Lavender is a famous plant that has a beautiful blue-violet hue and a pleasant aroma. However, not everyone knows that honey is made from this crop. Gourmets value it for its unique taste, rich composition and medicinal properties. At the same time, lavender honey also has certain contraindications that must be taken into account when consuming the product.
Description and differences
Lavender is a wonderful honey plant.Bees can collect up to 200 kilograms of honey from 1 hectare. They collect honey nectar and pollen from mid-spring to late summer, since the lavender flowering period lasts only 40 days.
Lavender honey is obtained in two main ways:
- the natural variety is made from nectar collected from flowers in the fields;
- To make your own honey, take any flower composition and heat it with lavender petals - this gives the product a unique aroma.
A monofloral product that does not contain pollen from other plants is extremely rare. However, it is widely sought after among gourmets. It is also actively used in folk medicine. Honey that is mixed and heated with lavender petals is just flavorful. However, it lacks unique medicinal properties.
Natural lavender nectar is characterized by the following features:
- transparent dark color - it can be golden or reddish, and after crystallization it becomes lighter;
- soft and pleasant aroma - violet notes are felt in it;
- sweet, but not cloying taste - sometimes it contains sour or salty notes;
- viscous and viscous consistency after collection;
- sticky and dense structure after sugaring - small grains are felt in the mass;
- crystallization after 2-3 months.
Composition and calorie content
Lavender honey is 75% simple sugars. The amount of sucrose in the composition reaches 2%. A characteristic feature of the product is the predominance of glucose over fructose. It also contains the following ingredients:
- essential oils;
- enzymes - these include alpha and beta amylase, invertase, glucose oxidase;
- organic acids – malic and citric acids dominate in the composition;
- flavonoids - these include, in particular, kaemferol, apigenin, luteolin, isorhamnetin;
- B vitamins;
- carbohydrates – 100 grams of product contain 80 grams of these substances;
- minerals - in particular, magnesium, manganese, calcium, iron, iodine;
- amino acids.
The product is considered quite high in calories. The energy value of 100 grams of lavender honey is 320 kilocalories. There are 114 kilocalories in 1 tablespoon, and 42 in a teaspoon.
Beneficial features
This type of honey has many beneficial properties. Thanks to its regular use, it is possible to achieve the following results:
- Improve cerebral circulation in people over 40 years of age.
- Increase endurance. This is especially true for people who play sports.
- Improve the condition of the nervous system. With the help of the substance it is possible to prevent depression, cope with the consequences of stress, and neutralize the negative effects of hormonal changes.
- Improve sleep quality.
- Cope with spasms and convulsions.
- Get rid of headaches.
- Get a mild diuretic effect.
- Cleanse the body of bad cholesterol.
- Strengthen vascular walls.
- Achieve an immunostimulating effect. This helps increase the body's resistance during acute respiratory viral infections.
- Cope with symptoms of arthritis, arthrosis, rheumatism. In this case, honey is used in the form of compresses.
- Cope with germs and fungi on the skin.
- Cope with the development of malignant cells. This effect is achieved due to the presence of gallic acid in the composition, which helps suppress their reproduction.
- Accelerate the healing of ulcerative defects in the digestive organs.
- Improve the condition of Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease.
In folk medicine, lavender honey is often used for pathologies of the respiratory system and colds. The composition is also effective for diseases of the urinary tract, heart and blood vessels.
The delicate lavender aroma has calming properties and evokes pleasant memories. In cosmetology, the product is used as a component of masks and lotions that help cope with acne.
Where is lavender honey used?
This beekeeping product has a complex effect and brings great benefits to the body. Moreover, it can be used in different areas of life.
Cosmetology
This variety is often used in cosmetology. Lavender honey can be added to honey baths, masks and scrubs. Its benefit lies in saturating the skin with biologically active substances. Thanks to this, it is possible to get rid of old wrinkles and avoid the formation of new ones.
Honey masks and scrubs have pronounced cleansing properties. Therefore, they can be safely used to eliminate pimples, blackheads and rashes.
ethnoscience
The product can be eaten if you have the flu. Thanks to this, it allows you to recover faster and avoid complications. Honey helps eliminate symptoms of rhinitis and general weakness. The substance also effectively cleanses the body of heavy metal salts and radiation products.
In addition, lavender honey has pronounced diuretic properties and is an effective antipyretic. The composition promotes the healing of ulcerative defects in the digestive tract. In addition, it strengthens the immune system and relieves chronic fatigue. By applying honey compresses to the affected joints, it is possible to get rid of arthritis, rheumatism and radiculitis.
For women's health
Lavender honey benefits women.With moderate consumption of the product, the following results can be achieved:
- stabilize the menstrual cycle;
- normalize blood circulation;
- improve overall well-being;
- recover;
- reduce pain and stop inflammation.
The composition is also considered a unique dietary product that can be eaten in moderation every day.
For athletes
Systematic use of the substance helps increase endurance. This characteristic is very relevant for athletes. With long-term use, the product helps to reduce the dosage of medications used.
In cooking
The nectar has a soft consistency and moderate sweetness. In addition, it is characterized by a delicate floral aroma. Due to this, the substance is often used in cooking. Sweet flour products are baked from it - muffins, pies, buns. Honey is also used to make marmalade, sweets, nougat, and gingerbread. You can eat soft cheeses with it.
Storage rules
Lavender honey is stored in a dark place. The optimal temperature is +15-20 degrees. At the same time, honey does not need to be put in the refrigerator, since it crystallizes faster there. However, this will not affect its quality. The container with honey must be hermetically sealed. This will help preserve the aroma and benefits of the product.
If there is a need to melt candied honey, it can be heated to a maximum of +40 degrees. The best option would be to use a water bath. However, you should not use a stove or microwave.
How to distinguish from a fake?
Unscrupulous sellers may pass off a flower product or other cheap varieties as natural lavender honey. This composition cannot be called a complete fake. It has excellent taste and pleasant aroma. In addition, the composition has beneficial properties characteristic of ordinary flower honey and lavender petals. At the same time, it contains fewer essential oils and should cost much less.
The main criterion that distinguishes natural lavender honey is that it does not smell like lavender! If a product has a pronounced lavender smell, it is 100% fake!
Contraindications and harm
This product should be used with great caution by allergy sufferers. The main manifestations of adverse reactions include rash, swelling of the tongue, and skin hyperemia. Such symptoms usually occur 5-10 minutes after consumption.
Lavender honey is considered a very healthy product. It contains many valuable components and has a pleasant taste. At the same time, the composition also has a number of contraindications, the main of which is an allergy to bee products.
