Honey is a natural product and all the processes inherent in all products obtained in one way or another from the activity of living organisms occur with it. Milk sour, bread hardens, and honey grows old and becomes thicker, partially stratified and crystallized, but it completely retains everything beneficial features.

Why honey is sugared

Crystallization (saccharification, sage) of honey is a natural process, the speed of which depends on a number of reasons:

• the presence in the composition of natural monosaccharides (75-82%), fruit (fructose) and grape (glucose) sugar. The percentage of sugar in relation to fructose depends on the honey plant, more precisely, on the predominance of nectar from any one plant species;
• the presence of the smallest particles of pollen from flowers, which are always present in a larger or smaller volume, according to the research of ABC and XYZ of Bee Culture, A. I. and E. R. Ruth, who confirmed that the center of crystallization is the pollen grains of glucose and fructose;
• region of collection - southern regions or northern ones;
• presence in comb or storage tanks for particles of old honey;
• temperature during storage: at 13-14 o C crystallization occurs quickly, at 27-32 o C does not occur at all.

The more sugar in honey, the faster it starts to thicken and sugar. Bees collect nectar from all plants that bloom in a given period, so the so-called flower honey is obtained when it is impossible to identify any one honey plant (linden, acacia).

Crystallization process

Honey candied, what does it mean? This is due to the natural evaporation of the water contained in honey, which leads to thickening, and pollen particles become the basis, which collects around itself fructose and sucrose. As a result of the processes that have occurred, honey first becomes more dense, and then goes into a crystalline state.

Heavier parts of honey fall to the bottom of the tank, and the particles that have not undergone crystallization, are collected in the upper part, that is, stratification of uniform composition occurs.

What varieties when sugared

Crystallization or saccharification of honey for a greater number of varieties occurs in 2-3 months and depends on:

• collection area (southern or northern regions),
• honey varieties (lime, buckwheat, flower and others),
• collection time
• the action of the beekeeper (feeding or not feeding the bees with beet sugar or other solutions).

The honey varieties obtained in the southern regions from buckwheat and eucalyptus are most sugary. A longer period before the onset of crystallization in varieties collected in the northern regions with lime and pine. This is connected with the vital activity of bees in winter, when they feed on their own reserves and cannot eat crystallized honey.

The longest period of crystallization in acacia honey, sage and honey from angelica. In acacia honey, crystallization occurs after a year and a half, and sometimes 3 years.

This is another example, honey immediately thick consistency, and over time it becomes even thicker and drier, but it never becomes solid.

Candied honey retains its natural color, there is a slight change in shade. At the same time, if the honey is not mixed, then the bottom layer will consist of crystals of various sizes. The middle and upper layer in their consistency will be similar to melted butter.

Why is fake honey not sugared

So that honey is not sugared, water and sugar are added to it, and also subjected to heat treatment, heated to 80 ° C. All these methods of preventing crystallization lead to the destruction of the beneficial properties of honey. Its heating leads to an increase in the content of hydroxymethylfurfural, which negatively affects the internal organs of a person.

Studies conducted by Professor I. P. Chepurnov revealed that the normal content of hydroxymethylfurfural is 25-40 mgr / kg for the northern regions and 60 mgr / kg for the southern regions. These figures are in line with EU regulations. A higher content of hydroxymethylfurfural indicates heat treatment or a very long shelf life (several years). This honey is not desirable to eat.

To prevent crystallization while retaining all the beneficial properties, constant mixing or maintaining a certain temperature regime is necessary.

You can in our store to know how a natural product without additives should look like.

Candied or Unsweetened Honey

Candied honey from liquid when used in food is no different, and all its properties are preserved intact. Crystallized honey can be inconvenient to use in cosmetic procedures, when applying candied honey becomes a problematic process, carrying a slight discomfort.

How can I dilute candied honey.

In order for candied honey to become liquid and its useful properties do not deteriorate, special devices are used - decrystallizers, in which honey is evenly heated to a temperature of 40 o C. To this procedure, beekeepers resort, if necessary, to put their honey at the exhibition, and not for sale. At this temperature, the crystals dissolve and for a long time honey will remain in a liquid state.

If you decide to buy honey after the month of November, then liquid, non-crystallized samples are a clear fake.

The liquid consistency of honey does not always mean that it is natural and fresh. If in the middle of winter you are offered to purchase a liquid product, then at best it is honey that has been preheated to give it a presentation, and at worst - counterfeit, made incomprehensibly from what. Although there are exceptions to this rule, certain varieties can preserve a liquid consistency for a long time without losing their beneficial properties.

