Monofloral honey is considered a rare delicacy, since each medicinal honey plant has unique qualities. In folk medicine, goldenrod honey is used to treat inflammatory diseases of the pharynx, some diseases of the gastrointestinal tract and genitourinary system. It must be taken into account that goldenrod blooms from July to September-October, and beekeepers most often leave nectar in the honeycombs for the winter.
Description of goldenrod honey
Two types of plants are melliferous (Canadian goldenrod and common goldenrod).The consistency of the sweet product can be quite liquid or thick, the palette of shades ranges from light yellow to brown. The peculiarity of the delicacy is its tart taste, with notes of bitterness, which disappears after a month and a half.
Honey collected from Canadian goldenrod crystallizes after 3.5-4 months, and from common goldenrod – after two months. The presence of yellowish tints in the candied product means the presence of foreign impurities.
Composition and calorie content
Goldenrod honey is a monofloral honey; the calorie content of 100 g of the product is 350-400 kcal. The value of the sweet product is explained, first of all, by the rich composition of vitamins:
- C – 65-70 mg;
- E – 0.5-0.9 mg;
- RR – 0.7-0.9 mg;
- B1 – 0.5-0.6 mg.
The product also contains a wide range of minerals: zinc, tin, copper, chromium, aluminum, silicon, boron, manganese. The delicacy also includes saponin, amino acids, and essential oils.
How is it useful?
The main benefit of goldenrod honey is that it fights bacteria. The delicacy also exhibits other beneficial properties:
- sweetness is used as an additional therapy in the treatment of sore throat, skin diseases, gastritis;
- consuming honey helps eliminate problems with the kidneys and bladder;
- sweetness has a beneficial effect on the liver, speeds up metabolic processes and thins the blood.
The product refreshes the skin and saturates it with valuable substances, slowing down the aging process.
In what cases is it used?
Most often, nectar is used in folk medicine. Infusions, ointments, and vitamin mixtures are prepared from goldenrod honey. Several recipes are popular:
- a teaspoon of delicacy is diluted in 100 ml of mineral water. A freshly prepared drink is drunk twice a day, the course is 15-20 days. The drug is used for edema and kidney diseases, inflammation of the bladder;
- A mixture of 300 g of heated honey and 300 g of chopped walnuts will help solve the problems of chronic fatigue, anemia, anemia, vitamin deficiency. The sweet mass is consumed one teaspoon three times a day;
- a mixture of nectar (2/3 cup) and a glass of fresh mashed currants will effectively help cleanse and restore the liver. Take the product on an empty stomach, 2-3 times a day, a teaspoon.
To relieve painful conditions of an inflamed throat and nasopharynx, slowly dissolve a teaspoon of sweets on an empty stomach (2-3 times a day).
Contraindications and harms of honey
The delicacy is a healthy product, however, when consuming it is necessary to take into account a number of restrictions:
- the presence of pollen makes the sweet allergenic;
- Do not use if you have pancreatitis or stomach ulcers, cholelithiasis;
- renal or liver failure;
- during lactation;
- in case of exacerbation of gastritis.
It is recommended that pregnant women avoid eating sweets, as the likelihood of an allergy increases, even if there was none before.
How to spot a fake
It can be difficult to identify a fake by the appearance of the product or by its aroma and taste. Then you can do several tests at home:
- When heated, natural honey turns into a clear liquid. If cloudiness is observed, impurities are present;
- The treat is diluted with water and iodine is added to the mixture. The appearance of a blue tint means the presence of starch.
To make sure there is no water, a small part of the nectar is placed on paper. Sweetness diluted with water forms a wet spot on the paper or even leaks.
Storage periods and rules
To preserve the beneficial qualities of honey, it is important to ensure appropriate storage conditions for the product:
- optimal storage temperature: from + 10 °C to + 20 °C, humidity – 75%;
- Avoid exposure of the product to direct sunlight (it is advisable to place the jar in a dark place);
- The container must be tightly closed with a lid.
Honey is a product that strongly absorbs foreign odors, so it is stored separately, in a tightly closed container. It is recommended to pour sweets into glass containers to prevent the occurrence of oxidation processes, as when using metal utensils.
Monofloral goldenrod honey is not an acquired taste due to its unique tart taste. However, exceptional beneficial qualities make sweetness an effective remedy. To preserve the value of natural delicacies, it is important to ensure proper storage conditions.
