Can honey not be sugared? Why liquid honey thickens and is it normal

No one doubts the nutritional and medicinal value of honey, however, the popularization of this delicious medicine in recent decades has given rise to a huge number of counterfeit products on the market. And since honey is often sold in candied form, many people have a question: should honey be candied?

Why is honey candied

If we consider chemical composition bee product, it is clear that most of it is made up of natural natural sugars:

The property to form crystals is inherent in all types of natural honey. The higher the percentage of glucose, the faster the honey candied. Therefore, the liquid state of honey is by no means an indicator of its quality, as many believe. On the contrary, if the honey has begun to crystallize or is already completely candied, you can be calm, the product is natural.

Most types of natural product completely crystallize within a few months. This means that almost all varieties acquire a rigid structure by the middle of winter. If this did not happen, and you are assured that the product is natural, then it was either heated (in this case, all the useful components of honey are most often destroyed), or there are non-natural additives in the product.

However, there are many pitfalls here as well. If the summer was hot, then the honey will have a reduced moisture content, and, consequently, an increased sugar content. Such honey will crystallize very quickly.

Conversely, in cold, humid summers natural product will contain fewer sugars, and the crystallization process may be delayed.

Have the lowest rate of sugaring the following types:

• honeydew;
• clover;
• Cyprus.

The storage temperature greatly influences the rate of crystallization. If honey is stored at t below +4˚С or above +28˚С, the ability to form crystals is significantly reduced, and in some varieties, sugaring stops altogether. Optimum t for crystallization is +13 +14˚С.

How to melt candied honey

If your natural product has turned into a candied state, do not rush to melt it. After all, the most useful properties pass from the product into our body with simple use. If you hold a piece of candied honey in your mouth until completely dissolved, then you will get the greatest healing effect.

If desired, you can transfer honey to a liquid state. in several ways:

The most important thing in the process of blooming honey is temperature control. The decay process begins at t + 37˚С, and antibiotics are the first to be hit, honey loses its bactericidal and antiseptic properties. Further heating (above +45˚С) promotes the disappearance of invertase (an enzyme that helps in the breakdown of sucrose) and diastase (an enzyme necessary for the breakdown of starch).

Why honey is not sugared

The reverse side of the coin is a product that does not crystallize for a long time. And then the buyer has a question: are they slipping me a fake?

Of course, the process of planting honey is already testifies to the quality product, but its absence still does not say anything, although in a natural product this is a rarer phenomenon. For example, varieties with a low glucose content (less than 30%), and even at storage t above + 23 ° C, can remain in a liquid state for years and at the same time be very natural.

The lack of crystallization of the bee product may indicate one of the reasons for the poor quality of honey:

Try to put a spoonful of candied (correct) honey in the purchased honey. If within 2 weeks your honey began to form crystals, this indicates its naturalness.

Alternatively, find an honest beekeeper and always buy honey from him, or even better, get this valuable product in sealed combs - the bees will not be deceived.

Video. How to melt candied honey

It is known that honey is not only lovely dessert, but also a product that is used in medicine, cosmetology, treatment folk methods, cooking. Its advantage is a long shelf life. But over time, it candied, sometimes this process is called crystallization.

What is crystallization?

Crystallization is a natural phenomenon whereby a liquid product becomes a solid. This transition from one state to another occurs naturally, indicating the naturalness of the sweet nectar. It is important to understand that this process in no way reduces the beneficial properties and nutritional qualities of honey.

There are people who prefer to buy liquid honey, because it is more convenient to use it for various purposes. But such a product is the easiest to fake. The content of useful components is the same for liquid and solid honey. In addition, if solid honey is melted correctly, it will take on its original form.

It is more important to distinguish natural honey from a fake. It is necessary to have an idea about the essence of the crystallization process, why and how it all happens.

By consistency, crystallization is divided into the following varieties:

• fat-like homogeneous smooth mass;
• fine-grained, with crystals half a millimeter in size;
• coarse-grained, with crystals of more than half a millimeter.

