Description

ABOUT

Raw honey is honey that has not been processed, filtered, pasteurised, or tampered with in any way. This guarantees that pollen, enzymes, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients are still present. If you’re planning to buy honey, make sure it’s raw so you can enjoy all of the benefits that raw honey has to offer.   The nectar from the flowers is collected in the stomachs of the bees, who then transport it back to the hive and release it. Honeycombs, which are formed of wax, are then used to store the honey. Honey is the primary food source for bees. When bees are kept in hives for honey production, beekeepers use a variety of techniques to encourage them to produce more honey.

HISTORY

Honey has been mentioned in Sumerian and Babylonian cuneiform writings, the Hittite code, and sacred texts of India and Egypt reaching back to 2100 B.C. It was the first and most widely used sweetener, with its name derived from the English hunig. Honey was highly prized and was frequently used as a kind of payment, homage, or offering. German peasants used honey and beeswax to pay their feudal lords in the 11th century A.D.

CRYSTALLIZED HONEY

Temperature, the ratio of glucose and fructose, and pollen all influence crystallization. Raw honey crystallizes more easily than pasteurized honey. This is because while the beekeeper removes the honey, very little parts of the hive will stay in your honey. The crystallization of your honey may be triggered by little fragments of comb, previously crystallized honey, beeswax, pollen, or propolis. All of the pieces are edible and healthful, but they speed up the crystallization process.

Honey crystallizes over time, and the separation of sugar and water is what causes the chunky particles. In the long run, there’s not much you can do to avoid crystallization. However, there are a few elements that will influence how soon the process takes place. Some honey crystallises more quickly than others. Honey begins to crystallize at 50°F, which is why it should not be kept in the refrigerator. You should also keep it in an airtight container to prevent the water from evaporating and the honey from drying out. If your honey crystallizes, it’s pure honey with no additives like corn syrup.

Honey that has been crystallized is safe to eat….

SHELF LIFE OF HONEY

Honey that has been properly maintained will not expire. Honey preserved in airtight containers can last for decades.  Honey’s amazing longevity can be attributed to its biological nature. Organisms that contaminate food will not survive in honey due to the sugar content and low pH, as well as the bees’ honey-making process. Honey may “darken and lose its smell and flavour or crystallise” over the period of time when the temperature changes. If the crystals bother you, simply place your honey in a bowl of warm water for about an hour to dissolve them.

WHAT AYURVEDA SAYS ABOUT HONEY

Honey and bees are mentioned frequently in the sacred Indian literature, The Vedas, which date back to roughly 2-3000 BC. The Sanskrit term for honey is “madhu,” which is the same as the Anglo-Saxon “medu” and sounds similar to the honey-based beverage we call “mead.” Indians have been utilizing it for for 5000 years.  Ayurvedic practitioners recommend cultured or pure honey called Samskritha Madhu, which is produced by most legitimate ayurveda manufacturing plants in accordance with ayurvedic scriptures.

Honey was used to treat a variety of ailments, including wound healing and cleaning, as well as internal and exterior infections, according to the Ayurvedic classic Ashtanga Hridaya. It is most commonly used to treat eye problems, cough, thirst, phlegm, hiccups, blood in the vomit, leprosy, diabetes, obesity, worm infestation, vomiting, asthma, diarrhoea, and wound healing. Many ayurvedic remedies employ it as a natural preservative and sweetener. It’s also used as a medium with some medicines to boost their efficacy or reduce the adverse effects of the other drugs they’re mixing with.

Honey should not be heated or consumed warm, according to Ayurveda, because it has a poisonous impact.

TYPES OF HONEY

With the growing popularity of honey and its multiple medicinal benefits, we have come a long way and are now familiar with several types of honey. Below are some of the varieties of honey available in India.

1. Eucalyptus honey
2. Lychee honey
3. Sunflower honey
4. Rapeseed honey
5. Karanja honey
6. Multifloral Himalayan honey
7. Acacia honey
8. Forest honey

HOW TO INCLUDE HONEY IN OUR DIET

• Make your smoothies healthier by adding few spoons of honey instead of white sugar.
• Add honey to your salads and enjoy the enhanced taste.
• In glass of water add lemon juice from half a lemon and add honey, drinking lemon and honey on an empty stomach in the morning detoxifies your body.
• Kids love their pancakes drizzled with some honey. Honey adds taste and flavour to pancakes.
• Other ways are spreading honey on a toast or adding it in your oatmeal.

BENEFITS OF HONEY

• Honey’s medicinal compounds promote digestion and soothe bowel movements. It neutralises metabolic gases and helps the body maintain a neutral alkaline balance.

• Raw honey is high in phytonutrients and polyphenols, which help to increase memory and strengthen the brain. Its regular use boosts the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNF) while also lowering oxidative stress. Pinocembrin is a powerful antioxidant found in raw honey that has been shown to have neuroprotective properties. It aids in the treatment of dementia as well as other neuroinflammatory disorders.

• Honey is more effective than the majority of antibiotics. Honey can also be used directly to treat infections, cuts, and wounds. Honey can be eaten orally to cure a number of ailments.

•  Honey contains the same amount of antioxidants as fruits and vegetables. Antioxidants aid in the prevention of cell damage caused by free radicals. 

• Honey relieves a sore throat quickly and can be used as an old cough treatment. The easiest way to get immediate relief is to put it in a hot cup of tea or take it with black pepper.