Natural bee honey has a long shelf life. But after 24 months, the valuable nectar loses most of its beneficial properties and turns into an ordinary sweet treat. This beekeeping product is most often used for baking and as healthy sugar for drinks. How to get the maximum benefit from a stale product and what can be made from old bee honey, we will look into the details below.
Expiration date of honey
The shelf life of honey depends on the following factors:
- maturity of nectar pumped out from the hive;
- weather and climatic conditions in which the insects collected the delicacy;
- honey plants growing in the honey production region;
- storage conditions for the finished beekeeping product.
Store nectar in tightly closed containers at a temperature not exceeding +20 degrees and moderate humidity. Honey is hygroscopic and quickly absorbs moisture from the air, which negatively affects its properties and composition. If all requirements are met, the treat retains all its beneficial and nutritional characteristics for up to 2 years.
Important! If stored improperly, the natural gift develops a bitter taste, separation and clouding of the nectar is observed, and foam forms on the surface. This product is not suitable for consumption even in processed form.
Where can you use old honey?
There is no need to throw away old, stagnant bee nectar, because many benefits can be derived from this valuable product in cooking, folk medicine and cosmetology:
- the treat retains antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties;
- has a calming effect, improves the functioning of the nervous system, activates brain activity;
- is a carrier of nutrients for skin, hair and nail plates;
- used as a natural antiseptic and as a pain reliever.
Old honey is also actively used in beekeeping to feed insects during the cold season.
Important! Stale delicacies retain substances that can cause an allergic reaction and individual intolerance to the product.
In cosmetology
After 2 years of storage, honey loses its main healing properties. But nectar contains many beneficial carbohydrates and mineral compounds that are used in cosmetology.You can use this delicacy to make nourishing, cleansing and rejuvenating masks at home, and add it to shampoos, shower gels and balms.
This natural gift has an antifungal effect, so it helps get rid of dandruff and improve hair structure. To prepare a cosmetic product you will need:
- a tablespoon of natural bee honey;
- 200 ml of chamomile decoction.
Nectar is added to the decoction and mixed thoroughly. Treat the hair and scalp with the prepared infusion and leave for 2 hours. After time, the head is washed with warm, running water. This procedure is repeated every 2-3 days until the problem is eliminated.
To make a rejuvenating mask, egg white is mixed with 1 tablespoon of nectar. The resulting mass is applied to the facial skin and left for 15-20 minutes, after which it is washed off with warm water.
Advice! An old beekeeping product is great for massage and preparing a nourishing scrub.
Cooking
If honey in jars has not fermented and has not lost its taste, it is used to prepare various desserts, sauces, marinades and drinks.
Since ancient times, sbiten and mead have been made from natural bee gifts. In ancient Rus', these were the most common drinks consumed by different segments of the population. Also, the stale delicacy produces tasty and healthy baked goods, and even in its natural form, the beekeeping product is an excellent dessert for tea or coffee.
Anti hangover
If you mix natural bee gift with ginger, this remedy quickly relieves hangover and intoxication of the body after drinking alcoholic beverages.
To prepare you will need:
- a small piece of fresh ginger root;
- 2 teaspoons of natural bee treat.
Ginger is brewed with boiling water and left for 15-20 minutes, after which honey is added to the broth and stirred.
Important! Drink the healing drink on an empty stomach, 20-30 minutes before meals.
ethnoscience
Honey has long been used to treat and prevent many diseases. Although stagnant nectar loses most of its healing and beneficial properties, such a product is indispensable for increasing immunity and in the treatment of colds and viral diseases. For a severe cough, prepare a mixture of honey and lemon juice, and bring down the high fever with warm drinks with the addition of treats.
Making honey from honey
Professional beekeepers use old nectar reserves to make fresh bee honey. The activities are carried out during a period when the number of flowering honey plants and insect activity decreases.
The stagnant product is installed next to the hives. The bees will then independently produce fresh nectar from the old honey.
Storage methods
To ensure that the healing nectar does not lose its beneficial properties, it is necessary to follow certain rules for storing the natural gift:
- It is not allowed to store beekeeping products in plastic and metal containers. It is best to place honey in a ceramic, porcelain or glass container.
- The lids of the containers must be tightly sealed to prevent excess moisture and air from entering.
- The storage temperature of natural bee gifts should not exceed +20 degrees.
The containers are placed in a dark place with humidity not exceeding 60%.When exposed to sunlight, the delicacy loses most of its valuable and beneficial substances, and the shelf life of such a product is significantly reduced.
