Why does honey crystallize?
By Bee Cause India
Oh Honey! Why did you change?
It’s not a good feeling to see your honey change, right? Hey, we are not talking about your boyfriend, girlfriend, or husband or wife. We are referring to the liquid gold that is honey. You must have noticed that honey solidifies as the temperature gets cooler. This solidification of honey is actually called crystallisation. It is a natural process and is in fact a sign that you are using pure, unadulterated honey, just like the products from Bee Cause Honey.
Honey is a natural, sweet, viscous liquid produced by bees. But its colour and texture mostly depend on the nectar of the flowers the bees visit. From cooking to medicine, it is used widely for different purposes, making it the go-to product at home. However, the crystallisation of honey is generally frowned upon because of a lack of awareness.
Why does crystallisation occur?
Honey, at its core, is made up of sugar, basically fructose and glucose, with other forms in smaller or negligible quantities. Though it depends on where the honey is sourced from, in general, we can say that fructose and glucose together constitute 70% of honey. Rest up is 1% sucrose, 5% maltose, and 18% water, along with other minerals. Glucose and fructose are also the two main elements that give honey its natural sweet taste.
As we mentioned earlier, honey crystallisation is a natural process, and it happens primarily because of the presence of glucose in honey. Glucose is a non-soluble form of honey, and the more glucose, the faster it will crystallise.
Here’s what happens:
The sugar in honey – glucose and fructose – starts binding together ls. This continues until the entire content of the bottle has solidified.
The lower the water content in honey, the safer it will be from fermentation, but it will give way to faster activation of the crystallisation process.
Crystallisation also happens if the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This will happen in a beehive too if there is a dip in the temperature. In fact, in those cold winter months, the honey left in your kitchen cabinet will also begin crystallising.
The process is also affected by the quantity of glucose and fructose present, as the ratio depends on the nectar of the flower too.
Processing is also an important factor that affects the crystallisation process of honey. Honey that is kept pure without much interference while retaining the natural pollen and enzymes tends to crystallise faster.
Storage of honey is another vital factor that fastens or slows down the crystallisation process. It is said that storing honey in containers with narrow openings can slow down the crystallisation process. Additionally, storing it in glass jars instead of plastic can slow down the process too.
Honey has the potential to crystallise over time. Although it majorly depends on the above factors, with time, any honey that is stored for an extended period under preferred conditions will begin to crystallise.
Along with the texture, the taste and aroma of the crystallised honey differ from the liquid one. Crystallisation affects the sweetness and flavour of the honey.
To summarise, the natural and reversible process of honey crystallisation is influenced by a number of factors, like composition, water content, temperature, the source (flower nectars), and storage conditions. If you are aware of these elements, even a solidified honey won’t be any trouble for you.
What should you do when your honey turns mischievous?
Your honey can become mischievous due to the above mentioned factors, and the solidifying might not be a good sight to watch, but it is still perfectly safe for consumption and other uses, which doesn’t mean it has gone bad. And if you thought about how you were going to use it, well, here are some ideas on how you can use the crystallised honey:
Have it with your toast: Did you know crystallised honey has a spreadable consistency and can be used on your bread, toast, or even with a roti.
Your beverage’s best friend: Crystallised honey is easily dissolvable and can be used as per your preference. You can have it with your hot and cold water, tea, coffee, milk, or lemonade.
Yogurt goes ooh la la: Scintillate your taste buds by mixing the desired quantity of honey with yogurt, and it will taste like you’ve never tasted it before.
Bake like a pro: Crystallised honey can be used in baking cookies, and cakes. Just warm it up a bit, and you are good to go. It not only gives it a sweet taste, but also adds moisture.
Make your food look tempting: Just drizzle the crystallised honey on your food, and it will not only give it a very unique look, but will also add a tempting crunch to it.
DIY Skincare: Honey is best known for its moisturising and antibacterial properties. Crystallised honey can be used as a face pack, lip balm, or even as a body scrub.
To sum it up, crystallised honey is proof that your honey is pure, free from all impurities, and has not been processed or undergone any overheating. It is all natural, just like the natural Bee Cause Honey.
