The primary substance in honey is fructose, a simple sugar that contributes to honey's sweetness. Honey is produced by bees through the process of collecting nectar from flowers and converting it into a thick syrup via enzymatic action and evaporation. Along with fructose, honey also contains glucose and small amounts of other sugars, as well as trace amounts of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants. The specific composition can vary depending on the type of flowers visited by the bees, leading to the wide variety of flavors and colors in honey. This natural sweetener has been used for millennia in various culinary and medicinal applications.