How can I melt the honey and how to do it without losing the healing properties?

Honey is an indispensable product, it can be used for various purposes, because it is used in cosmetology, medicine, and cooking. Its main advantage lies in a rather long shelf life. But liquid honey cannot preserve its appearance for a long time and begins to thicken with time - crystallization occurs. Therefore, it is worth considering in more detail how to melt the honey, while at the same time preserving all its beneficial properties.

Crystallization is a phenomenon of nature, during which the liquid substance begins to become solid. The conversion of honey from liquid to thickened is carried out naturally, which indicates the naturalness of the product. The main thing is that the crystallization process does not affect the nutritional qualities and beneficial properties of honey. Many people like liquid honey, because it is not only possible to eat it, but also to be easily used for various purposes. Unfortunately, the liquid version can be very easily forged, so it’s better to choose solid honey, especially since you can always melt it if necessary.

In order not to purchase a fake, it is worth considering the crystallization in more detail. So, this process depending on the consistency may be of the following types:

• smooth, fatty mass of homogeneous structure;
• fine-grained - crystals have a size of 0.5 mm;
• coarse-grained - crystals have a size of more than 0.5 mm.

Sugar time depends on how much glucose and fructose is represented in the product, their percentage ratio. Since each type of honey has a different amount of these components, the crystallization process has a different time. The more glucose the product contains, the faster it will be sugared. So, acacia honey contains more fructose, so it remains liquid for a long time, sometimes even the whole season. If we consider heather, then the process of crystallization occurs almost immediately after pumping the product from the honeycomb.

The storage rate of the product also affects the speed of saccharification. The air temperature, volume, material of the container in which the product is stored, its shape, location and other factors should be taken into account.

So, if you keep this delicacy in wood utensils, it will remain liquid longer, but the use of metal dishes does the opposite. If you put a delicacy in an oblong capacity container, then the crystallization process will start from the walls and gradually “go” to the center. With the use of wide dishes white scurf will be formed only on the surface.

Considering the air temperature, honey hardening actively occurs when the air temperature is above + 14 ° C. The temperature of the room plays a major role in the formation of crystals, since their value directly depends on it. Crystals can be as follows:

• coarse - coarse-sugar;
• medium - fine-grained;
• small - butter-like.

The process of sugar is manifested in the fact that honey begins to thicken, acquires a whitish tint, changing its original color to a lighter one. It is worth more familiarization with the main reasons that affect the rate of thickening.

The main factor that affects the level of sugar in this delicacy, is the glucose content. As noted above, a high amount of glucose is responsible for the crystallization process, while fructose, on the contrary, allows honey to remain liquid for a long time.

For example, honey from a sunflower or buckwheat has a high level of glucose in its composition, so the formation of crystals begins as early as three weeks after harvest. If we consider the rape delicacy, then it takes only two weeks - and the product will begin to thicken.Such honey as May or acacia contains more than 40 percent of fructose, so the crystallization process can begin even after two years.

The amount of water in this dessert also plays an important role. The higher the water content of honey, the longer it will be liquid. For example, if nectar was collected in a rainy period, then the product will have more moisture than usual.

The air temperature during storage affects not only the process of thickening honey, but also the shelf life of the product. Low air temperature slows down the thickening of honey, and high temperature conditions, on the contrary, have a positive effect on this process.

For example, buckwheat or sunflower honey additionally contains wax and pollen, which only accelerates the crystallization process.

Natural conditions also include weather conditions, a gathering place, a plant-melliferous plant. But it is worth considering unnatural ones, which depend on both beekeepers and unscrupulous sellers who take various actions so that the honey remains in liquid form for a longer time. If we talk about beekeepers, then there are cases when the product is still immature, but already removed from the honeycomb.

This product contains a large amount of water, so it is less useful, and also begins to deteriorate quite quickly. Some beekeepers purposefully add water or various additives to honey in order to get rich faster. For example, the addition of dextrin can slow the crystallization process, because it acts as an artificial type polysaccharide. Sometimes, in order to give the delicacy a more presentable appearance, it is melted, which significantly reduces the beneficial properties of this valuable product.

Many are interested in the question of whether real honey is crystallized. It happens that the sugaring of this product becomes the reason that it is simply thrown away, so it is worthwhile to dwell on this issue in more detail. So, natural honey will definitely crystallize, since it is laid by nature itself. It is worth worrying if the product is not in a hurry to form crystals, as this may indicate that the delicacy is not natural, because it contains a large amount of additives.

One more question follows from the above - when the honey should begin to thicken. Early crystallization proves the naturalness and beneficial properties of a tasty delicacy. It means that it contains a lot of pollen. Today there is a wide range of honey varieties that depend on pollen.

