Instructions: Individually, read the passage given below silently and answer the questions that follow it by choosing the correct answer among the possible alternatives given based on the information contained in it.

The importance of Honey

1. Albert Einstein once said, “The day bees vanish from earth… man will go not long after”. In addition to their contributions in adjusting the environment to human beings, the sweetest product that they produce, honey, has nutritional, cosmetic, therapeutic, and industrial values. It is one of the most appreciated, valued and  utilized  natural  sweetening products  introduced  to  humankind  since  ancient  times.  It has been approved  as  a  balanced  diet  and  equally  popular for males and females in all ages. The main composition of honey is carbohydrates that  contribute  95–97%  of  its dry weight. Furthermore, honey includes main  compounds, such as proteins, vitamins, amino acids, minerals and organic acids. Pure honey also  consists  of  fructose  and glucose which are the most important sugars of honey and contribute to  its  most  nutritional  and  physical  effects.  One of its surprising properties of honey is that it does not need refrigeration as it can never spoils and thus it can be stored in closed   containers   at   room   temperature   in   a   dry   place. It is used not only as a nutritional product but also as an alternative treatment for clinical conditions ranging  from wound healing to  cancer  treatment.  Nowadays,  information on the usage of honey for the cure of many human diseases can be found in magazines, journals and leaflets.

2. Few of its benefits in the area of human health are discussed as follows: Honey has an absorbing property and speeds up the growth of tissue; as a result, wounds heal faster and rids of its stench. The other use of honey is  to  stop  or  control burns and inflammation of the eye.  Inflammation  has  the main key role in developing chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and arthritis diseases which possess a huge challenge for   treatment. With massively compelling evidence of the role played by nutritional modulation in preventing inflammation-related diseases, honey is a natural and functional food with its therapeutic and preventive actions.

3. Honey can also facilitate digestion by stimulating the secretion of gastric juice. It is particularly effective as laxative because it eases the bowels. It helps as remedy for gastritis and gastric ulcers by reducing  hyperacidity.  It  can save patients from heartburn and belching. It can get rid of winds and improves appetite. Studies have  proved  that honey has observable and measurable effect on the heart. As it has much easily assimilated glucose. The muscles of  the heart work continuously and need glucose in order to make up the energy expended. People  with  colds  are  advised  to take honey with warm milk or lemon. It causes the patient to sweat a great deal and relives her/him of pain. It also helps in treating a runny nose, get rid of sputum and soothing a cough.

4. The other medical use of honey is its application as a cure for kidney. It speeds up urination and gives relief when there is a problem to piss. People suffering from exhaustion and headache are advised to drink a  glass  of  water  in  which honey and lemon juice are mixed. It also helps in improving memory and sharpening wits. Studies conducted on the health benefits of honey inform us that those people, who regularly add honey to their food, generate different amazing ideas and are propeller thinkers. Modern experiments and observations reveal that there is every  reason  to  consider honey as a remedy. It owes its curative properties mainly to the glucose it contains. Dentists have no doubts about the harmful effects of sugar on the teeth. It has been established that the remains  of  sugar  in  the  mouth  break  down  under the effect of bacteria to form an acid. As a result, the teeth become affected with carries. Honey,  on  the  other  hand, reacts against the harmful bacteria due to its antibiotic properties and disinfects them and makes both the teeth and mouth healthy. Furthermore, research has confirmed that children like honey better than  sugar.  Therefore,  parents should try their best to  include  honey  as  a  major  item  in their children’s diet