Honey is an ingredient that cannot be missing in your kitchen, as long as you consume it in moderation, because according to the Digital Library of Traditional Mexican Medicine of the UNAM, this food is used for “angina pain, cough, hoarseness, bronchitis and laryngitis”, among other ailments.
If you looked in the cupboard and your honey has already crystallized, don’t worry; here we tell you what to do because you don’t have to throw it away.
What to do with honey when it crystallizes?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), bee honey should be consumed 12 months after opening it since, after this time, “honey remains harmless, but its quality decreases.”
It is sometimes said that if the honey becomes stiff, it is degraded. Still, it is quite the opposite since pure, unprocessed, and good-quality bee honey crystallizes after some time. So could you not throw it away; it still works?
Is crystallized honey terrible?
Before heating the honey, remember that it is safe to consume once it solidifies or looks cloudy, as the US authorities indicate it is not a health risk.
For example, if you like to drink tea or coffee with a touch of honey, the solid honey will dissolve in the heat, and you won’t notice that it is crystallized. It is also an excellent option for toasted bread.
How to melt crystallized honey?
According to the USDA, crystallized honey “can be heated in the microwave or in a container of hot water to clarify or melt.”
For its part, the Taste of Home portal recommends the following method to melt honey without exposing it directly to heat:
1. Pour warm water into a heat-resistant bowl.
2. Uncover the honey and place it inside the bowl.
3. Let it sit for a couple of minutes.
4. Use a clean and dry spoon to mix the honey.
5. Remove the honey from the bowl when it has turned liquid again.
If you don’t have time or patience, you can also microwave honey as follows:
1. Before you microwave the honey, remove any metal parts.
2. Heat in 15-second increments until desired consistency is obtained.
So now you know, if the honey crystallizes, do not throw it away because, in addition to being 100% bee honey, you can use it in all dishes and drinks, as it does not represent a health risk.
How to differentiate pure honey from adulterated?
The Federal Consumer Protection Office (Profeco) points out that sometimes fake or adulterated honey is marketed, so it is essential to know the main characteristics of bee honey and thus avoid buying fake love with these tips:
1. Experts confirm that honey does crystallize after opening it, so if this happens, you will know that it is 100% natural. The academic Alfonso Gardea Béjar explains that “crystallization is the best mechanism for storing the honey produced, so that the bees consume it in times when it is not being produced.”
2. Check the labels because if it indicates that it contains any additive, it is not 100% pure honey.
3. Check if it has an expiration date or preferential consumption because honey does not expire or spoil.
4. In the case of bee honey sold in the market or street stalls, you have to be very careful since it is more common for it to be adulterated with “fructose syrup, pieces of wax and dead bees to make people believe that it is a product pure,” according to Ángel López Ramírez, an academic at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics at UNAM.
5. If the honey is sold lowly, it is most likely degraded.