Causes of sugaring: natural and unnatural

Sugaring begins with a gradual thickening of the product, while it acquires a whitish hue, becomes lighter. One of the main factors affecting sugar content is the presence of glucose. The higher the amount of glucose, the faster honey begins to turn into crystals, and the predominance of fructose allows honey to remain liquid longer.

The speed of thickening depends on many factors:

• varieties;
• the presence of moisture;
• storage conditions;
• maturation;
• weather;
• collection points;
• impurities;
• honey plants.

Some types of honey have a high percentage of glucose. For example, the formation of sugar crystals in honey collected from buckwheat or sunflower begins on the 20th day, and in rapeseed - after two weeks.

Other varieties of honey (acacia, May) contain more than 40% fructose, they remain liquid much longer, sometimes up to two years. Such honey is considered very valuable, it is recommended for use even for diabetics, as it regulates sugar levels and has a beneficial effect on metabolism.

The percentage of water content slows down sugaring. If the bees collected nectar during the rainy period, then there will be more moisture in it. Proper storage is important. At temperatures above +10 degrees, crystallization increases several times compared to low temperatures.

Honey collected on a hot summer day (sunflower, buckwheat) contains more glucose, less water, respectively, these types of honey will be candied much faster. The presence of pollen, wax, and other impurities accelerates sugaring.

All of these reasons are natural, depending on natural conditions. But there are unnatural reasons for the thickening of the product, depending on the beekeepers and sellers, which, through various manipulations, affect the rate of sugaring.

Beekeepers sometimes harvest an unripe product that contains a lot of water. It deteriorates quickly less good. Trying to get more profit, they dilute honey with water, mix in various additives, such as dextrin. This is an artificial component, the so-called polysaccharide. The function of this additive is to slow down the thickening.

To make a product presentable, it is overheated, while the usefulness of such a product is lost.

How to slow down the sugaring process?

There are people who prefer candied honey, but there are also many who like liquid treats and want to delay candiing while still retaining the beneficial properties. There are several ways to solve this problem:

1. Stir honey occasionally. The more often you stir, the longer the product will remain liquid.
2. Store in a cool dark place.
3. Remove pollen and impurities.
4. Avoid exposure to sunlight.
5. If the dessert is sugared, melt and place in a room with the optimum temperature.
6. Monitor the humidity level (range 60–80%).

To keep the valuable properties of honey for a long time, you need to store it in a special container. Best suited for these purposes:

• clay pots;
• glass jars;
• ceramics;
• enameled container;
• wooden utensil.

Metal utensils are not suitable due to the harmful substances released during the oxidation of the metal.

Which type of honey does not crystallize for a long time?

Some types of sweet dessert have a wonderful property to remain liquid for a long time. Such varieties are rightfully considered elite.
What kind of honey is not candied? We list the most common:

• acacia;
• May;
• lime;
• chestnut;
• Greek.

Acacia. When fresh, it pours like syrup and stays that way for up to two years. Contains a large number of fructose and moisture. Over time, it turns white, turns into a fine-grained homogeneous mass.

May. The earliest spring dessert. It is pumped out in May, hence the name. Bees collect nectar from primrose fruit trees. This dessert is very fragrant, with a unique taste. It contains a lot of fructose, so thickening is quite slow.

Lime. Refers to light varieties, does not thicken up to one year. Then whitish small grains appear, similar to semolina.

Chestnut. This nectar has a higher viscosity than the above varieties. It is dark in color with a characteristic bitterness. Begins to thicken after six months. Crystals tend to gradually increase. When candied, it is brown in color.

Greek. The most common pine and thyme honey. Such a product is popular not only among the Greek population. Tourists love it for its wonderful aroma, appearance, amazing property keep their freshness up to a year and a half.

Which variety does not crystallize at all?

