In this blog, we will try to demystify 8 myths and facts about honey. Truth or old wives tale? let’s find out.
Crystallized honey is unnatural honey.
MYTH:
Crystallization is very much a natural process and is certainly not is a sign of unnatural honey or spoilt honey. Being a highly concentrated sugar solution, water in honey has more sugar than it could naturally hold (70% sugar and less than 20% water). This physical property of honey leads to its natural crystallization.
Honey is free of gluten.
FACT:
Yes, honey is gluten-free when it is raw and unadulterated. However, when it comes to cross-contamination honey makes no exception.
Bees do not need honey
MYTH:
The actual purpose of bees making honey is to use it during winter since there are fewer flowers to collect nectar from and not for our consumption. It is a reliable source of food for their colony during winters.
Honey has medicinal properties.
FACT:
Not just today but in ancient times also honey was known for its medicinal properties. Honey was used to treat wounds and gut diseases. It was used as a topical ointment. Not just that it was also used for wound healing, laxative action, cough, and sore throat, eye diseases, topical antisepsis, and much more.
Subjected to laboratory and clinical investigations over decades, the antibacterial property of honey is a remarkable finding. Recent research has proven the efficacy of honey in the treatment of several diseases due to its components and its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidants, antiviral and other properties.
Viscous honey is better than runny honey
MYTH:
Not at all. The thickness of honey has got nothing to do with its quality. The viscosity of honey varies depending on a lot of factors (flowers, soil, humidity, rainfall, nectar source, etc.) and cannot be used to judge its purity. As such, it is also a myth about honey.
Honey never goes bad or expires
FACT:
If stored properly honey never spoils. Store it properly and you can use it even after decades.
All bees make honey
MYTH:
Out of 7 families (approximately 7000 bees), only one – the Apidae family contains bees that make honey.