit of the product is not in volume, but in the regularity of use;
Choose only a natural product;
After the first injection, carefully observe the reaction and well-being of the baby. If a negative reaction does not appear within two days, honey can be eaten in compliance with the dosage and recommendations;
If appeared

Sweet, appetizing, golden. But how useful? Today we will talk about the benefits and harms of this product, about the age at which honey can be given to a child.

Since ancient times, people have discovered the beneficial properties of this bear delicacy. Many scientists to this day are studying its composition and prospects for the use of the product of the vital activity of bees in medicine and cosmetology. Many moms would love to swap out candy and confectionery for this amazing product. However, doctors warn that sometimes it can harm the health of the baby.

The result of bee labor can be dangerous for the child's body, so it should be used with caution.

Bee products are considered a very strong allergen that can cause negative reactions in a child. Often when using a compress in the form of a cake with cough honey for children, honey with milk, onions or mustard, unpleasant reactions from the respiratory system can occur.
It can provoke weight gain, because it is a source of simple carbohydrates.
After eating this delicacy, fructose lingers in the mouth, which can negatively affect the condition of the teeth and mucous membranes of the oral cavity. If you do not rinse your mouth, then it can provoke a disease of caries.
Botulism is another danger to the baby's body. This infection can get into the honey during the collection of nectar by bees.

The benefits of honey for the human body

Immunity boost. It contains a sufficient amount of ascorbic acid and carotene, which contribute to the stimulation protective functions child's body. With a systematic intake, colds visit the baby less often.
Reducing the manifestations of inflammatory diseases. If the baby has frequent inflammatory diseases of the respiratory, excretory and digestive systems, then it is worth using honey therapy daily.
Decrease in body temperature. As children, we were often given tea with honey at a temperature. And not in vain, because it has a diaphoretic effect.
Beneficial effect on bones and teeth. Medoc allows calcium and magnesium to be better absorbed in the body little man. However, parents need to be taught to rinse the mouth after this treat with boiled water, since fructose, which is part of the product, negatively affects tooth enamel.
Antitussive effect. During coughing fits, honey relieves spasm in children. Promotes rapid recovery from bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia. Often, parents give children radishes with honey for this purpose; a recipe for such a medicine can be found on the Internet. Traditional medicine recommends mixing honey with aloe or lemon for children.
Stimulates vision. If your baby has vision problems, then the systematic intake of honey products can help him. After all, in its composition you can find ascorbic acid, carotene and thiamine, which improve vision.
Improving the process of digestion of food. Prevents the occurrence of putrefactive processes in the baby's stomach, helps to digest proteins and fats.
Changes in the composition of the blood. When anemia is diagnosed in a baby, a small amount of this food will help improve the condition of the blood, because it can increase hemoglobin.
Calming properties. After taking this delicacy, the baby's nervous system relaxes, which provides him with a sound and healthy sleep.
Solving problems of the genitourinary system. When a child has problems with urinary incontinence, honey products can positively affect the treatment process.
Fight against fungus. He copes not only with candidiasis in the baby's oral cavity, but also with a sore throat due to a fungal infection.

At what age can you give honey to a child?

All doctors agree that honey should not be offered to a baby under one year old.
Small amounts of processed nectar can be tried for children 1 to 3 years of age, but this should be done with caution. It is better to add honey to milk.
Most doctors recommend starting to include honey in the child's menu from the age of 3. It is necessary to feed the baby with this product rarely and offer a small dose.
If children 6 years old do not have an allergy, then honey can be introduced into their diet more often.

How and when not to give honey to a baby

In which case you can not give it to a child:

If the baby has not reached the age of 1 year. Botulism spores, which are found in honeycombs, can harm the baby's body. After all, a little gourmet does not yet have enough acidity of the stomach for up to a year, so the spores do not die.
When using honey, the child develops an allergy. An allergic reaction occurs in the form of skin rashes, edema, urticaria. Quincke's edema is considered the most serious manifestation, which poses a threat to the life of children. You can check the baby's tendency to allergies in the following way. Dissolve two drops of bee stock in a glass of water and let the baby drink this liquid in the morning. If no negative reactions are found per day, a third of a teaspoon of the converted nectar can be given daily.
If the honey is in the honeycombs. This application is not suitable for small children. It is better to use its liquid version.
If he was subjected to heat treatment. After heating the product above 45˚, it loses its beneficial properties. Moreover, such honey becomes harmful.

NEVER ADD HONEY TO HOT tea or milk. It can cause cancer!