Any natural honey, even if it remains liquid for a long time, will begin to sugar over time. Only compliance with the correct conditions listed above, the acquisition of varieties that have certain characteristics, will delay the thickening for a certain period, but not more than three years.

It happens that after the specified time the substance did not begin to crystallize. Why is honey not candied? The reasons are as follows:

1. excessive presence of water in the concentrate;
2. deliberate dilution with water or sugar syrup;
3. minimum pollen content.

Beekeepers often dilute the product with water, and bees regulate the pollen and other components contained in the nectar.

Useful properties of honey and sugaring

In the process of crystallization, not only the consistency changes, but also the color, taste qualities. At the same time, the beneficial properties of honey are fully preserved. It can be used to treat various diseases.

Of course, the liquid consistency is much more convenient to use, it is more pleasant to spread it on bread, scoop it up with a spoon. But the undoubted advantage of candied nectar is the fact that it is much more difficult to fake.

By purchasing such a product, you will be sure that you have bought natural honey and will be able to make your favorite liquid dessert by melting it.

How to melt thick honey?

If melted incorrectly, for example in a microwave oven, the product loses its healing properties. Heating the dessert above 50 degrees also destroys valuable trace elements.
There are ways to turn a candied treat into a liquid state while maintaining all the original qualities:

1. Water bath. In a container, you can put it in a saucepan, pour water, put a dish with the product there, heat it up gradually, not forgetting to monitor the temperature. It should not exceed 50 degrees.
2. with heating radiators. Place the honey next to the battery, or directly on top of it if the design allows. The product will gradually begin to melt.
3. Pour hot water into a bowl, put a jar of nectar there. If the honey is not completely melted, you can repeat the procedure.

Some apiaries have a device called a decrystallizer. With it, beekeepers melt the candied product.

Consider a beautiful golden-amber hue, transparency and liquid consistency. Seeing a solid, whitened product, some people think that they have a fake with sugar added in front of them, and they try to get a liquid delicacy even in winter. These inexperienced buyers make a mistake, because high-quality honey does not remain bright and transparent for a long time. At the end of autumn, the first signs of sugaring should already be noticeable on many varieties. Otherwise, there is a possibility that healthy treat has been melted or mixed with artificial additives. Many people are interested in the questions: why is honey candied when it happens and is it possible to melt it? We will tell you more about the reasons for this natural phenomenon and about ways to make the product liquid without losing its healing qualities.

The gradual sugaring of honey is explained by a simple law of physics: supersaturated solutions are not able to maintain a homogeneous structure for a long time, because the excess of the substance goes into sediment. In the case of honey, this substance is glucose, since it is the least prone to dissolution. That's why the structure natural treats changes over time, and it is filled with white candied crystals.

This means that the ability of real honey to be candied depends on how much glucose it contains. If glucose predominates over fructose, the product crystallizes very quickly. But a dessert containing a lot of fructose does not sugar for longer.

Sometimes lovers of bee delicacies are surprised: why recently bought honey is candied and what to do in this case? Nothing wrong with that. If the honey is candied early, most likely it contains a large amount of pollen. Its particles served as centers around which crystallizing glucose accumulated. That is, early crystallization is a good sign, it speaks of the naturalness of the product, you can safely eat it. (If desired, it can be gently melted, retaining its healing properties). But a processed and refined dessert, in which there is no pollen, is in no hurry to be candied. It remains transparent and uniform.

Terms of crystallization

Why, in some cases, natural sweetness is candied early, while in others it retains a liquid consistency even many months after collection? The time of crystallization of the bee product depends on its variety and storage conditions. Varieties that thicken quickly include:

• buckwheat;
• lime;
• sunflower,
• rapeseed;
• sweet clover;
• rapeseed.

There are also varieties that retain their original consistency for a long time. They can be in a liquid state all winter and begin to change their structure only by the time of the next harvest. For a long time, such varieties of flower delicacies are not candied:

• clover honey;
• chestnut;
• heather;
• honeydew;
• acacia.