Experienced beekeepers know when real honey should be sugared, and therefore they will be able to easily identify a fake.

Natural sweet substance is sugared from two weeks to two months, with rare exceptions. The product consists of 90% of fructose and glucose, the ratio of which determines the speed of its saccharification - if glucose prevails in the composition, honey becomes solid very quickly, and if the fructose content is elevated, the sweet substance can retain a liquid consistency for a year or even more .

In addition, the rate of crystallization may depend on the effects of some external factors:

• product storage temperatures;
• processing before packaging;
• air humidity;
• degree of maturity.

As a rule, it begins to crystallize at a temperature of from 4 to 27 degrees of heat (the optimum is 15 degrees). If the temperature becomes lower or higher than these limits, the sugar will be suspended until favorable conditions occur.

Too rapid crystallization may be an indicator of increased content of pollen and particulate matter in the composition of the product. High concentration of liquid due to immaturity or absorption of an excessive amount of moisture from the air, on the contrary, slows down the crystallization process.

There is one simple way to distinguish a natural product from counterfeit - you need to rub a small drop of it between your fingers. This product lays down evenly, melts and absorbs into the skin, and the counterfeit rolls into lumps.

Properties of honey and the process of sugaring: interaction

The crystallization process has absolutely no effect on healing properties  sweet mass - it remains as healthy as fresh. Sugaring does not affect the shelf life, on the contrary, the harder the product is, the less likely it is to spoil, since crystallized honey is much less exposed to air and light.

Regardless of the variety and storage conditions, any real honey sooner or later changes its structure and crystallizes. If the sweet mass remains liquid for three years or more - it is certainly a fake.

The reasons why honey is quickly candied

So, the natural product must be sugared during storage. But sometimes it happens that the sweet substance, bought a few days ago, begins to show a tendency to crystallization. Noticing this process, the buyer begins to worry, wondering if he really purchased a real and fresh product.

If the newly purchased honey began to crystallize, it is not worth worrying about it especially - perhaps this is a variety with a high content of glucose, or the temperature of its storage favored the process of saccharification. However, quick sugaring may also mean that an old product that has recently been pumped out has added an old one that has already thickened.

It’s impossible to give an unequivocal answer to the question when honey should be sugared, since the rate of crystallization is due to numerous factors - in particular, the storage temperature and variety. Buckwheat, rapeseed and sunflower grow the fastest, most slowly acacia, heather and chestnut.

The reasons why honey does not crystallize

Varieties in which glucose prevails tend to remain liquid for a very long time. This is a natural condition that should not cause concern. However, it also happens that the sweet mass loses its ability to sugare due to external intervention.

Liquid varieties

As mentioned above, the speed of saccharification largely depends on what sort of honey it belongs to, that is, on which plants the bees will extract pollen for. It is worth talking separately about which varieties have a slow crystallization process.

So, the consistency of honey can not be an indicator of its quality, since different varieties have different crystallization periods. However, during the winter months and during March, no natural product can remain liquid and homogeneous - the process of saccharification should be noticeable in it at least to a small extent.

QUESTION ANSWER

Why honey is not sugared?

“I bought a jar of honey at the fair, four months passed, and he did not sugar. Could this be or is it a fake? Perhaps some plant species produce nectar that does not crystallize? ”Irina PEREVERZEVA (Kursk).

Natural honey crystallizes (beekeepers say “sits down”) from two weeks to two months, but there are exceptions. Honey is 90% glucose and fructose. As a rule, their ratio is approximately the same. But, if glucose prevails, as, for example, in chestnut, heather, acacia, honey crystallizes quickly and then becomes solid. If there is a lot of fructose, honey can remain in a liquid state for more than a year. The crystals are due to the fact that fructose envelops glucose.

When sugar crystals appear, honey begins to sugar. These same crystals fall down to the bottom of the dishes, because they are much heavier than other particles. That is why crystallization begins from the bottom, gradually reaching the upper edge. Honey- "charge" does not lose its qualities. If you need liquid honey, just hold the jar in a water bath.

And if you are guaranteed to want to buy high-quality honey, then buy it in proven stores, for example, in Elite Chai.ru - https://elitnie-chai.ru/sladosti/grechishnyj-med.html

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Up ▲   - Reader reviews (26) - Write a review ▼   - Print version

I know for sure that we have natural honey! Pumped him to the rescue August 14, 2012, he has not yet crystallized. I think it depends:
1. from what is in our stores, only a clean honeycomb, and not dry;
2. the storage temperature was not low (if not stored in the basement);
3. starts to thicken slightly below.
Is it correct? But there are no impurities! Fed up in spring Candi.