When the little one does not want to eat it. Don't force yourself to eat treats. So you instill in your child an aversion to this useful product. It is better to tell the child an informative story about how bees make honey for children and how it is useful.

The opinion of Dr. Komarovsky about honey in the children's diet

Evgeny Komarovsky believes that the use of processed nectar has certain conditions:

Do not give to children under one year old.
For children after a year, it can be offered as a replacement for daily sweets.
If the peanut and his parents are not allergic to bee products, then no more than 30 grams of food can be given without risk.
You ask: "What kind of honey can be given to children?". It's better to prioritize quality product purchased from trusted sellers.
Before introducing it into the diet, Komarovsky advises applying a little product to the skin of the wrist. If there are no allergic reactions, you can drop a drop on the tongue of the little one. And only after that, in the absence of allergies, give the kids a teaspoon of the transformed nectar.

Summing up, it can be noted that honey, according to reviews, is very useful for children older than a year, but only on condition that there are no allergic reactions to it. It is especially important when choosing beekeeping products to pay attention to their quality and consistency.

Honey is very useful product, consisting of water, useful, vitamins, minerals, phytoncides and flavonoids. Honey is one of the five most useful and at the same time delicious products, it has many healing and preventive properties. Children who consume honey develop better, are more resistant to fluctuations in environmental conditions.

For colds and flu. Thanks to all the substances in its composition, honey is an excellent medicine for any symptoms of flu, colds. Its antiseptic properties help soothe a sore throat. The restorative effect of honey helps to remove intoxication and strengthen the child's body during the period of illness. Honey also has antibacterial properties. None of the funds traditional medicine will not help to better and faster cope with a cough. The composition of honey includes substances for the good development and renewal of body cells.

Interesting to know! Scientists from Canada have proven that honey is an antibacterial agent against bacteria that cause chronic rhinitis in children. They claim that the use of honey can save children from this nose disease. And American scientists from Pennsylvania conducted an experiment. They selected a group of 100 children under the age of 5 who had a cough. 50 children were treated with medicines, and 50 with honey (1 teaspoon at bedtime). As a result, it turned out that honey helped more effectively. As the scientists themselves explained, unlike drugs, honey acts in several directions - it softens the throat, eliminates coughing attacks, kills bacteria, and helps to renew the affected cells of the respiratory tract.

For the nervous system. Honey has a positive effect on the nervous system, it can even be called an antidepressant. With insomnia, you can eat a spoonful of honey, washed down with water or warm tea. The use of honey will relieve the child of irritability and anxiety. The presence of simple sugars in the composition will nourish the tired brain of a schoolboy. Honey is good for children who have urinary incontinence.
General body protection. The presence of antioxidants can protect the body from the development of cancer, strengthen the body,.
Let's say with diets. Although honey contains sugar in the base, at the same time it is one of all the sweets allowed in the diet for weight loss, in the diet. It does not promote the growth of adipose tissue.
For the digestive system. Honey improves digestion, helps digest proteins and fats, and increases appetite. Reduces inflammation in gastritis and ulcers. Dissolved spoonful of honey in a glass of water normalizes the acidity of the stomach.
It is impossible not to mention the minerals contained in honey, which will strengthen the skeletal system, support normal level hemoglobin.

From the practice of a local pediatrician. Once a 12-year-old child was admitted, diagnosed with acute bronchitis, and prescribed treatment with antibacterial and expectorant drugs. Within a month, the child's condition did not improve, and the parents began to give the child radish juice with honey. Surprisingly, it was this remedy that returned the child to health. Recipe: in a cleanly washed radish, you need to cut a funnel-shaped hole 2–3 cm deep, fill it with honey to the brim, when juice appears instead of honey, drink it through a straw and use all the resulting juice during the day or squeeze several times a day fresh radish juice and mix it with honey. It can be used with a slight cough, bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, bronchial asthma that has begun.

Honey for skin and hair of teenagers

A honey mask will help make teenage acne less noticeable.

The skin of teenagers tends to be oily and highly prone to acne and pimples. The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of honey will help eliminate this problem. Before applying honey, the skin of the face should be washed well with warm water and cleansed with a tonic. Only then apply honey to the skin, hold for 15-20 minutes. Wash off with warm water without the use of cosmetics. Carry out the procedure 1-2 times a week.

Honey will help not only reduce excess greasiness of the hair, but also moisturize their dry tips. For the mask, you need to mix a tablespoon of honey with egg yolk and a teaspoon olive oil. Apply the mask evenly over the entire length on an unwashed head, put on a shower cap on top and wrap your head with a warm towel. Wash your hair with shampoo after 30 minutes. Repeat the procedure once a week.