Interesting to know! The healing acacia variety remains liquid and transparent for the longest time. Under favorable storage conditions, it does not change its appearance for up to two years, and there are practically no candied clots in it. That's why the natural acacia product is so popular among the people!

Useful advice! If you want to delay the crystallization of a newly purchased liquid treat, keep the storage temperature under control.

For the first five weeks, keep the product at zero temperature, and then put it in a cool, dark place with a temperature of about 14-15 degrees. Then he will begin to sugar soon.

It is also important when collecting bee treats to pour it into a sterilized container to prevent the formation of additional crystallization start points.

Simple ways to make honey runny

If you eat real honey in its purest form, as a nice light dessert, it is not necessary to try to make it liquid. Candied honey is very convenient to use with your favorite tea, and you do not need to think about how to melt it. Baking is another matter entirely. AT home cooking liquid honey should be used. Also, you can’t do without it if you decide to do honey skin care procedures.

There are several ways to make a crystallized dessert liquid. Let's talk about the simplest methods of how to melt honey.

Method 1

Take two saucepans: a large one and a smaller one. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan and reduce heat to low. Lower a small saucepan into the water, in which there is a jar of honey. (It should be held on the handles and not reach the bottom of a large pan). In no case do not increase the fire on the stove, let the water be hot, but not boiling. Stir the product from time to time so that it melts evenly. In this way, you can melt honey quite quickly, it should melt in 15-20 minutes.

Method 2

Instead of two pans, use one. And a jar of candied treats is placed directly in hot water. At the bottom of the pan, it is advisable to put some kind of metal stand (grid for dishes or a sieve). In this case, the water should also not be boiling; it is desirable to melt the product gradually. And also make sure that the water level is a couple of centimeters below the level of honey.

Kindling can also be done in the microwave, but after that the product risks losing valuable qualities.

Whichever way you decide to melt a natural dessert, try not to overheat it. Temperature regime when heating should not exceed 50 degrees, otherwise all useful material, a simple sugars become caramel. And one more tip - do not try to make a large amount of ghee at once, it will take a lot of time and patience. To quickly make candied honey liquid, take the amount you need at one time.

Crystallization and benefits of honey

Aged candied honey retains the whole complex of healing components. That's why in traditional medicine it is used with the same success as recently pumped out. So you can safely use hardened sweetness for the prevention of various diseases and general strengthening of the body.

Many people who purchase delicious bee products are interested in the question of whether honey should be candied and what kind of honey is not candied. Crystallization is a natural process that changes the structure of the product and its color. After a certain amount of time, the dessert becomes viscous, begins to turn white and loses its original color. Most buyers give their preference to a liquid delicacy, but the question of whether they are doing the right thing and whether the honey should be candied is still of concern to everyone.

Why does crystallization occur?

To answer such a question, how and why honey is candied, you should understand what is included in the product. A few months after the collection of the bee product, it may begin to thicken, then turn white, its color becomes lighter, and the consistency is thicker, what does this mean? Such a process may mean that honey is being sugared.

Natural honey contains a large amount of substances such as fructose and glucose. Honey is candied in accordance with the ratio of carbohydrates contained in the product and glucose. If the amount of glucose in sweetness reaches up to 35%, then honey quickly begins to crystallize. This happens for a simple reason, glucose is converted into sweet crystals that settle to the bottom.

There are varieties of bee products in which fructose predominates. It is thanks to her that honey does not sugar so quickly or should not be sugared at all for a long time (sometimes even more than one year). Fructose contributes to the enveloping of the components that make up the treat, and this, in turn, prevents the formation of crystals. If the honey is sugared, do not worry.

Candied honey does not lose any of its useful properties and does not mean that the quality of the delicacy is bad. It is equally well taken in food, used as an additive to desserts and drinks. If there is a desire, then you can melt candied honey, while keeping all of it useful qualities. But the main thing is to do it right, for this you need to remember that you can not heat the product to more than 50 degrees, so as not to lose useful properties. It is best to melt the sweetness in a water bath.

