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The ancient Egyptian bee-keepers used honey nearly 4,000 years ago to sweeten their food. It was highly valued because of its therapeutic qualities. The consumption of high energy honey, both before conception and to promote fertility, was as important as the inclusion of honey as an ingredient in embalming fluid.
In mythology, Zeus, the king of Greek gods, was fed nectar from queen bees during his childhood and honey became known as Ambrosia, the food of the gods. Like the Egyptians, honey was also thought to prolong life and give strength.
Bees were only introduced to Australia in 1822 and New Zealand in 1839. It seems surprising, given that some of the most famous honeys in the world, like Manuka, come from these countries, that there were no indigenous species of bee before these dates. The Manuka oil and manuka leaves were only used to heal burns and used in teas before then.
The bee propolis, found in our Organic Manuka Lozenges, is a resin collected by the bees from tree buds, sap flows, or other botanical sources. When taken back to the hive, it is mixed with wax and used by the bees for a variety of protective as well as defensive purposes. Propolis has antibacterial, antifungal and anti-inflammatory properties. It has also been used by man for over 3,000 years.
The bee propolis is made of about 50% resin, 30% wax, 10% essential oils and 5% pollen.
Infants, younger than 12 months should not be given honey to eat. Infant botulism is a rare but serious paralytic disease caused by a micro-organism. Spores can germinate, grow and produce toxin in the lower bowel of some infants and pasteurization CANNOT kill such spores. Older children and adults are normally able to ingest the spores without harm.
People in South America gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water every morning, so that their breath stays fresh throughout the day.
Bees fly 55,000 miles to make a pound of honey. That's the equivalent of one and a half times around the world. So, this should give you some food for thought when you consider the value of your jar of manuka honey.
Before he died, aged 113, in November 2004, Maine beekeeper Fred Hale was the oldest (documented) man in the world. He was still driving a car at age 107 and shovelling snow at 112. I suppose the bee stings kept arthritis at bay.
The son of a New Zealand commercial beekeeper, Sir Edmund Hillary and his brother owned 1,200 hives. Along with Tenzing Norgay, he first scaled Mount Everest in May 1953.
Napoleon Bonaparte used the bee as a personal symbol of his immortality. His red cap is remembered for its bee print.
Rameses III, Egyptian Pharaoh, king and deity from 1198 to 1167 BC, offered a lesser river god a 30,000 lb honey sacrifice by dumping honey into the Nile.
Known for her exquisite complexion, Cleopatra would bathe in milk and honey as part of her beauty regimen. Try our Manuka Honey soap with goat's milk and oatmeal, (OMADERM), and discover for yourself the beauty secrets of the ancient world.
Organic honey is almost impossible to produce commercially in Europe because the flying range of bees, 3 miles (4.8 km) will nearly always be within reach of conventional agriculture, where chemicals will have been used in one way or another.
Nomadic travellers take honey and water across deserts, and honey has been used to sweeten tea and coffee for centuries.
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