For example, may or flower honey is prone to quick sugaring. If nectar was collected from blueberry flowers, the product will begin to crystallize within three weeks after harvest. Sage product may thicken in one month. The process of thickening shows that nature tries to preserve the beneficial properties of honey as long as possible, because the benefit of the thickened product remains much longer.

If there are familiar beekeepers, then it is better to buy May honey from them. If you go to unfamiliar sellers, you should first examine the signs of the naturalness of this product. For example, it should not only sniff, but also try, so that you can determine the presence of only natural components without additives and impurities.

Melt honey correctly at home.You should know that heating this product above plus 45-50 degrees will lead to the loss of the main amount of useful properties, so it is not recommended to use a microwave for this.

There are several options that allow the melting process to proceed properly.

This method will preserve all the qualities of a useful delicacy. Water should be poured into a large saucepan and put on the fire. In another saucepan of smaller diameter and size it is also worth pouring water. A smaller saucepan should not touch the walls or bottom of a larger volume container. Glass jar with thickened honey should be put in a smaller pan.

It is recommended to use a thermometer, you can even ordinary street. It allows you to control the temperature of the water. They need to measure the water in a small saucepan so that it does not exceed + 50 ° C. If the water heats up to this temperature, you need to turn off the fire, while the pan should be covered with a lid. When the water temperature will be below +40 degrees, but honey has not acquired the necessary consistency, then it is necessary to light the fire again and continue the procedure.

Usually, to melt 300 grams of candied honey in a water bath, it will take about 40-50 minutes, while heating is performed 2 times. If you need to speed up the process of heating, then you should abandon a small saucepan. The glass jar is placed on a special stand to prevent the jar from touching the bottom of the pan.

This option is very similar to the previous one, only without heating on the fire. With the help of hot water you can easily melt honey. A jar of delicacy should be put in a container with hot water, you can take a bath, a basin or a regular saucepan. The process does not end there, since the temperature of the water should be monitored; it must be maintained until the product melts. If one procedure is not enough, then it can be repeated several times. On average, decrystallization takes from 6 to 8 hours.

Using heating radiators, you can also rather quickly melt honey. It is necessary that the product was in a glass jar, you can even take 3 liters, then put it around or on the battery. Additionally on top of the container is covered with a blanket. After some time, honey should be thoroughly mixed and turn the other side to the radiator. In this way, the honey will become liquid in just a few hours. Delicacy will gradually acquire a liquid state.

The decrystallizer is usually used by beekeepers to give a delicacy a liquid state. This device is not cheap, so it is usually used in apiaries.

The sun's rays are a natural decrystallization. Honey in a glass jar needs to be put so that direct rays fall on it. But so that the sun does not deprive the delicacy of useful properties, it is necessary to wrap the jar in a dense fabric. For the process to occur quickly, periodically you need to turn the jar. On average, this process takes from 8 hours to several days. Time depends on the temperature.

Heating honey with the help of sunlight is suitable only in the area where it is usually sunny.

This device allows you to quickly heat any consistency. Many argue that the heating of honey is carried out at very high temperatures, so the product loses its useful qualities. But if you follow simple rules, this delicacy will retain all its properties:

• dishes should be of heat-resistant glass;
• at a power of 500–600 W, heating should be carried out up to two minutes;
• after the end of the melting process, the container should be immediately removed from the microwave;
• After that, the honey must be thoroughly mixed to evenly distribute the heated product.

This method is quite interesting and effective, and it also allows you to save the useful properties of honey. With it, you can create high-quality cure for colds. This process should be performed as follows:

• you need to take fresh lemon and cut it into slices;
• 1 tablespoon of honey will require 1 slice of lemon;
• calculate the amount of lemon and put it in a jar of honey;
• contact with lemon juice will begin to melt the honey;
• in a few hours a healthy cocktail will be ready.

If you need from a 3-liter jars dial a little candied product, then you can use two options.

• Honey is usually taken out with a spoon. To prevent its breakdown and facilitate the process, it is recommended to heat the spoon beforehand.
• You should lower the jar into a container with rather warm water. This will allow candied honey to soften a bit. This method is completely safe for the product.

If you prefer liquid honey, then it is worth considering ways to slow down the process of thickening of natural honey, such as:

• you should not buy more honey than you can eat, better - in small portions;
• should be stored in a cool dark place, excluding the ingress of sunlight;
• ideal temperature conditions - from -10 to +5 degrees;
• optimum humidity - 60–80%;
• it is necessary to mix a delicacy thoroughly from time to time;
• if the dessert has become thick, then it should be melted in one of the methods described above and stored at the optimum air temperature;
• You can store this delicacy even in the refrigerator, if you adhere to the correct temperature.

The choice of dishes for storage of honey plays a big role. If you choose the right dishes that can slow down the process of crystallization of the product. Glass jars, utensils made of wood and ceramics, clay pots, and enamelware are the ideal choice.

On how to properly melt honey without losing useful properties, see the following video.