Honey is a natural product that bees extract from flower nectar. The substance is characterized by a rich chemical composition. 95% of the product consists of carbohydrates, which are perfectly absorbed by the body and do not require special energy expenditure. The product contains many valuable amino acids, vitamins, and microelements. At the same time, people often wonder whether it is possible to heat bee honey.
Optimal heating temperature
After crystallization, honey acquires a solid consistency, making it difficult to use. In this case, there is often a need to heat the beekeeping product. To ensure that the composition does not lose its beneficial components, it must be heated correctly. To do this, you should use the following options:
- water bath;
- oven with thermostat that can be set to +40 degrees;
- radiator in winter;
- balcony in summer - in this case the mass should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
All of these methods help to heat the product gradually. To prevent the destruction of valuable compounds in its composition, the temperature must not exceed +40 degrees. It is strictly forbidden to bring the composition to a boil. After this procedure, there will be nothing useful left in it.
It is important to consider that with prolonged exposure to temperature, the following components completely disappear from honey:
- flavonoids;
- vitamins;
- natural antioxidants;
- substances that give the mass a pleasant sweet smell.
In fact, after heating, only sugars remain in the composition - fructose and glucose. At the same time, honey can hardly be called a medicine or a natural antibiotic. The substance will turn into a sweet liquid with a poor composition and lose its unique aroma. Therefore, experts do not recommend keeping the product near radiators, in the sun or in a very warm room. Storage temperature should not be higher than +25 degrees.
It is also not recommended to use a refrigerator. Under the influence of low temperatures, many useful components disappear and the structure of the product is destroyed.
What happens when it overheats
It is impossible to heat natural honey to a temperature of more than +60 degrees. This will turn a valuable product into a useless syrup.Moreover, temperatures above +40 degrees are already considered an undesirable threshold.
Benefit is lost
Adding honey to hot tea causes the loss of its beneficial characteristics. In this case, there is a destruction of vitamins and valuable enzymes, which are responsible for the unique medicinal properties.
It makes no sense to use a hot mass to treat and prevent colds. It will not help cope with other problems. At the same time, consuming a teaspoon of fresh composition before breakfast will help significantly strengthen the immune system and prepare for the change of seasons.
The taste spoils
Fans of the taste of the product will immediately notice the difference. Regular honey has a slight bitterness. It also has floral, herbaceous, and pine notes. After heating, the mass loses these taste qualities.
Allergy risk rises
Beekeeping products have pronounced allergenic properties. If the composition was heated to a temperature of more than +45-60 degrees, it should not be used by allergy sufferers. This will significantly increase the risk of adverse reactions.
Using an overheated product
Despite the fact that the overheated composition loses its benefits, it can still be used in cooking. Most often, the following is made from this honey:
- hot and cold drinks;
- confectionery;
- marinades and sauces in which you can bake fish and meat;
- glaze for vegetables and fruits;
- soups;
- hot appetizers.
The superheated composition can be added to baked goods instead of ordinary sugar. It helps give the finished product a unique taste, aroma and color. It is important to consider that during the baking process honey loses its properties as a living product.
However, there are still some benefits.The fact is that honey is considered a sweetener and allows you to use easily digestible carbohydrates, natural flavors and dyes instead of sucrose.
How can you heat it?
Various methods are used to heat honey. At the same time, experts advise using the most gentle options that allow you to monitor the temperature.
In the microwave
The microwave helps heat honey quickly and easily. When using this device, it is imperative to monitor the temperature to which honey can be heated. The dangerous mark is considered to be +40 degrees.
After heating medicinal nectar in the microwave, there is a risk of losing its beneficial properties. Most often, heating occurs unevenly. As a result, the composition turns into a regular mixture based on glucose and fructose.
If there is no other way to heat the product, you should use the “defrost” mode. It is recommended to start with 30 seconds. This method may take a long time, but it will preserve the maximum amount of valuable enzymes in the product.
The warm-up interval should be 15-30 seconds. In this case, the honey must be stirred vigorously in between. The procedure should be carried out until the substance acquires a liquid consistency.
Water bath
The best way to heat honey is in a water bath. This method is considered simple and completely safe for the beekeeping product. It is important to take a wide container and fill it with water. Place fabric on the bottom. Then place the container with honey in the container. It is important that it is one third covered with liquid.
After which it is recommended to place the structure on a stove and bring the water to a temperature of +40 degrees.Then heat the product over low heat, stirring it occasionally. In this way, it will be possible to achieve uniform and safe heating of the mass. Beekeepers advise using a cooking thermometer during the process. With its help you can control the degree of heating.
We distinguish a quality product from fakes
Unscrupulous beekeepers often fake honey. To do this, they mix the fresh product with the crystallized one and heat it. To avoid the tricks of scammers, honey needs to be checked before purchasing. In this case, you should adhere to the following recommendations:
- The fresh product has a sweet smell and taste. The old heated composition has a weak aroma.
- Fresh mass is characterized by a uniform consistency. The substance has a liquid but viscous texture. The heated product turns out watery.
- It is recommended to try a spoonful of honey before purchasing. At the same time, you should hold it on your tongue. The fresh product will have sweet or tart notes, and a pleasant warmth will appear in the throat. The old and heated composition does not have any unusual facets - it simply has a sweet taste.
- It is worth paying attention to the color of the mass. Old heated honey has a darker shade than its fresh counterpart.
Honey is considered a very useful beekeeping product, which contains a large number of valuable components. In order for the composition to bring only benefits, it is important to ensure its proper storage. If necessary, the mass can be heated, but the optimal temperature regime must be observed.
