Is it possible to heat honey, that is the question

Honey is famous for its nutritional and healing properties. It is used almost universally - as a food additive, it is used to produce skin and hair care products, as well as preparations that help overcome various diseases. But some recipes suggest the use of this product in a liquid warm state, which raises quite logical questions - is it possible to heat honey and whether it will lose its unique qualities.

In addition to all of the above qualities, honey can keep food fresh for a fairly long period of time. This property was known even in ancient Greece, when canned meat, which under the honey "coat" could remain fresh for about five years. The Egyptians used honey for embalming. He is able to save and protect from various types of food. For example, if honey preserves butter, it will not deteriorate within six months. Covered animal products can be stored at room temperature for four years, preserving its freshness and natural taste. This quality of honey is due to the fact that its composition includes biologically active substances obtained from plants and the organism of bees.

Why heat honey?

Before determining whether it is possible to heat honey, it is necessary to decide what to do in general and in which cases this process is a necessity.

• . If cosmetic procedures are considered, mixtures based on a slightly heated bee product are much easier to prepare and apply to the skin.

Important! Crystallized honey dissolves poorly and combines with other components of the composition, and large hard particles can damage the upper layers of the skin.

• Beekeepers are forced to dilute the candied nectar to distribute it over storage and sale containers, since filling bottles with a narrow neck is otherwise impossible.
• Speaking about folk healing compositions based on honey, it is worth repeating and emphasize the convenience of using this product in a warm form.

What happens when I heat up?

It is not difficult to understand how to properly heat-treat this unique product. The main thing is to understand what happens to it when the temperature rises to a certain point and why it is impossible to heat the honey too much.

+ 40 ° C

Having reached this temperature, honey loses a small amount of its medicinal and nutritional properties. This is a critical mark, and if you continue heating, then at best from a useful product of beekeeping you will get an ordinary sweet syrup with a high content of fructose and glucose.

At + 40 ° C, honey loses its original color, becoming slightly darker, in some cases acquires a rich brown hue. Bactericidal properties and aroma also suffer. The faster and longer the heating, the quality of honey will become worse.

+ 45 ° C

At this temperature, the destruction of enzymes begins. This process happens almost instantly, and it is impossible to stop it. Honey at the same time loses its energy and nutritional value.

Similar effect is obtained if you add honey in too hot tea or milk. Therefore, in order to get the maximum benefit from this product, it is better to use it separately or, as they say, "snap".

+ 60 ° C and above

A mark of + 60 ° C can carry a risk, since it is believed that overcoming it, honey becomes carcinogenic. There is an increase in the level of oxymethylfurfural, which is formed from saccharides. This is an intermediate toxic product, which appears due to the decomposition of sugars. Its concentration influences the shelf life of honey and makes it possible to distinguish falsification from a natural quality product of beekeeping.

Tip! Try to store and consume honey in its natural state, without heating without special need.

Thus, the question of whether it is possible to boil honey, become completely inappropriate.

How to properly warm up?

When heating honey, the process must be properly observed. Let's look at the most popular methods.

Microwave oven

Many use the microwave oven as it is very quick and easy. But in this case you simply say goodbye to all the medicinal qualities of the product.

Warning! Remember, the mark of the thermometer + 40 ° C is critical. It is impossible to cross it.

Why can not honey be heated in a microwave oven? This device is capable of heating the products at a sufficiently strong power. Even if you turn it on for a few seconds, the intensity of the heat will still be too strong and the healing nectar will instantly lose all its properties. If you want a regular sweetener, use a microwave oven.

Water bath

Optimal conditions for heating can be created only with the help of a water bath. The process itself is simple enough and does not require special adaptations. Undoubtedly, you will need a little more time than using an oven, but you will save absolutely all the useful properties of honey, without losing its nutritional value.

What is a water bath? In fact, everything is very simple. In a large container, you need to pour a small amount of water, so that the immersed vessel with honey was covered with liquid by about a third. At the bottom of this dish is laid gauze or piece of cloth.

Important! The container with water and the vessel with honey should not come into contact.

Use heat-resistant containers as external utensils. When the water boils, the gas delivery rate is reduced to a minimum level to ensure a slow uniform heating of the honey.

. From the above, it can be concluded that a microwave oven is not suitable for heating honey, and a water bath is the most acceptable option. More details about the crystallization and all possible methods of heating honey, we told in the article: How to melt the honey, so that it does not lose useful properties.

Important! Remember that you must act carefully and carefully. If it is not possible to regulate the temperature of the product, it is better to leave this venture and not to heat the sweet without the urgent need.

In fact, the crystallized honey is no different from fresh nectar, which has just been extracted from the hive. It still stores all the vitamins, minerals, enzymes and has a strong enough therapeutic effect. If you do not have a specific goal, then you better refrain from unreasonably raising the temperature of honey, and it will bring you exceptional benefits.