London, Feb 23 Darker coloured “honeydew” from bees who collect the sugary secretions that insects leave on plants has higher levels of disease-fighting antioxidants than honey made from nectar, says a study in Madrid.

Although all honey, regardless of its origins, is good for health, the study by Rosa Ana Perez at the Instituto Madrileno de Investigacion y Desarrollo Rural, Agrario y Alimentario in Madrid looked at 36 varieties of Spanish honey and found darker coloured honeydew the best, reported the health portal Health Central.

The researchers looked at honey in two groups — clover honey, made by bees from the nectar of flower blossoms, and honeydew honey, made by bees from a sweet, sticky substance secreted by insects such as aphids that live off plants.

Honeydew honey is only produced in a few parts of the world and is considered a delicacy.

The researchers reported their findings in the February issue of the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture.

According to the results, honeydew honey had higher levels of antioxidants in general. The researchers also report that Spanish honeydew honey tend to be darker and more acidic than clover varieties.

Perez said honeydew honey from outside of Spain should also show similar signs of higher levels of antioxidants.

Should people eat a lot more honey? “An adequate diet rich in natural antioxidants: fruit, vegetables, olive oil, wine, honey, among others, could prevent some disease,” according to Perez.

But she added that consumers should be careful, because honey is also full of carbohydrates — it’s about 80 percent sugar — and it “must be incorporated into diet in a balanced manner, both quantitatively and in relation to the other foodstuffs”.

She also said that honey was not miracle food. “I don’t think that a foodstuff on its own could allow the improvement of the health of anyone, or even prevent some disease.” (IANS)