I have buckwheat honey, brought relatives from the Altai. At the bottom of something like thickened, as well as on top, liquid. Why?

Natural mature honey should be sugar already on the fifth day after rolling, it is healing. But unfortunately now not to buy such honey even from relatives. After the honeycombs are filled with bees, no one wants to leave the honey for ten days to mature for honey, since during this time one more “crop” can be removed (pursuing profit). at best, we can only buy non-mature honey, and in the worst of the syrup, or divorced or even artificial, thank God the progress goes forward. So do not look for real mature honey, but do yourself beekeeping, you just need to learn how to do it right. Believe it is not burdensome, but very useful ...

I also want to say I grew up on Pasika and I know everything about it. I will explain in three words what should be real honey. A good strong bee family puts and closes the honeycomb in 7-10 days and then about 10 days the honey should mature in honeycombs, for a total of at least 21 days it goes to the collection or even more. after pitching, we were always in a hurry to pour it out within 3 - 5 days and sell it in small containers, and then we would have to hammer it with a knife. This is real honey.

Unripe honey quickly turns sour. Already March, and our honey does not crystallize. The quality is excellent. I keep at home. collected from forest flowers: linden, ivan-tea, etc.

Sooo weird! I read that acacia honey is supposed to be valued for a whole year that can stand not to crystallize. And then they write that it is rapidly crystallizing. In general, so much information and so many articles on this topic and they all so diverge

for 3-5 days crystallized ... depending on where Dmitry collected it. my brother in front of my eyes opened the sealed honeycomb a week ago - it did not crystallize yet)) last year it crystallized only towards the end of winter, so it’s nonsense that he was "OBLIGED!" to crystallize in two months !! I was going to Lenoblast, so maybe not the most “rich” flowers. Yes, and he still does not go to bed) and he has acidity) but he doesn’t eat it after that!

I am a beekeeper, I collect only mature sealed honey. I want to say that my honey does not crystallize at all (forbs). A jar of honey has been standing for a whole year ... Do not listen to those who say that only real honey crystallizes, most likely the honey is harvested immature or with the addition of sugar. syrup

I thank the real beekeepers for very interesting information on honey crystallization!

The beekeeper himself, I can say one thing about crystallization, if honey is put in the cold after a jump, then after a couple of months it will start to set in love and this process is irreversible, so after the jump we bring it to the apartment, and so it can be stored in a liquid state until spring. But I do not advise you to melt honey - useful properties are lost.

One tovarisch writes that real honey with a knife must be chipped. I want to dissuade you, honey, which quickly rises (candied) may not be very good, as a rule it is monoflerny honey - rape, etc., is candied by the moment, in a week you will be hammering another with a knife, but that's just a culture like rape constantly treated with herbicides, here you can judge the utility.

In general, there is no single answer, as I understand it, everything must be done by yourself ... or maybe the bees collect different honey ...

Is it possible to liquefy crystallized honey with cold water rather than a steam bath? Thank.

My honey is not sugared. Worth a year. I shake myself and keep the bees. competitors envy say. that honey is substandard. in the cottages a lot of raspberries.

Elena, do not listen to Tanya, ignorance, natural, mature honey can sit like that. Just went up fructose

thanks for the info even though it’s rather inconsistent

honey must be sugared by October - READ PROFLITERATURE! What is not sugared in the apartment - THIS is because it is in the HEAT, as well as in the beehive (35 degrees) ... slow down. to +10 and you will see how it will start to crystallize)). And the fact that it is unevenly crystalline. (only below) - THIS IS TO LIFE.)

I live in Belarus, I have been engaged in beekeeping for 30 years, I am selecting only sealed honeycombs for haulage. For the last four years, an apiary has been standing in the forest in one place - I think that honey is for herbs (forest and meadow). Honey has always crystallized. Last 2015 and 2016 no crystallization.
These two years are very hot, there was almost no rain.
i consider: in nectar the humidity was low, fructose prevailed, therefore did not crystallize

I keep bees 18 years old. They were of the year when honey didn’t sit down until April of the month, and stayed in the apartment. This year, too, didn’t sit down, my friend beekeepers have the same picture. I believe that myself. So it happens and it’sn’t there is a sign of bad honey. Who doubts, buy honey from familiar beekeepers, who value their name, believe me, not all fraudsters.

