Honey is more than just a sweet treat; it carries rich symbolic meaning in love, marriage, and even beliefs about the afterlife.

Honey beyond food, symbolic roles in love, marriage, and the afterlife.

The Honeymoon

Some people say the word "honeymoon" might come from old customs in ancient Egypt. The honeymoon was initially understood as the first month of marriage, a time of sweetness expected to wane like the moon. Honey symbolizes the sweetness and pleasure of early marriage, and it refers to the moon, symbolizing this initial sweetness's changing and fleeting nature.

According to one intriguing theory, it is believed that newlyweds partake in a unique honey-sweetened beverage for one month following their wedding. This tradition celebrates their union and is thought to symbolize sweetness and fertility in their marriage. The practice may have roots in ancient customs, emphasizing the couple's hope for happiness and prosperity as they embark on their new life together.

Marriage Contracts

Honey was so valued in ancient Egypt and often included in marriage contracts. A groom would promise to provide his bride with a yearly honey supply, signifying his commitment to providing for her and ensuring a "sweet" life together.The amount of honey stipulated in the contract could vary, with larger quantities indicating greater wealth and status. One example mentions a groom promising 24 hins (approximately 32 pounds) of honey annually.

Honey in Love and Romance

Honey's natural sweetness linked it to feelings of love, desire, and pleasure. It was believed to have the power to attract and bind people together. In ancient Egyptian magic, honey was used in love spells and potions to attract love or rekindle passion. The inherent sweetness of honey was thought to influence emotions and create positive connections.

Honey Powerful Libido Booster

Honey has been connected to love, fertility, and desire for a long time. In ancient cultures like Egypt, Greece, and Rome, people used honey in medicine and in ceremonies for love and marriage. Traditional medicine systems, like Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine, have used honey for many years to help with health and reproduction.

Honey is a natural source of energy because it contains sugar. This energy might help you have more stamina and improve your sexual performance. Some research shows that honey may increase a substance in the body called nitric oxide. This substance helps widen blood vessels, which can improve blood flow. Good blood flow is important for sexual excitement.

Offerings to Gods

Honey was offered to various deities in ancient Egypt, including Min, the god of fertility and reproduction, further solidifying its association with these concepts. Due to its preservative properties, honey was used in the mummification process. It was also placed in tombs to provide sustenance for the deceased in the afterlife, symbolizing a sweet and everlasting existence.

Honey is More Than Just Sweetness

Most people know honey is sweet, but as we learned above, there's a lot more to it than that. Honey comes in two main forms: comb honey (still in the honeycomb) and extracted honey (separated from the comb). For cooking, you should use extracted honey. Beekeepers separate this honey from the comb using a machine similar to a cream separator.

We eat honey mainly for its sugar and delicate flavor. Unlike cane sugar, which our bodies must break down into simpler sugars, honey already contains these simple sugars: glucose and fructose. This makes honey easier to digest. Honey also provides small amounts of minerals like calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and iron, along with water.

How to Store Honey

Don't put your honey in the fridge! Cold temperatures cause it to crystallize. Instead, store it at room temperature. Honey also helps keep foods fresh by absorbing water vapor from the air.

Amazing Variety of Honey

Bees create honey from flower nectar, transforming it naturally. This means the type of flower directly affects the honey's color, which ranges from almost clear to nearly black. Flavor and color usually go hand in hand: lighter honeys taste milder, while darker honeys have a stronger flavor.

South Africa, with its diverse plant life, produces some truly unique honeys.

Acacia Honey: Bees make this light-colored honey from the fragrant acacia trees and shrubs common in South Africa's veld and savannah. Acacia honey offers a delicate, mild sweetness with subtle floral notes and resists crystallization, making it great for everyday use.

Bluegum (Eucalyptus) Honey: From the abundant eucalyptus (bluegum) trees, this honey has a distinct, slightly medicinal or menthol-like flavor with a hint of caramel. Its strength varies depending on the specific eucalyptus flowers the bees visit.

Macadamia Honey: Bees gather nectar from macadamia trees in the Lowveld region to create this highly sought-after honey. Because macadamia trees don't produce a lot of nectar, this honey is often a blend of other floral sources, resulting in a rich, buttery flavor with nutty undertones.

Fynbos Honey: The unique fynbos vegetation of the Cape Floral Region gives this honey complex, floral, and herbaceous notes.

Citrus Honey: Citrus orchards (orange, grapefruit, lemon) produce a honey with a bright, citrusy flavor and a refreshing tang.

Litchi Honey: This honey has high glucose levels, which cause it to crystallize quickly. It has a distinct litchi fruit flavor.

Honey vs. Refined Sugar

Honey offers slight nutritional advantages over refined white and brown sugar. Refined sugars lose most of their nutrients during processing. Honey has a slightly lower glycemic index (GI), meaning it causes a slower rise in blood sugar. Honey also boasts some antibacterial properties. However, honey is still a sugar, so adults should eat it in moderation.

Honey Fruit Cake Recipe

Ingredients

3 cups flour

1 cup golden raisins

1 cup black raisins

1½ cups honey

1/4 cup chopped walnut nuts

2/3 cup unsalted butter

3 large eggs

½ cup whole milk

3 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon

1 teaspoon ground ginger

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground mace

1 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions

Preheat oven to 325° F. Mix honey and butter together and add well beaten eggs. Sift dry ingredients, including walnuts, and add them alternately with the milk. Bake in a slow oven for 2 hours. Cool,4 hours. Serve with honey glaze as an upgrade to your freshly made honey fruitcake.

Honey Icing Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon fresh cream

1 tablespoon melted unsalted butter

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Beat the egg well, then add the other ingredients and blend until smooth. Spread the mixture over your freshly cooled honey fruit cake.