<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Honey production in Africa is considered an integral part of folk medicine and provides an opportunity for poor rural communities to increase their economic sustainability. In this review, we provide and discuss the data available on the positive nutritional value and health properties of honey harvested from Africa. Besides sugar, honey contains protein and amino acids, with proline which is about 50% of the total amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, some minerals (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, P, S), trace elements (Mn, Ni, Li, F, I, Cl, Sr, Co) and polyphenol compounds. The paper reviewed studies on the use of African honey with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-breast cancer, antidiabetic and antimycotic properties and also its positive effects on infertility (asthenozoospermia), febrile neutropenia and diabetic foot ulcers.</p></abstract>

Honey production in Africa is considered an integral part of folk medicine and provides an opportunity for poor rural communities to increase their economic sustainability. In this review, we provide and discuss the data available on the positive nutritional value and health properties of honey harvested from Africa. Besides sugar, honey contains protein and amino acids, with proline which is about 50% of the total amino acids, vitamins, enzymes, some minerals (Na, K, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu, Mn, Fe, P, S), trace elements (Mn, Ni, Li, F, I, Cl, Sr, Co) and polyphenol compounds. The paper reviewed studies on the use of African honey with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, anti-breast cancer, antidiabetic and antimycotic properties and also its positive effects on infertility (asthenozoospermia), febrile neutropenia and diabetic foot ulcers.

Chemical Composition, Nutritional Functions, and Antioxidant Activities of Honeys in Africa

School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University

Indigenous Knowledge and Heritage Center, Ghibaish College of Science & Technology

Department of Food Science & Technology, Faculty of Agriculture

Journal of Apicultural Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Honey production in Africa is considered an integral part of folk medicine and provides an opportunity for poor rural communities to increase their economic...

Chemical Composition, Nutritional Functions, and Antioxidant Activities of Honeys in Africa

Published Online: Dec 26, 2019

Page range: 179 - 200

Received: Jul 16, 2018

Accepted: Jul 03, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jas-2019-0023

Keywords
African regions, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, honey, nutritional value

© 2019 Haroon Elrasheid Tahir et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Chemical Composition, Nutritional Functions, and Antioxidant Activities of Honeys in Africa

Published Online: Dec 26, 2019

Page range: 179 - 200

Received: Jul 16, 2018

Accepted: Jul 03, 2019

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/jas-2019-0023

KeywordsAfrican regions, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, honey, nutritional value

© 2019 Haroon Elrasheid Tahir et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
African regions, anticancer, antidiabetic, antimicrobial, honey, nutritional value