It’s not a good feeling to see your honey change, right? Hey, we are not talking about your boyfriend, girlfriend, or husband or wife. We are referring to the liquid gold that is honey. You must have noticed that honey solidifies as the temperature gets cooler. This solidification of honey is actually called crystallisation. It is a natural process and is in fact a sign that you are using pure, unadulterated honey, just like the products from Bee Cause Honey.
Honey is a natural, sweet, viscous liquid produced by bees. But its colour and texture mostly depend on the nectar of the flowers the bees visit. From cooking to medicine, it is used widely for different purposes, making it the go-to product at home. However, the crystallisation of honey is generally frowned upon because of a lack of awareness.
Why does crystallisation occur?
Honey, at its core, is made up of sugar, basically fructose and glucose, with other forms in smaller or negligible quantities. Though it depends on where the honey is sourced from, in general, we can say that fructose and glucose together constitute 70% of honey. Rest up is 1% sucrose, 5% maltose, and 18% water, along with other minerals. Glucose and fructose are also the two main elements that give honey its natural sweet taste.
As we mentioned earlier, honey crystallisation is a natural process, and it happens primarily because of the presence of glucose in honey. Glucose is a non-soluble form of honey, and the more glucose, the faster it will crystallise.
Here’s what happens:
The sugar in honey – glucose and fructose – starts binding together ls. This continues until the entire content of the bottle has solidified.
The lower the water content in honey, the safer it will be from fermentation, but it will give way to faster activation of the crystallisation process.
Crystallisation also happens if the temperature drops below 10 degrees Celsius or 50 degrees Fahrenheit. This will happen in a beehive too if there is a dip in the temperature. In fact, in those cold winter months, the honey left in your kitchen cabinet will also begin crystallising.
The process is also affected by the quantity of glucose and fructose present, as the ratio depends on the nectar of the flower too.
Processing is also an important factor that affects the crystallisation process of honey. Honey that is kept pure without much interference while retaining the natural pollen and enzymes tends to crystallise faster.
Storage of honey is another vital factor that fastens or slows down the crystallisation process. It is said that storing honey in containers with narrow openings can slow down the crystallisation process. Additionally, storing it in glass jars instead of plastic can slow down the process too.
Honey has the potential to crystallise over time. Although it majorly depends on the above factors, with time, any honey that is stored for an extended period under preferred conditions will begin to crystallise.
Along with the texture, the taste and aroma of the crystallised honey differ from the liquid one. Crystallisation affects the sweetness and flavour of the honey.
To summarise, the natural and reversible process of honey crystallisation is influenced by a number of factors, like composition, water content, temperature, the source (flower nectars), and storage conditions. If you are aware of these elements, even a solidified honey won’t be any trouble for you.
What should you do when your honey turns mischievous?
Your honey can become mischievous due to the above mentioned factors, and the solidifying might not be a good sight to watch, but it is still perfectly safe for consumption and other uses, which doesn’t mean it has gone bad. And if you thought about how you were going to use it, well, here are some ideas on how you can use the crystallised honey:
Have it with your toast: Did you know crystallised honey has a spreadable consistency and can be used on your bread, toast, or even with a roti.
Your beverage’s best friend: Crystallised honey is easily dissolvable and can be used as per your preference. You can have it with your hot and cold water, tea, coffee, milk, or lemonade.
Yogurt goes ooh la la: Scintillate your taste buds by mixing the desired quantity of honey with yogurt, and it will taste like you’ve never tasted it before.
Bake like a pro: Crystallised honey can be used in baking cookies, and cakes. Just warm it up a bit, and you are good to go. It not only gives it a sweet taste, but also adds moisture.
Make your food look tempting: Just drizzle the crystallised honey on your food, and it will not only give it a very unique look, but will also add a tempting crunch to it.
DIY Skincare: Honey is best known for its moisturising and antibacterial properties. Crystallised honey can be used as a face pack, lip balm, or even as a body scrub.
To sum it up, crystallised honey is proof that your honey is pure, free from all impurities, and has not been processed or undergone any overheating. It is all natural, just like the natural Bee Cause Honey.