Oh honey!

It contains loads of antioxidants, including organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids, and therefore lowers the risk of heart attacks, strokes and certain types of cancer.

Of all the sugars and sweetening agents in the market today, honey remains to be the best choice. Considered as liquid gold and food for the gods, it is natural and is beneficial for the health. It contains loads of antioxidants, including organic acids and phenolic compounds like flavonoids, and therefore lowers the risk of heart attacks, strokes and certain types of cancer. It lowers high blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels. While, yes, it does raise blood sugar levels, it does so at a rate that is definitely lower than sugars do; and it has been found to reduce a number of risk factors for heart disease in Type 2 diabetics.

The use of honey, not just as a food ingredient but as a form of medicine, traces back to antiquity. A Mesolithic rock painting in a cave in Valencia, Spain, dating back some 8,000 years ago, shows two persons collecting honey and honeycomb from a wild bees’ nest. Honey remains found by archaeologists in Georgia during the construction of a pipeline support the fact that the sweet viscous food substance has been in existence for thousands of years, as the honey remains on the inner surface of clay vessels unearthed in an ancient tomb date back to 4,700 to 5,500 years ago. The Vedas and Ayurveda texts, both written more than 4,000 years ago, have recorded the spiritual and therapeutic use of honey in ancient India. And ancient Greece, Egypt, Rome, China and Mesoamerica note medicinal and culinary uses of honey during their time.

Then and now, honey is considered as a wonder ingredient because it comes from natural sources. It is made by bees, who produce it by extracting the sugary secretions or nectar of various flowers via regurgitation, enzymatic activity and water evaporation. The bees then store the honey they make in wax structures better known as honeycombs. At this point, people collect the honey either from the honeycombs, both from the wilds or from hives of domesticated bees grown and kept mainly to produce honey.

These days, however, unless you have someone collecting honey from the wild or culturing it for you, it is sometimes difficult to find good honey. Even some commercially available brands are adulterated with plain syrup, so the honey you think is pure may not be truly so. The law is strict on adulterated honey, and yet the problem remains.

So it is important to find a reputable brand that you can trust, a high-quality brand that you are sure will bring you pure, unadulterated honey, so that your purpose for using it will truly be served.

One brand that recently entered the Philippine market is Langnese Honey, which is Germany’s unrivaled honey company, and it offers not just one but five delectable flavors of honey to hit that sweet spot in your diet. The five variants — Acacia, Black Forest, Wild Flower, Wild Lavender and Golden Clear — make the extra mile to help you find the honey to match your mood and lifestyle needs, especially since honey is so versatile that it can be used in savory dishes, sweet treats and beverages.

“Langnese Honey enhances one’s mood when one knows the right variant that perfectly complements the food. It is known for its purity and versatility, which makes it a kitchen staple that can warm the hearts of Filipino consumers. Whatever your lifestyle needs are, there is a Langnese Honey for you,” says Emie San Beda, senior product manager of Fly Ace Corporation, during the recent product launch held at The Wholesome Table, Greenbelt 2, Makati City.

Fly Ace Corporation brought the Langnese Honey brand to Manila.

Acacia Honey is touted to be best for breakfast, as it pairs well with pancakes, breakfast cereals, fruits and spreads, and will make you feel optimistic about the day ahead.

Black Forest Honey is for those who need a little boost and pick-me-up, since its dark color and full-bodied taste can help make you feel strong.

(CLOCKWISE from top right) Superfood Salad, Sweet Mallows freshly whipped from eggs, Miso Langnese Wild Flower Honey Glazed Salmon and The Wholesome Table’s Crispy Calamari.

Wild Flower Honey got its name from the fact that it is collected by bees from various wild blossoms in the sun-drenched countryside of Germany, so that it takes on a bright golden color and boasts of a lightly balanced taste. It makes people who love to cook and bake feel delighted.

Wild Lavender Honey is perfect for salads, because its delicate and mildly sweet floral taste makes health-conscious diners feel light about their meal.

Golden Clear Honey is best with beverages. A teaspoon or two of this honey mixed into coffee or tea has been a relaxing tradition for generations of honey lovers since 1927. Then and now, drinking a cup of coffee or tea with just the right amount of honey has become a favorite unwinding activity not just of Germans but the whole world.

Langnese allows you to choose the honey that matches your mood, from left-Golden Clear, Acacia, Wild Flower, Wild Lavender and Black Forest Honey.

All natural and unfiltered, Langnese Honey retains the natural goodness of honey without compromising its taste and nutritional benefits. Having passed strict European Union food standards, it has successfully claimed its share of the honey market in 45 countries. It was recently introduced in the Philippine market, thus making the Philippines one of the first Asian markets where the brand is now available.

You can use it to sweeten and add another layer of flavor to dishes, from appetizers, soups and salads to main dishes all the way to desserts and drinks.