Harm of honey

Honey, of course, is useful, but you need to know about the rules for taking it:

Maximum daily dose children under 3 years old - 1.5 tsp, children over 3 years old - 1.5–2 tbsp. l.
Honey is a product. The whole reason lies in the pollen of flowers from which the bee collected honey. You should know what honey is collected from and whether the child is allergic to this plant. For example, if a child has hay fever (allergic rhinitis) to sunflower pollen, then honey collected from its flowers can also cause hay fever. It will bring less benefit to the child than harm. An allergic reaction to honey manifests itself in the form of skin rashes (from small elements to generalized urticaria), sneezing, watery eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, and in rare cases, an asthma attack.
If the child had some kind of allergic reaction to the use of honey, wait and do not give it for a year.
It is not necessary to offer honey to small children of the first year of life. Honey can cause allergies even in healthy child at this age, the bacteria in honey can cause poisoning in babies.
It is not necessary for the first time to acquaint a child with the taste of honey in an amount exceeding 1/3 tsp.
Honey can cause cavities. After honey, as well as after other sweets, it is necessary to rinse your mouth with water.
Do not heat honey above 45-50 degrees. When honey is heated above 45 degrees, vitamins and enzymes begin to break down, which give everything to honey. healing properties, when heated above 60–80 degrees, honey sugars begin to turn into teratogenic toxic substances, however, in small quantities, but anyway. Conclusion: when heated, honey becomes no more useful than simple sugar, and can even harm health. It is not recommended to use honey for cooking sweets in the oven, jam.

On a note! Add honey to hot drinks when their temperature drops to 50 degrees. If you pour boiling water over a regular-sized cup of tea, then honey can be added to it after 5-6 minutes.

At what age can honey be given to a child

Honey is a highly allergenic product. It is contraindicated in children under the age of 1 year, and in children prone to allergies - up to 3 years.

Honey is a highly allergenic product, so it is not recommended for children who are prone to allergies to other foods to give it before the age of three. Norm per day: 30–50 g (this is 1–1.5 tablespoons).

If the child tried honey before, and there were no side effects, then the child after a year can be given 1 tsp. honey, a child of the third year of life - 1-1.5 tsp.

After 3 years, up to 50 g of honey per day is allowed.

Types of honey

There are a huge number of types of honey, and it is impossible to single out one best one, because each type is used by a person for certain purposes, and each one has individual taste preferences. We will give the most common types that are more useful for treating children.

Donnikovy honey. Sweet clover and acacia honey are among the elite and most useful varieties of honey. They have a pleasant delicate aroma and taste, something similar to vanilla. The range of benefits of sweet clover honey is very wide: expectorant, analgesic, diuretic properties, and it also improves blood circulation, is useful for insomnia, headaches.
Acacia. It has a general strengthening, calming effect. It is used for diseases of the nervous system, insomnia. Acacia honey is considered hypoallergenic.
Buckwheat honey. It has a dark color, sometimes even brown. It tastes tart, gives bitterness, which is not very popular with children. Buckwheat honey contains iron 5 times more than other types of honey, this justifies its use in anemia, frequent colds, radiation sickness.
Linden honey. Light yellow. It has a pleasant mild taste and the strongest aroma of all types of honey. As a bactericidal agent, it is perfect for the treatment of colds, diseases of the kidneys and digestive organs.
Clover honey. Pleasant in smell and taste. Like lime, it is an excellent help in the treatment of any manifestations of colds. Suitable for the treatment of liver diseases.
Raspberry honey. Children will like it for its pleasant sweet taste and delicate aroma of raspberries. It is used to treat colds, bronchitis.
Forest honey. Less sweet, has a sour-bitter taste. It is especially useful in diseases of the respiratory tract, and is also used in diseases of the stomach.
Propolis honey. It has a refreshing taste of propolis, useful in inflammatory diseases of the mouth and throat.
Sunflower honey. It has a tart taste. It is excellently used for spasms of the respiratory tract, spasms of the stomach and intestines.
meadow honey. It is valuable because of the abundance of pollen from different colors. This honey, calming the nervous system, is suitable for the treatment of insomnia and headaches, is used for flu, bronchitis and pneumonia. It has a high antimicrobial property.
May honey. Doctors recommend using it as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent.
chestnut honey. Best suited for children with diabetes.
Rape honey. Probably from the listed list it has the weakest aroma and unpleasant sugary taste. But it is good because it is not capable of causing allergies, it is used in the treatment of lung diseases, bronchial asthma.

