If you have decided to purchase honey, then you have to know how to choose a quality one in order to get the full use of this amazing product. Keep reading; in the article below, you will find out the ways to choose the best honey. Moreover, you will find out the critical characteristics of a high-quality product. This way, you can avoid wasting your money next time. (Image Credit: PollyDot/Pixabay)
The best choice to make when buying honey is to purchase raw honey on the local market directly from beekeepers. This option is the safest one, and like this, you will get all the vitamins and nutrients that raw natural honey contains.
It will boost your immune system and protect you from potential allergies as well. Buying from local suppliers will ensure you invest in a quality ingredient that will be pure, safe, and useful to consume.
Here is the list of benefits you can get from quality raw honey:
- Enhanced immune system;
- Powerful source of energy;
- Suitability for wound healing;
- Allergy and bacteria alleviation;
- Cough treatment;
- Assistance for weight loss.
So, let’s begin.
Is Commercial Honey Good?
Though it’s better to purchase raw honey from the local farm market, you still can buy commercial honey. It will be much more useful than common sugar. It’s recommended purchasing this type of honey. After all, this type of honey is still helpful and it’s better to eat store-bought honey than to not eat honey at all.
If it’s impossible for you to buy raw honey from local beekeepers, you still can enjoy quality honey purchased online. As seen on GiftWits, there are a few manufacturers that offer natural quality honey filled with vitamins and nutrients that you will appreciate.
Characteristics of Quality Honey
Down below, you will discover the main characteristics that define quality honey, as seen on HealthyHabitsHub. Keep an eye on these qualities in order to purchase only top-notch organic ingredients.
Color
Honey can have all the variety of colors starting from a light yellow to dark amber and all hues of brown. The color usually depends on the source of honey. Respectively, honey with different colors will have different tastes. It can change its color with time also.
According to HomeDeepSpace, color is never an indicator of honey’s quality. However, it’s worth mentioning that the darker honey is the more minerals (such as potassium, iron, magnesium, sodium) it contains.
Consistency
The consistency of good organic honey is very thin. If you have bought low-quality honey, the texture will be rough, and you might find lumps as well. To avoid wasting money on an adulterated product, buy a small amount to check the quality.
Also, mind the crystallization. Usually, quality honey starts to crystallize not earlier than after the first three months after it has been collected. In some cases, it can take longer, depending on the type of honey. Fast crystallization can be a sign of low-quality products due to water content.
Taste and Flavor
The taste will vary from the floral source the honey is made of. However, honey tastes sweeter than regular sugar as it contains both fructose and glucose at the same time. It also has a sweet scent, which will be easily recognized.
Water Content
Water content is the main trait that characterizes the overall honey quality. Keep in mind that water content should not exceed 20%. Otherwise, this honey has bad quality.
You can check water content by putting a few drops of honey on a paper. If you see that the wet circle around has appeared, it means that honey contains additional water.
Any microorganisms cannot grow in quality honey as it contains less than 20% of water, and it can stay on your shelf much longer. In high-quality honey, the water content will be less than 18%, and premium quality honey is considered with not more than 14% of water content.
Another great way to check the honey water content is to take two bottles of honey from two suppliers or manufacturers. Turn the bottles or jars upside down and watch bubbles. If bubbles in one jar go faster, it means that it contains more water.
Pollen
Even if the honey you buy doesn’t look crystal clear, it still means that you buy a quality one. Pollen is very healthy and beneficial for health, but it makes honey look unattractive.
However, this is a good sign if your honey contains pollen, and you will get the full use of it. The more clear honey is, the more processed it was. If you want to get raw organic honey, choose the one that will be a bit blurry.
How to Safely Store Honey
Don’t buy way too much. According to WikiHow, it’s better to purchase some amount of raw fresh honey again as it will contain more vitamins and will bring you more use. The taste will also be much better. Don’t exceed a few months and better eat it as soon as possible.
Keep in mind that with time, honey’s texture will become thicker, and it’s a great sign of its great quality. If the honey didn’t thicken, it means there is much fructose, and it’s not useful.
Speaking of the storage condition, make sure you don’t keep it in a metallic container as it can kill the nutrients and be hard on your stomach. Choose glass, wooden containers instead, or pottery jars.
Final Words
As you can see, honey is a beneficial and popular ingredient that many people love, but not all of them know how to purchase a high-quality one to get the full use of it.
We hope this article has been useful to you as we have tried to cover all aspects of how to choose and store high-quality honey, so you invest in a nutrient-rich ingredient that will be not just delicious but full of vitamins.