Reasons for crystallization

There are several reasons why honey can become sugary. They are affected by certain factors, these include:

• Type of flower - honey plant;
• Weather;
• Maturity;
• Are there any impurities;
• The presence of moisture;
• storage method;
• Storage.

It depends on the variety whether the honey will be candied. For example, such varieties of "gold" as sunflower and buckwheat do not retain their freshness for so long (only about a month). A candied product does not differ in quality from a liquid consistency. And there are varieties of sweets, such as acacia or May, which retain their liquid consistency for a long time. How long can such honey be stored in a liquid state? Such varieties can remain liquid for more than one year in a row. A non-crystallizing product has a higher demand from buyers.

What type of bee products does not crystallize?

None of the types of real honey is able to remain permanently in a liquid state. In any case, honey should be candied, after a year or several years. But if you observe the correct storage of the product, then you can leave it for a long time in a liquid consistency. How to store honey correctly and how long will it stay fresh? You need to store sweetness in a dark and cool place, a basement is a good fit for this, but there should not be excessive moisture. If you comply with the requirements, then a year or two you can enjoy the viscous sweetness.

For example, acacia sweetness is similar to syrup, so it can please with a liquid consistency for 2-3 years. A linden product may not completely sugar, but only become pasty. Chestnut bee product has a bright and saturated color, having a brown tint. It is able not to crystallize for half a year.

May honey is harvested in late May or early summer. Such a product is able to maintain its liquid consistency for 1-2 years, since it contains a large amount of fructose.

The main thing to remember is that in no case should you add sweetness to hot drinks, as useful product will lose its healing properties. Candied honey can be melted before drinking.

Why is the bee product not sugared?

There are times when a long period of time passes, and a tasty and sweet product is still not candied. Why honey is not sugared and how much time is needed for this?

The reasons may be various factors, for example, the content of water in the delicacy exceeds the norm. Some beekeepers specially dilute the delicacy with syrup to lure buyers, because such sweetness will not be able to crystallize.

Another reason why fresh honey is not sugared is that it does not contain enough pollen. This is in no way the beekeeper's fault, the bees themselves determine the norm for the development of their bee "gold".

If you constantly stir the treat, then this can extend the period at which the sweetness remains in a liquid state. Storing a sweet product at a low temperature can freeze the sugaring process a little, this will not affect its beneficial properties in any way.

Do not forget that there are some varieties that, without the addition of impurities, can be stored in a liquid state for a long time.

Are the benefits retained?

A bee product can be in a liquid state and crystallized, hence the question arises, is a candied product useful or not? Of course, you should not question the benefits of such a delicacy. Indeed, during crystallization, its color changes, a little taste sensations, but the beneficial properties remain unchanged. Most people, when choosing such a treat, prefer sweets in a liquid state, but liquid does not mean healthy.

It is much easier to mix any impurities into a liquid consistency, for example, sugar syrup. Thanks to him, honey is not only diluted, but also not candied for a long time, thereby attracting the attention of buyers. After all, liquid sweetness is much easier to spread on bread, and it is more pleasant to eat it than to peel off a solid product.

When choosing a treat, you should also pay attention to the candied sweetness, which has a huge amount of useful and nutritious substances. The bee product can be used in medicinal purposes, for example, with angina (it is enough to eat one or two spoons daily on an empty stomach, drinking warm water or milk), for diseases gastrointestinal tract, with increased blood pressure, as well as in case of bruises, bruises and abrasions (you can make various lotions and compresses based on bee products).

How to quickly and efficiently melt a candied treat?

There are several ways that allow you to quickly and correctly melt the delicacy so that the product does not lose its beneficial properties. Among them, the following three methods are noted:

1. method: kindling in a water bath, for this you need to place some dishes with honey on it, then heat it up slowly to the required temperature. The main thing is not to overheat, because if the temperature goes over 50 degrees Celsius, then most of the beneficial trace elements die.
2. method: honey can be melted using a stove or a battery. Install the jar near the battery, it will warm up slowly, and most importantly gradually. This process will take much longer, but it's worth it.
3. way: there is a special equipment designed for beekeepers, which is called a decrystallizer. With it, you can special efforts melt the honey and not worry about it being overheated.

