Honey with Fair trade facts

How can we miss these Main Honey Nutrition Facts when trying to appreciate what honey is made of and its benefits? Here I have the information.

Nectar itself is composed mostly of sucrose and water. Bees add enzymes that create extra chemical compounds, inverting the sucrose into fructose and glucose, and then fade away the water so that the resulting product will resist spoiling. 

Hence, honey is a source of carbohydrates.

* 85% natural sugar - mostly fructose and glucose. Due to the high level of fructose, honey is sweeter than table sugar.

* 20% water. The less water content the honey has, the better the excellence of honey.

* 2% minerals, vitamins, pollen and protein.

The vitamins present in honey are B6, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and certain amino acids. The mineral deposits found in honey include calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc. I learnt that conductivity is a not direct way of measure the mineral content of a honey.

Manuka honey has a higher than normal conductivity – about 3 times that of normal flower honeys. The higher the conductivity, the better the importance of the honey.

Also, some very encouraging honey food facts: 

This natural bribe has antioxidants - is fat free and cholesterol free!

The benefits of honey production

Fairtrade offers producers a least amount Price for their honey and links beekeeper-run cooperative directly with Fairtrade buyers, cutting out middlemen and pave the way for longer term sustainability.

Fairtrade Standards for honey

Fairtrade Standards for honey include:

• Producers are little family farms organized in cooperatives which they own and govern democratically.

• The Fairtrade price is paid straight to the producer cooperatives.

• Environmental standards confine the use of agrochemicals, ban genetically modified plants, and encourage sustainability.

• Pre-harvest lines of credit are given to the cooperatives if request, of up to 60% of the purchase price.

• No forced or child labor.

A Fairtrade Premium is included in the pay for price and is used by cooperatives for social and economic money such as education, health services, processing equipment, and loans to members.

The fair trade Federation values

Trade as a Force for Positive Change 

We value trading relations that distribute power, risks and rewards more impartially. We consider that trade should be used as a tool to help alleviate poverty, reduce disparity, and create opportunity for people to help themselves. Trade should promote fair compensation; safe and healthy conditions, direct and long-term relationships, transparent business practices, and workplaces free from discrimination and required child labor. When trade encompasses this practice, the lives of all people and their community improve.

Community

We value communities grounded in trust, moral support, support, and a sense of belonging, making us stronger alone and as a whole. We value the global fair trade movement, recognize that we are essentially inter-reliant, and believe that our unified voices convey a powerful message.

Sustainable Practices

We value continuous improvement and application of financial, social, cultural, and environmentally sustainable practices. We embrace the United Nations’ definition of sustainability “to meet the needs of current generations without compromise the ability of future generation to meet their own needs.

Fullest Commitment

We believe that reliability comes from representing, through open and transparent connections, the promises we make. We have a liability to maintain the maximum standards and outlook of ourselves; and, we value organization that aspires to fully embrace fair trade principles.

Consumer Knowledge

We value the impact that comes from empower consumers with knowledge. We believe that when people appreciate that trade can be a force for positive change they will use their purchase power to improve the lives of people and community.

Fair Trade and Production

Customers that purchase art from Promote Africa will certainly require that the products are produced and purchased according to fair trade guidelines. To ensure that our products are produced and trade fairly, Promote Africa places a high priority on the fact that all artisans and CPOs have access to a fair process for production, trade, cooperation and payment with high opinion to their artwork.

1) Our Relationship with Artisan, Musician and Community

Through on-the-ground working relationships, we have recognized meaningful relations with our partner organizations, musicians and artisans. From placement positions that our staff fills for partner development organizations, to in the field recording with our musicians, Promote Africa is related to the individuals and communities that make our work possible.

For example, in the summer of 2008, two interns from Promote Africa conduct a personnel check for the Namibian Community Skills Development Foundation which oversees the making units for several lines of products carried by Promote Africa. These interns provide us with an intimate look inside COSDEF's ethical, fair, and transparent operations.

2) Our Operational Policies

At a minimum, Promote Africa abides by IFAT's Fair Trade Principles. In addition:

1. We believe in fairness and hope for the hardworking poor by increasing their opportunity for employment and teaching.

2. We partner with artisan cooperatives that pay fair wages to their members and show concern for their members’ welfare.

3. We provide consistent income through purchase, advances of the partial purchase price of goods, and prompt payment of the remainder of the purchase price.

4. We increase market access overseas for African artwork.

5. We market quality artwork shaped by deprived artisans.

6. We market products that reflect authentic African culture, that are

Environmentally friendly and that ask to consumers worldwide.

7. We encourage our customers to become familiar with fair trade and to gain an approval and respect for artisans’ heritage, financial security, and service status.

8. We place great value on our volunteers who work across the world.