In ancient times, the bodies of kings were put up for safe keeping in vats of honey. Aside from preserving human remains, honey can slow chemical reactions that cause rancidity in foods. Recent studies suggest, for instance, that substituting honey for refined sugar might extend the shelf life of some products. Again, this beneficial characteristic of honey is due in large part to its antioxidant agents. Wound Dressing .
Honey is used as a dressing on infected wounds, burns, and ulcers, and with considerable success.
Burns treated with honey, for instance, heal far faster and with less residual scaring compared to other treatments, according to recent studies in Burns and the British Journal of Surgery . Exactly why honey is a healer isn't clear, but apparently much of its antibacterial activity is due to a naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide agent found in the nectar. Do not apply the honey you buy for food to an open wound. Honey contains spores that may cause infections. The nectar must be sterilized, usually by gamma-irradiation, before it is used as an antibacterial.