Last year I bought a light, honeyed honey at the fair, a rather large jar. During this time, the honey was divided into a thicker, pasty part, and a little yellow syrup was added to the top. Why it happens? How to determine: honey "unripe" or added sugar?

Honey is sugared in the event that it is not properly harvested, poured, into a container climb with a spoon. Crystallization occurs in violation of the structure of honey. Also, it is important to play the role of packaging - you need to store in a dark and dry place, at a temperature of from -10 to +40 ° C. No wonder our ancestors kept honey in wooden barrels (from linden, alder, poplar)

The speed of honey sugar does not depend only on its variety. This process is influenced by both natural factors and unnatural causes, when unscrupulous sellers artificially change physical properties  honey Fortunately, the latter is easy to check on your own.

Buyers are concerned about the question whether honey should be sugared. Some people believe that the crystallization process is a clear sign of a quality product. But is it really? And what factors influence this process?

Bee product after a couple of months begins to thicken. After it appear white grains or flakes, the color of honey brightens, and the consistency becomes thicker. These are the first signs of the saccharification process.

Bee gold contains a lot of fructose and glucose. Crystallization depends on carbohydrates and their ratio. When glucose prevails in honey (30-35%), it begins to quickly sugar up. The reason for this is the natural transformation of glucose into sweet crystals, which are under their weight at the bottom.

In some varieties more fructose. It allows the product to remain in a liquid state for a long period. Fructose envelops the honey components and prevents the appearance of crystals.

If you see that honey is candied, and you have a logical question, what does it mean, do not worry. The transformation of the clear liquid into white and solid does not indicate the poor quality of honey. Candied delicacy fully retains its beneficial properties. It is eaten on an empty stomach, added to desserts, pastries and drinks. If desired, you can melt, but correctly - without exceeding the permissible temperature (40-50 ° C) in order to avoid the loss of useful properties.

Reasons for sugar

For different varieties of honey, crystallization occurs after a different time interval and passes in different ways. The process depends on several factors:

• honey flowers;
• weather conditions;
• maturity;
• the presence of impurities;
• moisture content;
• storage.

Some varieties (sunflower, buckwheat) are quickly candied (after 20-30 days). But some types of bee gold remain liquid for 1-2 years (acacia, may).

Natural causes

The natural product remains for a long period of liquid, if it is dominated by fructose (40% or more). Treat recommended by diabetic. It helps to normalize blood sugar levels, restores metabolism and supports the pancreas.

The speed of sugaring is influenced by the weather conditions under which the bees collect nectar. Nectar collected in rainy weather will contain more moisture. Additional moisture inhibits the process of sugaring. The processed product of beekeeping under hot conditions (collected during the summer months) is candied more quickly. In the sunflower variety, there is practically no moisture, since it blooms at the height of summer, and glucose prevails. After three weeks, it turns into a white mixture, and after a couple of months - into a solid delicacy.

Storage temperature affects crystallization. Quickly, glucose turns into crystals at a temperature in the range from +10 to + 15 ° C. If honey is stored at a lower or higher temperature, it will sugary longer.

Beekeepers who are inexperienced or willing to make a quicker profit can collect unripe honey. Sweetness contains more moisture, which affects the crystallization process. Unripe honey is not so rich in nutrients, and spoils in a short time, which is not the case with a quality product.

But at the same time, unscrupulous beekeepers can add water or impurities to the product in order to preserve its presentation. Sometimes honey is melted, but it loses its beneficial properties. To distinguish real honey from a fake will help the aroma and taste. It is advisable to buy a treat from proven beekeepers. Natural delicacy, diluted in water, does not react with vinegar or iodine.

What varieties are not sugared for a long time?

If you are interested in what honey is not sugared, you must know that it does not depend on the quality of the product. Some varieties remain liquid for a long period.

Acacia

Nectar from acacias up to 3 years can remain liquid.  When pumping, the variety has a very liquid consistency, with time it may thicken a little, but it can remain transparent and light for a long time.

The demand for acacia honey is high. It remains liquid for a long time, has a pleasant smell and taste. It contains about 40% fructose and 30-35% glucose, so prolonged crystallization is a normal process. It helps strengthen the immune system, get rid of women's diseases and normalize the work of the digestive tract.

May

The first pumped honey does not crystallize for a long time.  Bee pollen is collected from the first flowers and fruit trees:

• apple trees;
• cherries;
• pears;
• apricot;
• drain

May variety contains a lot of fructose. In the spring it often rains, so the product contains more moisture. This contributes to long sugars. May honey for 1-2 years remains liquid. It has a positive effect on the nervous system, helps to get rid of headaches and insomnia.

