From the beginning of spring to the end of autumn, bees collect and process the nectar of meadow grasses. This bouquet includes all the vitamins and microelements necessary for people. The result is a meadow variety of honey. It contains many valuable components and has excellent taste. The product is often used for medicinal purposes and used in cosmetology.
What does it look like?
Beekeepers consider meadow honey to be first-class.Since bees collect nectar from different herbs and flowers, the product can have different shades - from light yellow to brown. Taste qualities also vary - it all depends on the predominant herbs. Thus, nectar made from dandelion pollen has a rich yellow tint and a tart taste.
In any case, meadow honey has a thick consistency and a distinct aroma. It turns out opaque.
Composition and calorie content
100 grams of product contain 320-400 kilocalories. This should be taken into account by people who are on a diet. 1 small spoon contains approximately 26 kilocalories, a tablespoon - up to 100. Honey consists of 80% carbohydrates. Moreover, it contains up to 10% proteins.
Meadow honey contains a large amount of vitamins and microelements. It contains a lot of magnesium, potassium, iron. The product contains iodine, calcium and phosphorus. Honey is also considered a source of vitamins A, B, C, E, K. In addition, it contains enzymes, glucose and fructose.
What are the benefits of meadow honey?
Meadow honey is characterized by pronounced beneficial properties. The product helps strengthen the immune system, produces an anti-stress effect, and restores digestive functions. It is used to prevent and treat respiratory infections. The composition is indicated for metabolic disorders, increased anxiety, and chronic fatigue. It can also be used for vitamin deficiency.
Honey helps fight viruses and bacteria. At the same time, unlike antibacterial drugs, the beekeeping product does not have a negative effect on the intestinal microflora. Doctors advise using honey as an additional remedy for the treatment of pathologies of the respiratory system.If the disease is not acute, you can avoid using potent drugs and use exclusively natural remedies.
Meadow honey has a mild soothing effect. It helps cope with severe anxiety and avoid the development of depression.
With systematic use of the product, it is possible to restore sleep and cope with fatigue during the day.
In folk medicine, the product is considered the elixir of youth. With its help, it is possible to slow down the appearance of wrinkles and maintain a beautiful skin tone. This is due to the increased content of vitamins and microelements. They have a beneficial effect on the health and appearance of skin and hair.
How is it used?
Meadow honey has excellent taste and medicinal properties. Therefore, it is often used in different areas of life.
ethnoscience
This product is often used in folk medicine to solve various problems. In this case, it is permissible to use the following recipes:
- Ointment for fighting burns. To get a high-quality composition, you need to take 1 tablespoon each of meadow honey, butter and swamp dried grass powder. The finished composition should be cooled in the refrigerator and used to combat any skin lesions and burns.
- Composition for the treatment of influenza. To make a useful remedy, you need to take 1 tablespoon of linden flowers and raspberries, pour boiling water and cook for 5 minutes. The resulting broth needs to be cooled and 2 tablespoons of honey added. Take the finished product 4-6 times during the day.
- A remedy for improving sleep. To restore sleep, you need to take a mixture of 2 teaspoons of meadow honey, a small amount of lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.
Beauty Recipes
This variety is often used in home cosmetology.
The most effective compositions based on beekeeping products include the following:
- Scrubs and peelings - a candied composition is used for their preparation. Thanks to the grains, it helps remove dead skin particles, has a moisturizing effect and saturates it with vitamins. The product also helps eliminate skin inflammation and irritation. To make the procedure more effective, you must first warm up the dermis.
- Wraps perfectly tone and saturate the skin with vitamins, making it softer and more elastic. The procedure also helps to get rid of excess weight. In this case, the product must be applied to the body and wrapped in film for half an hour.
- Face and body masks - a pure product or a combination with other substances is suitable for their use. The mask must be applied for half an hour and then washed off with water. Thanks to this, it is possible to improve the structure of the skin and eliminate small wrinkles.
- Bath additives - carrying out this procedure in the evening helps to relax, relieve stress and tension, and improve sleep.
Before carrying out cosmetic procedures using meadow honey, it is important to assess the presence of allergies. To do this, the product must be applied to the inside of the hand and left for a quarter of an hour.
Selection rules
To buy a high-quality composition, it is important to know the main characteristics of natural honey. It should have the right consistency and flow slowly from the spoon, forming a small mound. The aroma is also important - it should be pleasant and not particularly strong.
Meadow honey has an average rate of crystallization. When sugared it becomes darker.
Contraindications
The product contains a lot of carbohydrates and is high in calories. Therefore, it should not be consumed by overweight people. The substance can also cause allergies. Therefore, children need to add it to their diet very carefully. People with diabetes also need to be careful.
How to distinguish real honey from fake
To avoid buying a counterfeit product, you can use the following methods:
- Dilute a little honey in water and add iodine to the composition. If flour has been mixed into the product, it will take on a blue tint.
- A drop of natural honey should not leave a wet mark on the paper. When ignited, the product will not melt or change color.
- If you dip a piece of bread in natural honey, it will become hard, but if you dip it in fake honey, it will soften.
- You can add a little vinegar to the aqueous solution of honey. If a hissing reaction appears, this indicates the presence of chalk in the composition.
- The product mixed with distilled water in a 1:2 ratio can be mixed with 2 drops of ammonia. If it turns white, a brown sediment will appear at the bottom, this indicates the presence of molasses in the composition.
Terms and conditions of storage
It is recommended to store honey in a closed container for 14 months. It is best to keep the product in a dark place at a temperature of +10-20 degrees. The best option for storage is sterilized glass containers.
Meadow honey is a healthy and tasty product that contains many valuable components. This allows it to be used to treat many diseases and improve the appearance of the skin.