Natural, properly preserved honey will not expire. Archeologists found honey thousands of years old in ancient Egyptian tombs, and it was still good! While most of us don’t need to worry about honey that old, their discovery proves that if properly contained, real honey can last for a very, very long time. The National Honey Board also agrees. They say, “Honey stored in sealed containers can remain stable for decades and even centuries!”
Honey is a food produced by bees starting from nectar and honeydew. It is a natural sweetener, and there are dozens of varieties depending on the type of nectar. It has many health properties and produces a lower rise in blood sugar levels than sucrose sugar, advisable for people with diabetes. It differs in flavor, smell, color, crystallization, and properties. The varietals deriving from a single type of flower is a “monofloral.” In contrast, if it is nectar taken from various plants, it is called “polifloreal” or even “millefiori.”
Honey description
It has a more or less dense syrupy consistency, light yellow to orange and reddish color, viscous to transparent appearance, sweet and aromatic flavor that varies according to the nectar’s origin. It is the king of natural sweeteners and ideal for sweetening any drinks, and at equal weight, it is sweeter than sugar. Also suitable for dessert preparations and savory dishes. Honey has been used for centuries in cheese pairing as well. Ideal as a health remedy, mixed with milk or brandy, excellent for alleviating winter ailments such as colds and fever. Thanks to the antibacterial qualities, this food has a long shelf life naturally. Alterations are possible due to humidity, light, heat as conditions, and moisture, promoting fermentation. If that happens, you will have some mead or honey wine.
The temperature directly influences the aroma and nutrients.
Below 50° F honey will show some crystallization.
Honey can be stored at temperatures below zero.
Honey can be stored at 80 ° F for two months.
Direct light will affect the quality so it is advisable to keep honey in dark containers or indoors not to become rancid.
It tends to absorb humidity and odors from the environment; therefore, the jars should be hermetically sealed.
Do not store honey at temperatures higher than 75 F degrees, as the organoleptic characteristics would expire quickly. Below 40 F degrees in the fridge would become too dense.
The advice is to buy finely crystallized honey, which preserves optimal pleasantness in the mouth and spreadability, or focus on honey that does not concentrate in a short time, such as acacia, chestnut, and honeydew. You must always try to buy the best, so the stores where to buy are the productions directed by beekeepers. Other safe places are herbalists and specialized shops, while the large distribution chains are the last place for purchase. Often in these entities, honey is most industrialized and manipulated.
Check that the label says “pure” because this word’s presence indicates that the product has not diluted (i.e., added with sugar, syrups, or additives unrelated to the product). Do not worry if some types of honey will have thickening agents. It all depends on the floral origin. Sometimes warm the package to dissolve lightly. Honey is rich in “good” nutrients for health.
Below are the percentages in general lines.
18% of water
40-45% of fructose
35-40% of glucose
4-10% of sucrose
Vitamins, minerals, enzymes, pollen, organic acids, phytohormones, etc.
Benefits
It contains fructose and produces a lower increase in blood sugar levels than sucrose sugar. The great advantage of honey is that it can provide the body with readily available calories, without requiring digestive processes and without, at the same time, containing indigestible or harmful substances. It has a mildly laxative effect. It is therapeutic, remineralizing, anti-anemic, relaxing, stimulates the appetite, calms the cough, and can inhibit the action of some bacteria that cause diarrhea and colitis. Externally it is disinfectant and cicatrizing for wounds and sores. It also has many other properties that vary according to the origin of the nectar.
Grandma’s remedies with honey
1) An excellent remedy to calm cough and phlegm. Heat a cup of milk and then boil pour two tablespoons of honey, to be consumed very hot.
2) Honey milk and brandy is also a powerful combination.
3) Heat the milk, and when it boils, pour a generous spoonful of honey and one of brandy, drink it hot and go to bed. Gargling with honey and water in cases of hoarseness help to get the voice back, dissolve one / two spoons of honey in a glass of water.
Some history
Honey, widely used during the Egyptian era, had beekeepers move along the Nile river following the plant’s flowering back 4,000 years ago. Terracotta pots filled with liquid gold have been discovered during the pharaohs’ tombs’ excavations and in perfect conditions. The Sumerians used it in creams with clay, water, and cedar oil, while the Babylonians used it for cooking: type of scones with flours, dates, sesame seeds, and of course, honey. “Food of the Gods,” known among the Greeks, represented a vital component in the rites that included votive offerings. Homer describes the collection of wild honey; Pythagoras recommended it as a food for a long life. The Romans imported vast quantities from Crete, Cyprus, Spain, and Malta.
As far as Italian honey, the law prohibits any addition to the product but allows extraction from honeycombs by centrifugal force, settling, filtering, and guided crystallization.
ATTENTION: Honey can be sophisticated with the addition of glucose: in this case, it appears yellow in the upper part of the jar and whitish in the lower one.
Chef: as a personal preferential choice, I opt for Italian unfiltered honey for daily consumption and cooking. For my American choice, Natures Nate preferred. I am sure you have your favorite, and hopefully, organic and from your territory.
