According to an Associated Marketing survey conducted for the National Honey Board in 1997, almost 77% of U.S. households use honey along with other sweeteners and syrups and 45 percent of them consider honey a good value because it is “natural/good for you/better for you than sugar”. Overall honey has a positive profile with nearly 62% of users “especially liking” it for its taste and flavor, 24% because it is natural and 16% because it is good for you. Honey consumption in the United States reached a record level of 435,000,000 pound’s for the calendar year 2006. Consumption has expanded nearly 20% over the last 5 years and over 25% over the last decade. Honey’s growth in consumption is a result of this legacy that spans centuries. Honey consumers today as in the past recognize that honey holds a unique position among sweeteners. Honey is consumed not just for its sweetness but for its flavor and its health benefits. Consumers buy products with honey in them at higher prices because the product contains honey. Consumer's perceptions regarding the health benefits of honey are correct. Scientific evidence has documented the proven benefit of honey in terms of enhancing gastrointestinal health, inhibition of cancer cell proliferation, wound healing and most recently as an effective cough suppressant. The perception and reality that honey is a healthy, flavorful sweetener has served to support continued growth in consumption and expansion in product usage.