The proven health benefits of honey

By Sandee LaMotte, CNN

Updated 12:23 PM ET, Fri March 9, 2018

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Honey is low in water and high in sugar, so bacteria cannot grow on it. It also contains small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, inhibiting the growth of microbes.
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
Honey is low in water and high in sugar, so bacteria cannot grow on it. It also contains small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, inhibiting the growth of microbes.
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Drying legumes increases their sugar concentration and lowers their water content, making it hard for bacteria and mold to grow on them. Any enzymes that would break them down after harvest are put into suspended animation.
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
Drying legumes increases their sugar concentration and lowers their water content, making it hard for bacteria and mold to grow on them. Any enzymes that would break them down after harvest are put into suspended animation.
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Thanks to its salt content and fermentation, soy sauce can last years in an unopened container.
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
Thanks to its salt content and fermentation, soy sauce can last years in an unopened container.
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Vinegar is typically fermented with a certain type of bacteria, giving it an acidic nature that means other bacteria struggle to grow in it.
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
Vinegar is typically fermented with a certain type of bacteria, giving it an acidic nature that means other bacteria struggle to grow in it.
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A low temperature and a lack of oxygen appear key to white rice's longevity. The brown version has a shorter shelf life.
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
A low temperature and a lack of oxygen appear key to white rice's longevity. The brown version has a shorter shelf life.
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Dark chocolate seems to last longer than milk chocolate, though fats can rise to the surface and give it a moldy appearance
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
Dark chocolate seems to last longer than milk chocolate, though fats can rise to the surface and give it a moldy appearance
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Stored away from moisture in an airtight container, sugar will last indefinitely.
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
Stored away from moisture in an airtight container, sugar will last indefinitely.
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Like sugar, salt draws out water, so any bacteria that try to grow on it will simply shrivel. Additives such as iodine might reduce the shelf life, however.
Photos: Eight foods that (nearly) last forever
Like sugar, salt draws out water, so any bacteria that try to grow on it will simply shrivel. Additives such as iodine might reduce the shelf life, however.
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Honey jar STOCKpulses legumessoy saucevinegarwhite ricedark chocolatesugar c2eliminating salt

Story highlights

  • Honey has proven antibacterial properties
  • For children over the age of one, honey is an alternative to cough and cold medications
  • The jury is still out on cancer, heart and diabetes benefits

(CNN)Move over, prehistoric bears. Humans have loved honey since the Stone Age.

Rock art pictures of honey harvesting, which at first glance look like drawings from A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh, date to about 8000 B.C.
Beeswax has been found on pottery dating as far back as 7000 B.C., most likely used for waterproofing. The ancient Egyptians offered honey to the gods and then joined the Greeks, Romans and Chinese in using it as a salve for wounds and a treatment for fevers and stomach ailments.
    Today, proponents of honey tout its miraculous healing properties, claiming that it can prevent cancer and heart disease, reduce ulcers, ease digestive problems, regulate blood sugar, soothe coughs and sore throats, and increase athletic performance.
    But just how many of these uses, ancient or modern, have been proved by science?