The acacia honey is a process of making honey by means of bees that pollinate the flowers of the acacia plant (Robinia Pesudoacacia), present in many areas of Europe and North America.
As with the rosemary honey, nutritional advantages are associated with its consumption, thanks to the antioxidant content of this product. In this article we wanted to review the aspects related to the nutritional composition, the benefits and disadvantages of the consumption of acacia honey, with the contribution of articles and scientific reviews that give authority to what we say.
Table of Contents
How is acacia honey produced?
When the process of collecting nectar by bees is controlled, sticking only to plants such as the acacia flower (Robinia pseudoacacia), as a result a specific type of honey is obtained with properties derived from the components of this tree and the natural manufacturing process of these insects.
Currently there are European and American manufacturers, since in both areas we can find cultivated the false acacia.
There are notable differences from traditional honey. One of them, for example, is the much more transparent and less dense color offered by acacia honey.
In addition, it stands out for the powerful aroma of flowers and a delicate and sweet taste on the palate. Due to its higher content in fructose, stays in a liquid state for longer and solidifies more slowly when temperatures drop.
Nutritional composition
As usual, this type of honey also provides a high volume of calories and sugars, but also contains positive elements for our health such as vitamins, minerals and flavonoids.
A tablespoon (approximately 21 grams) of acacia honey provides the following:
- Energy: 60 kcal
- Proteins: 0 g
- Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 17 g
- Sugars: 17 g
Among the sugars present, glucose, fructose and sucrose stand out, the most frequent being fructose (because it is of vegetable origin).
To assess in the nutritional composition is its zero contribution of fats and proteins. On the other hand, that of carbohydrates (all sugars) is high. It highlights the presence of vitamin C and minerals such as magnesium, among others.
At the physiological level, there are some flavonoids present with documented activity as antioxidants. [See biological activity of acacia honey]
Properties and benefits of consuming acacia honey
Something interesting about acacia honey is that its use is not limited only to consumption. Benefits have been reported when applied at the epidermal level to promote wound healing and the reduction of inflammation.
Let’s discuss some of the proven benefits of using acacia honey.
Antimicrobial activity fernt to bacteria
It has been scientifically proven how different components of honey from acacia reduces the activity of groups of bacteria type Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, which have been shown in recent years to be resistant to more and more groups of antibiotics.
The bactericidal effect of honey from false acacia is due to the presence of hydrogen peroxide groups, which act as cell wall oxidants of this group of bacteria.
+ Antibacterial activity of different types of flower honeys
Presence of antioxidants
One of the nutritional properties to highlight of this honey is the presence of different groups of flavonoids with antioxidant activity, as has been demonstrated in its biological activity.
This activity reduces the oxidative damage caused by free radicals present in the body due to the consumption of harmful substances.
The consumption of this type of flavonoids reduces the long-term appearance of chronic diseases (heart disease, cancer and diabetes, among others). Among them, the presence of the following types in acacia honey stands out:
- Acacetin
- Secundiflorol
- Mucronulatol
- Isomucronulatol
- Isovestitol
The consumption of these compounds has been shown to have activity against the development of diseases. For example, several studies have shown how bioactivities in BST and cytotoxicities against human tumor cells were significant.ativamente cytotoxic (produced mortality in tumor cells), especially in prostate cells).
In addition to flavonoids, there is also the presence of Beta carotene, a plant pigment that also has antioxidant properties.
Promotes wound healing
The presence of antioxidants such as those mentioned and hydrogen peroxide, makes the benefits of acacia honey not only limited to its oral consumption. These compounds also have effect applied to the skin.
Specifically, its use on wounds or burns accelerates healing and reduces the chances of becoming inflamed by the presence of pathogenic microorganisms (bacteria, specifically).
Currently, its healing power is being analyzed at the in vitro level not only on the skin, but on wounds in the cornea, specifically in the healing of corneal fibroblasts.
Improves skin health
In the market of creams and lotions for the skin, there are many products that contain acacia honey as the main base among their ingredients.
It is not only due to the pleasant smell that acacia flowers provide, but also to their effects to fight acne, soften and moisturize the skin.
Another added advantage of its use as a cream is the antibacterial properties discussed above, which makes this natural product a good reference against acne, which bases its success on reducing the presence of microorganisms.
As the saying goes, not all of the mountain is oregano, and there are some negative features of honey from Robinia pseudoacacia.
In general, health authorities consider acacia honey as a safe product to eat. In some cases, there have been slight allergy processes or it is recommended to avoid their consumption in a specific population.
It is recommended to avoid its consumption in the following people:
Newborns or breastfeeding
There is a clear risk of botulism with any type of honey, including that of acacia, so its consumption is not recommended in infants and children under 1 year.
People with diabetes
Due to the high content of sugars, it is not recommended to consume them in excess in diabetic people, regardless of whether the origin of these sugars are natural.
Allergic to honey or bee products
People who suffer from allergic processes to bee honey, should not take acacia honey, as it shares many active ingredients.
In general, although it is considered that there are abundant health benefits with its consumption, due to the high percentage of sugars it contains, it is advisable to make a moderate consumption of this honey, to avoid a negative impact on health, at a nutritional level.
