Many people are interested in whether there is honey in sugar and how to determine its amount. This is a very important question, since there is always a risk of purchasing sugar syrup instead of natural bee products. Experienced beekeepers and experts have in their arsenal many informative methods that allow them to assess the quality of beekeeping products. However, they can be used at home.
How much sugar is in honey
Even the highest quality and natural beekeeping product contains sugar. The main difference is the nature of its origin and benefits to the body. It is significantly different from a type of sugar. So, 100 grams of honey contains 80 grams of sugar. However, this amount includes several components:
- glucose;
- fructose;
- sucrose.
The first two varieties predominate in honey. Their content is 70-75 grams. These substances are monosaccharides. Due to this, they are considered harmless to the human body. Insulin is not needed to break down and digest such foods.
The remaining 7-12 grams of sucrose also gradually breaks down into glucose and fructose. Therefore, this amount is considered a variant of the norm. This is why many doctors say that natural bee nectar is much healthier than sugar.
Why is sugar added to honey?
Unscrupulous beekeepers strive to maximize the amount of sweet nectar. That's why they add additional components to it. The result is a mass that resembles real honey in appearance and consistency, but has nothing in common with it in composition.
Most often, natural bee nectar is counterfeited using syrup made from granulated sugar. This is the easiest way to sweeten unripe honey and significantly increase its quantity.
In addition, the following may be added to the composition:
- sugar syrup, which is made from starch or beets;
- starch with invert sugar syrup;
- sugar combined with flour.
You can prepare a sweet fake in different ways. All of them are very effective. That’s why it’s so important to know how to distinguish a counterfeit from a natural product.
How to test honey for sugar at home
There are several methods that can detect fake honey. But first, it’s worth assessing its appearance and quality characteristics. It is worth considering the following:
- Rub honey between your fingers. The natural product rubs easily and is absorbed into the skin.
- Examine the surface of the nectar. There cannot be any foam or bubbles on it. The appearance of signs of fermentation or foaming indicates insufficient maturity or the addition of water to the composition. The natural mass includes pollen particles, wax and other natural substances. Honey that is too pure and transparent is most likely a fake.
- Do not buy liquid product. The candied mass is more difficult to falsify. The natural product acquires a solid consistency over time. The fake crystallizes slowly or does not crystallize at all. It is worth considering that in late autumn or winter it is almost impossible to find natural honey in liquid form. The only exceptions are linden, acacia, willowherb and May varieties.
- Assess taste. A natural product should be moderately sweet and slightly tart. It may cause a slight tingling and burning sensation in the mouth. Such properties are not typical for artificial nectar. When heated, honey acquires a slight caramel flavor.
- Pay attention to the smell. The natural product is characterized by a recognizable floral aroma. The fake does not have such a pronounced smell.
To assess the naturalness of honey and its sugar content, you can use available means.
Iodine
To check the quality of honey, you can use iodine.To do this, it is recommended to take a small amount of sweet nectar and mix it with water. Then add a few drops of iodine there. If the product contains flour or starch, honey will acquire a bluish tint. The natural product will not change in any way.
Chemical pencil
This device will help determine the presence of foreign liquids in bee nectar. To do this, you need to take a piece of paper, apply a thin layer of honey on it and try to write something with a chemical pencil. If blue or purple traces appear, it means that sugar syrup or water has been added to the honey.
Weighing
The more water in bee nectar, the less its weight will be. A high-quality ripe product without foreign impurities in a liter glass jar weighs 1.5 kilograms. When conducting the experiment, it is important to take into account the weight of the container in which you plan to place the honey.
Ammonia
To carry out this experiment, you will need a few drops of ammonia. First you need to take some honey and mix it with water. Then add 2 drops of ammonia and shake thoroughly. If the product contains starch syrup, the mass will acquire a brown tint. In addition, sediment may appear in it.
The use of ethyl alcohol is also considered an informative method. In this case, you need to do the same steps. If there are impurities, you can see a milky, cloudy sediment that has a sticky consistency.
Vinegar
Acetic acid makes it possible to detect chalk in honey products. To do this, you need to make a honey-water solution and add a small amount of vinegar to it. It can be replaced with acetic acid. If there is a hissing sound that accompanies the release of carbon dioxide, we can conclude that the composition contains chalk.
Milk
With the help of fresh milk, it is possible to identify chalk that is obtained artificially or contains a lot of sugar. To do this, take a glass of hot milk and add 1 spoon of bee nectar to it. If the mixture curdles, it means the honey contains a lot of sugar.
Bread
This method allows you to determine the presence of water, which should not be in high-quality bee nectar. To carry out the experiment, you need to take some bread, dip it in a glass of honey for 7-10 seconds and pull it out. If the bread gets soggy, you can conclude that the honey contains a lot of moisture. If it hardens, then the nectar is natural.
By water
This experiment requires distilled water. You need to add a little bee nectar to a glass of liquid and mix thoroughly. A natural product without foreign additives will color the water yellowish and make it cloudy. Counterfeit with impurities will lead to the appearance of sediment. It may remain at the bottom or, on the contrary, float to the surface.
Paper
This method helps evaluate the wateriness of the product. To do this, you need to apply a few drops of bee nectar to a clean sheet of paper. After a few seconds, it’s worth looking at the surface. A natural product will leave the paper dry, while a paste with a high water content will leave a wet mark.
Honey is a very useful beekeeping product that helps to significantly improve your health. However, this is only possible by consuming natural nectar with optimal sugar content. To assess its quality, special methods can be used.
