Dan Peterson, age 13, of Eugene, Ore., for his question:

IS THERE MUCH FOOD VALUE IN HONEY?

Honey, that thick, sweet fluid made by bees from flower nectar, is just about everybody's favorite sweetener.

Honey is a fine energy food because it contains simple sugars that can be used by the body quickly. There's quite a bit of difference between honey and cane sugar, which is also an energy food. Honey is loaded with mineral salts and other materials which the body needs. It is the only form of sugar that does not need to be refined.

About 220 million pounds of honey are produced each year in the United States. Florida and California are the states which lead in honey production, with Alberta tops in Canada.

Honey is used a great deal in the baking industry and also in the manufacture of some cough medicines and laxatives.