But be careful when buying may honey. Its easiest to fake. A similar product can be obtained if you feed the bees with sugar syrup after wintering. In order not to buy a fake, it is advisable to purchase May honey in late summer or autumn. This grade will become more viscous.

Lime

A light product of beekeeping with a characteristic pleasant odor from six months to a year can remain in a liquid state. Over time, the crystallization process will appear the appearance of white flakes. Candied lime honey becomes like cream or paste. Small grains and lumps make it look like semolina.

Do not be surprised why honey does not thicken if you get a lime variety. He six-year-year retains a liquid consistency and color transparency. Bee gold increases the body's defenses and is often used to treat angina, cough and other respiratory diseases.

Chestnut

Honey from chestnuts has a dark color and bitterness in taste. It is used to treat the genitourinary system, and is also useful for the heart and blood vessels. Until half a year, and sometimes longer, it remains in liquid form, although initially it has a sufficiently high viscosity.

Knowing why honey is not sugared, you can choose quality product. With prolonged storage (from 6 months), signs of crystallization appear in the liquid delicacy:

• sediment at the bottom;
• thickening;
• appearance of light blotches and so on.

A clear, transparent product at the end of winter or at the beginning of summer is suspicious. From the purchase of such a product is better to refuse.

There is no definitive answer to the question “Should honey be sugared or not?”, Since everything depends on the variety, collection time, compliance with storage conditions and other factors.

We hope we did not miss anything. Perhaps experienced beekeepers have something to add about this?

Honey is falsified more often than other products. Consumers are tired of identifying the degree of its naturalness by resorting to simple tests at home. The following picture is often observed: within 2-3 months fresh liquid bought from a store does this occur and how does crystallization affect its quality? Beekeepers call this process a "cage" and consider it quite natural. However, over time, not all varieties "sit down", and this leads buyers to disturbing reflections.

Should real honey be sugared?

During long-term storage, bee honey crystallizes, it eventually happens even in sealed honeycombs that are in the hive.

What is the reason for the fact that under the same storage conditions one sort remains liquid for years, and the other honey is candied? Why is the nature of the crystallization of its various types? This is due to the ratio of the main components: glucose, water and fructose in each particular variety.

Fructose is highly soluble in water and does not form crystals. This means that high fructose honey (sage, heather, chestnut) may not crystallize for a long time. Acacia product can remain liquid for more than two years.

Glucose has the lowest solubility. The more it is in honey, the faster it "sits down".

The ratio of glucose and fructose is not constant. It depends on the weather conditions, the species of honey plants, the breed of bees and the degree of maturity of the product of their vital activity. If under the influence of certain natural factors, the release of fructose by plants increases, then the honey collected in this year may not crystallize, remaining liquid for a very long time.

Melezitoza - glucose anticrystallizer. The low content of the mentioned substance (2-3%) can be observed in varieties collected from rapeseed, colza, sunflower. They sit down faster, so it’s quite normal that after 2 months, such honey candied.

Why do not the honeydews crystallize? In them, as well as in chestnut, fake and white acacia varieties, the percentage of melezitosis is higher (6-9%). This substance itself, with its high content, may precipitate in the form of flaky crystals.

The quality of the product, its maturity and its botanical origin can be judged by the nature of the crystallization and by how quickly the honey is candied.

Why does not harden filtered honey?

Grains present in natural product, are the centers around which the crystallization process begins. If you pass honey through filters that remove pollen, mucus and protein substances, it does not harden for a long time and has an attractive presentation. Major suppliers to European countries are China and India. The origin of honey can be traced only by pollen, and ultrafiltered sweet product in some countries is even forbidden to call the word "honey."

How does real honey behave?

Is the substance that the bees produce from the syrup sugared or not? They create a product similar to chemical properties  with natural flower honey. The processes in it occur in the same way, so everything depends on the honesty of the beekeeper. Knowing the details of the product, you can affect its consistency. Sugaring is easy to speed up by adding old honey to the new honey. By adding 1 g of dried honey per 1 kg of liquid and mixing thoroughly, you can get a stock in 1-2 days.

In the cold, sugar is faster. It begins at the boundary between fluid and air; fluid and solid. Some varieties harden from top to bottom, others have nucleated crystals fall to the bottom, and the process goes from the bottom up.

The process of sugar does not affect the quality of the product and does not reduce it. During Soviet times, it was even forbidden to sell liquid honey on collective farm markets after October 1, considering it counterfeit and unsuitable for consumption.