So most people who buy this healthy sweetness, they ask a lot of questions about whether a candied product is healthy, which delicacy is better to choose, which one will be more useful: candied or having a liquid consistency. Sweetness begins to crystallize as a result of the fact that it contains a large amount of glucose, which prevails over the rest of the components, so crystals appear.

In cases where the product is dominated by fructose, it may not be candied for a long period of time, sometimes even for several years. The crystallization process can be slowed down or stopped a little if the sweetness is stored properly under the necessary conditions: in a dark, cool place where there is no moisture. The benefits of candied bee products remain unchanged. During crystallization, useful properties do not leave the delicacy. It is best to purchase sweets from trusted and reliable beekeepers. liquid product or thickened - the personal choice of each. The main thing to remember is that, if desired, the candied delicacy can be melted in a water bath.

01.11.2012

Crystallization (or popularly: sugaring or setting) of honey is a natural process inherent in natural honey. Nevertheless, many people have questions, why is honey candied?

The speed and degree of crystallization of honey depends on the ratio of glucose / fructose in the composition of honey. The higher the glucose level (and the lower the fructose level), the faster the honey sets.

Varieties of honey with a high content of fructose and a low level of glucose, such as acacia, chestnut, honeydew honey, crystallize very slowly or generally always remain liquid. Rapeseed honey and sunflower honey crystallize faster than other varieties.

Also, crystallization is affected by the humidity of honey, storage conditions and even weather conditions during the period of honey collection.

Crystallized honey does not lose its beneficial properties and does not change its physical and chemical composition. During crystallization, the color, texture, taste of honey changes. Some connoisseurs of honey believe that over time, settling honey becomes more rich taste, others like liquid honey. If the honey you bought is candied, do not be alarmed, this is just a sign that the honey is natural :)

Why is honey candied?

Natural unpasteurized honey naturally contains glucose crystals and pollen grains from the flowers from which the honey is harvested.

Around these primary crystals, other crystals begin to collect, and so gradually the crystals grow to become the consistency of “candied” honey.

Stages of honey crystallization

Crystallization of honey begins with turbidity - honey becomes less transparent. Crystallization occurs from the bottom up and from the edges of the container to the center. Starting crystals, around which crystallization begins, are located at the bottom or along the edges of the walls of the vessel. Sometimes this process does not look very attractive.

The ideal storage temperature for rapid crystallization is 13 to 17 °C.

How to make honey not crystallize (candied)

The physical process of honey crystallization can be either prevented or reversed by using different temperature regimes.

If you bought fresh runny honey and don't want it to be candied, keep it cold. At storage temperatures below 10 °C, the crystal formation process slows down. Tip for liquid honey lovers: pack fresh liquid honey in small containers and put in the freezer. At temperatures from -1 to -5 ° C, honey freezes, all processes stop. When you want to enjoy, defrost a portion of honey. You will receive again fresh liquid honey, the properties of which have not changed.

At storage temperatures above 20 °C, the crystallization process also slows down. But at the same time, there is a gradual change in the properties of honey: a decrease in the level of enzyme activity (diastase, invertase), an increase in the level of hydroxymethylfurfural. Read more about the effect of storage conditions on these indicators in the article How to store honey to preserve its beneficial properties.

Already "candied" honey can be melted by heating to 40 ° C and above. With gentle heating at 40-50 ° C, honey melts, but after a while, crystallization will begin again. Even with such heating, a partial loss of honey properties occurs. Large-scale production can use the pasteurization method, when honey is heated to 70 ° C. After such a procedure, honey will never begin to crystallize, however, the benefits of such a product are much less than from natural honey.