How to choose real honey

It is better to buy honey from a trusted seller who has a certificate and who sells not just one type of honey, but an assortment.

By appearance. Natural honey should be slightly heterogeneous, it should contain particles of wax, pollen. From November, honey should crystallize. In late autumn, spring, winter, honey is not liquid, it should not delaminate. Honey of heterogeneous consistency with interlayers can be a mixture of different types It's not worth buying this product. Fresh honey has a liquid consistency, it hardens within 2-8 weeks.
To taste. Sweet, irritating. Honey should dissolve gradually, candied particles can be felt. Instantly melting honey indicates that excess sugar has been added to it, or this honey may be fake. Should not taste like candy or burnt sugar.
Scoop up with a spoon. Natural honey can be wound on a spoon, flowing down it will be stacked in layers, fake honey does not have such qualities. If the honey flows in an intermittent stream, then it has not yet matured and is not as useful as a mature one.
Drop on paper. Natural honey remains a droplet, while fake honey will spread and soak into the paper.
By weight. One liter jar of honey weighs at least 1.4 kg (buckwheat 1.3 kg), non-natural honey is much lighter.

How to store honey

You can store honey in glass, ceramic, enameled dishes with a tight lid.

Honey should be kept in a dark place. It is desirable that the jar was made of dark glass.

The optimum storage temperature is 5–10 C.

Foods with strong odors should not be stored nearby, otherwise the honey will absorb them and this will spoil its natural sweet aroma.

Storage in a humid room, in a jar with drops of water, will lead to souring of honey. Unripe honey also quickly turns sour.

Recipes with honey

Honey sweets from nuts and dried fruits

There are no certain proportions, take as much as you like. (Walnuts or almonds are better) in a 1: 1 ratio with raisins or a mixture of prunes and dried apricots. Nuts and dried fruits must be ground separately in a blender, then all of this, thoroughly mixed, you can add honey, add by eye so that everything is mixed to a homogeneous consistency. When the dough can already be sculpted, roll the balls with a diameter of 1.5-2 cm with your hands, roll them in powdered sugar, maybe in coconut flakes, and put them in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. The kids love this treat. One trick: the honey in these sweets takes on the taste of caramel, so they are loved even by those kids who are not willing to eat honey.

Baked apples with honey

Baked apples with honey is a healthy and very tasty dessert.

For 1 apple we need:

Honey - 1/2 tbsp. l.,
Date - 1 pc.,
Cinnamon - to taste.

Wash the apples well and cut out the cores. Sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on the bottom, put honey and pitted dates. Bake apples in an oven preheated to 180 C for 20-30 minutes, until the skin on them becomes ruddy and shiny.

Honey cake"

For cakes:

Liquid honey - 150 g,
Butter - 150 g,
Flour - 1.5 tbsp.,
Sugar - 70 g,
Eggs - 2 pcs.,
Baking powder - 1 tsp.

For cream:

Sour cream - 500 g,
Sugar - 125 g.

Beat eggs with a mixer, add sugar and beat with a mixer until it is completely dissolved. Then add melted butter and honey, beat everything until smooth. Gradually stirring, add the flour sifted through a sieve, baking powder. Grease the bottom of the baking dish with vegetable oil, put a sheet of parchment paper. Bake in an oven preheated to 200 C. Whilst the cake is baking, beat the sour cream with the sugar for the cream. Cut the finished ruddy cake into 2-3 thin cakes and grease with cream. You can decorate the honey cake by smearing the top cake with honey and sprinkling with crumbs from the same dough.

honey drink

Water - 1 l,
Honey - 100 g,
Lemon - 1 pc. bigger.

Boil water and cool to 60 C. Cut the washed lemon with peel into small cubes or chop in a blender, rub a little with a spoon to make the juice stand out faster. Pour in water and add honey to desired sweetness. You can garnish with a mint leaf when serving.

Usually honey is used as an independent dish, as an ingredient in confectionery, dressing in salads. Honey can be combined with protein of animal origin, so the simultaneous intake of meat, milk, cottage cheese will not harm the child's body. And you can also make stuffing for pancakes from honey, anoint any cookies you bake with thick honey, serve lean dumplings without filling with honey, add honey to cereals, ready-made breakfast cereals with milk. For tea, a child can mix low-fat cottage cheese with honey, spread honey on a piece white bread. During the period of colds, add honey to warm milk, tea, milk and, fruit drinks, compotes. Even fresh cucumbers can be served with honey. Honey goes well with cheeses, with any fruit.

Pediatrician E. O. Komarovsky tells at what age a child can eat honey: