蜂蜜又叫蜂糖，是蜜蜂從植物上采集花蜜釀造而成，是我省著名特產(chǎn)之一。蜂蜜由于內(nèi)含豐富的葡萄糖、果糖和人體必需的多種氨基酸、活性酶、維生素、礦物質(zhì)等，它是具有多種特性、富于營養(yǎng)的天然食品，有很高的醫(yī)療價值。也是河南出口的拳頭商品。
      
    我省養(yǎng)蜂歷史悠久，建國以來，在黨和政府的重視和支持下，特別是黨的十一屆三中全會以來，養(yǎng)蜂事業(yè)發(fā)展很快。我省地處中原，氣候條件、自然資源都利于發(fā)展養(yǎng)蜂事業(yè)。
      
    中國是世界上較早馴化蜜蜂的國家之一，早在漢代已作為普遍的飲品。在《三國志》中有這樣的記載：袁術(shù)稱帝后遭遇眾人圍攻慘敗，只得北上投奔庶兄袁紹。不想在半路途中被向曹操借兵的劉備擊潰。逃到壽春后，因天氣炎熱,袁術(shù)找庖官要蜂蜜水喝，庖官回應(yīng)找不到，只有麥稃粥。袁術(shù)大叫道：“袁術(shù)已經(jīng)到了這步田地了嗎？”遂吐血身亡。“術(shù)既為雷薄等所拒，留住三日，士眾絕糧，乃還至江亭，去壽春八十里。問廚下，尚有麥屑三十斛。時盛暑，欲得蜜漿，又無蜜。坐欞床上，嘆息良久，乃大咤曰：“袁術(shù)至于此乎！”因頓伏床下，嘔血斗馀而死。”——《三國志·袁術(shù)傳》裴松之注引《吳書》。蜂蜜始載于《神農(nóng)本草經(jīng)》又稱：“巖蜜”“石蜜”“石飴”“蜂糖”。《本草綱目》：“入藥之功有五，清熱也，補(bǔ)中也，解毒也，潤燥也，止痛也。生則性涼，故能清熱；熟則性溫，故能補(bǔ)中；甘而平和，故能解毒；柔而濡澤，故能潤燥；緩可去急，故能止心腹肌肉瘡瘍之痛；和可致中，故能調(diào)和百藥，而與甘草同功”。




    Honey, with another name of bee sugar, is brewed from nectar gathered from plants by bees, which is a famous specialty and an important export product in Henan Province. Honey is a nature food containing plentiful nutrition such as plentiful glucose, fructose, amino acid, active enzyme, vitamin, mineral substance and so on.
      
    Henan Province is located in the central plain where natural climate and plentiful resources are helpful for the development of bee-keeping industry. Our province has a long history of breeding bees and this industry fulfills a quick development under support of the Party and government in recent years.