Experts from the Krasnoyarsk Center for the Assessment of Product Safety and Quality told how to protect yourself from and treat colds with honey, as well as about its beneficial properties.
According to experts, honey contains more than 300 useful components, which makes it a storehouse of health. During the season, honey is pumped out 3-4 times. The most valuable is the May one, which is collected in June. The color, taste, aroma and properties of honey depend on the type of plant. For the product to be useful, the hives must be located in environmentally friendly places, away from roads and fields where agrochemicals are used.
“The most useful is buckwheat honey, which helps with colds, skin diseases and anemia, and linden honey with bronchitis and sore throat. Acacia honey is recommended for insomnia and neurological disorders, chestnut honey strengthens the immune system and is useful for gastrointestinal diseases. The product can be liquid, honeycomb or lump. But sometimes bees are fed with sugar syrup, resulting in a useless surrogate. Natural honey begins to crystallize (thicken or harden) 2-3 months after collection. To return it to a liquid state, it is heated, but not above +40 degrees, otherwise it loses its beneficial properties,” noted the Krasnoyarsk branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “TsK Agroindustrial Complex”.
You can check the quality of honey at home. If you dip a piece of bread into it and it hardens, then the product is natural; if it softens, it is sugar syrup. Natural honey does not stick to hot metal. When purchasing, pay attention to its consistency, smell and taste. It should be rich, without any extraneous tastes, bitterness or signs of fermentation. A sharp or chemical smell or a cloying aftertaste indicate additives.
In winter, natural honey becomes candied and becomes hard and grainy. If you see a liquid and transparent product on sale in January-February, this is the result of overheating or dilution with syrup. Natural honey has a dense structure, stretches in an even stream, forming a slide on the surface. The color depends on the type of plant and winter honey is lighter than summer honey. If it has a bright color, with a pinkish or greenish tint, then it is not a natural product.
Experts advise buying honey only in places of authorized trade from sellers who have the appropriate certificates. To preserve its beneficial properties, honey must be kept in a dark and cool place, in a closed glass jar, but not in a plastic container.
Honey is an allergenic product, so the daily dose for adults should be no more than 2 tablespoons. Give preference to honey that has not undergone heat treatment, it is healthier.
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