Milk thistle, or marin thistle, is a herbaceous plant from the Asteraceae family. It is characterized by many useful properties. Therefore, honey from the milk thistle plant is considered very valuable for the body. This product is quite rare, so acquiring natural nectar is not so easy. It is important to consider that it must have a viscous, uniform consistency and a persistent floral aroma.
Appearance of milk thistle honey
Milk thistle honey is quite rare because bees are not very fond of this plant. To buy a natural product, you need to know what it looks like. Real honey should have a fairly thick and viscous consistency.
As for the color, it is most often close to a light shade of yellow. Depending on the area and growing conditions, the shade can be light yellow or dark amber.
The taste of marina thistle honey should be distinct and sweet. After consuming the product, a persistent aftertaste is felt. The aroma resembles the usual honey smell, but it contains tart notes.
Honey from this plant is distinguished by fairly rapid crystallization. Once candied, the product is easy to consume. It contains soft particles that are easy to bite.
Chemical composition
Milk thistle honey contains the following components:
- fructose, glucose and sucrose;
- water;
- dextrin - is a product of starch decomposition;
- organic acids – affect the acidity of the product;
- microelements - this category includes selenium, zinc, iodine, boron, chromium;
- macroelements - these include potassium, magnesium, calcium, iron;
- vitamins B, E, K, D;
- carotenoids;
- essential oils.
Beneficial features
Milk thistle honey is considered one of the most valuable varieties. Thanks to its use, it is possible to achieve a number of beneficial effects:
- Improve liver function. This product helps with inflammation of the liver and bile ducts. The substance has hepatoprotective properties, avoids organ destruction and accelerates its recovery. It is permissible to use the product to restore normal bile synthesis.
- Improve the condition of hepatitis C.Milk thistle honey cannot be called a medicine that helps eliminate this dangerous viral disease. At the same time, in the initial stages of pathology, the product helps stop the proliferation of pathogens and alleviate symptoms.
- Strengthen the body with a weakened immune system and vitamin deficiency. The product helps to recover from a long illness and prevent viral infections.
- Improve the functioning of the nervous system. The beekeeping product is useful for stress, unstable emotional state and sleep disorders. Honey contains quercetin, which has a calming effect. In addition, this variety helps improve brain function and avoid the development of complex neurological pathologies.
- Normalize metabolism and digestive functions. It is recommended to eat a small amount of honey if you are prone to constipation, slow digestion of food and intestinal spasms. The product stimulates the absorption of beneficial elements that come with food and cleanses the body of accumulated toxins.
- Reduce joint pain. The beekeeping product has pronounced anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, it can be used for arthritis, arthrosis, and rheumatism. The composition eliminates pain and helps get rid of local swelling.
Beekeeping products are especially beneficial for women.
Its systematic use has a beneficial effect on appearance and helps slow down the aging process.
Milk thistle honey is useful for the following disorders:
- blood pathologies - the substance increases the number of platelets in the blood plasma;
- violation of metabolic processes;
- pathologies of the liver and gallbladder - the substance helps improve the flow of bile and strengthen the protective functions of the liver;
- disturbances in the functioning of the nervous system - the composition helps to cope with insomnia and increased anxiety;
- haemorrhoids;
- radiculitis and other joint pain.
ethnoscience
For a general strengthening effect and treatment of internal organs, it is important to adhere to the dosage. In this case, adults are recommended to consume 1-2 tablespoons of honey, and children over 3 years old - 1-1.5 teaspoons.
To make the use of the product more effective, it should be divided into several equal parts.
For the liver
Milk thistle honey helps protect, heal and restore the liver in various diseases. These include liver failure, cirrhosis, and hepatitis. In this case, the product can be combined with water, tea, milk. It can also be consumed in its natural form.
For joints
To cope with sore joints, you can make honey lotions. To do this, it is recommended to take 1-2 small spoons of honey, apply to the problem area and wrap with a warm cloth for 20 minutes.
Application in cosmetology
In cosmetology, honey is used to solve the following problems:
- To improve hair growth. In this case, you need to heat 2-3 tablespoons of the product to +40 degrees. It is advisable to use a steam bath for this. The finished composition must be applied to the scalp, put on a plastic shower cap, and wrap it in a towel. After half an hour, the composition must be washed off. It is recommended to carry out the procedure daily for 10 days.
- To eliminate acne, facial and age wrinkles. In this case, you need to take 1-2 tablespoons of honey and distribute evenly over your face.After 20 minutes, you need to wash off the mask with warm water.
- For massage. The required amount of the substance must be applied to the body and slowly rubbed into the skin. When the shade of honey becomes grayish, it must be washed off.
Contraindications and harm
Milk thistle honey brings not only benefits, but also harm. It must be taken very carefully, and in case of certain diseases you will have to abandon the product altogether.
The main restrictions include the following:
- allergic reactions to bee products;
- exacerbation of cholelithiasis;
- pregnancy;
- diabetes;
- chronic neurological pathologies;
- complex diseases of the heart and blood vessels;
- dyspnea;
- bronchial asthma.
During liver cleansing, milk thistle honey provokes side effects in the form of pain and diarrhea. If such symptoms persist for more than 2 days, you should stop using the product.
If a person has gallstone disease, it is necessary to start using the drug with small doses. Also, milk thistle should not be used for mental disorders - in particular, epilepsy or depression.
In rare cases, the product provokes disruption of the heart valve. This is observed when a person has heart and vascular diseases. This is due to the high content of phosphorus and calcium in the plant.
Honey should not be given to children under 2 years of age. It is strictly forbidden to consume the treat during breastfeeding. In this case, the child may develop a serious allergy.
Selection rules and storage features
Rare varieties of beekeeping products are often replaced with cheaper varieties. Many beekeepers give the bees sugar syrup or add impurities to the fresh product.These include, in particular, flour, starch, and molasses. To identify a natural product, you should pay attention to the following features:
- Since the milk thistle honey product is considered very rare, it is quite expensive;
- natural milk thistle honey has a sweet and sugary taste, a light floral aroma with tart notes, a light yellow or dark amber tint;
- the reaction to an iodine solution helps identify starch.
Milk thistle honey should be stored in a dry and dark place. The optimal temperature is +5-20 degrees. Glass jars are best suited for this purpose. At the same time, it is impossible to keep beekeeping products in metal containers. This provokes the release of toxic substances.
Milk thistle honey is considered a very tasty and healthy product that has a complex effect on the body. In order for the composition to bring only benefits to the body, it is important to use it correctly, strictly observing the dosage.
