Hunaja

Hunaja is the Finnish word for honey, a sweet, viscous substance produced by honey bees from nectar or honeydew. Bees collect nectar from flowers, transform it in the hive, and store it as honey in honeycomb cells.

The water content of honey is typically around 18–21 percent. Bees add enzymes and invert sugars to transform the nectar into honey, then reduce its water content by evaporation. Honey consists mainly of sugars, principally fructose and glucose, with small amounts of other sugars, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and trace enzymes.

Flavor, color and aroma vary with the nectar source. Honeys derived from a single plant species are called monofloral; those from many floral sources are multifloral. Crystallization is common and depends on the relative amounts of glucose; crystallized honey is still edible and can be gently warmed to return to a liquid state.

Uses: honey is widely used as a natural sweetener in foods and beverages and as a component in baking and cooking. It has a long history in traditional medicine and folk remedies. Some antimicrobial properties have been described, but clinical evidence is limited.

Safety and storage: honey should not be given to children under one year old due to the risk of botulism. It should be stored in a sealed container in a cool, dry place, away from direct heat and sunlight. If crystallized, it can be warmed gently to restore liquid form.

Production and trade: honey is produced globally, with major producers including China, Turkey, Iran, and the United States. Beekeeping practices and terminologies vary; some honey is raw (unheated) while others are pasteurized or filtered.