Debunking myths about honey
Honey is naturally golden in colour
The colour of honey varies widely and depends on the flowers the bees feed on. Honey can be
blonde, burgundy, dark brown and even golden.
Runny honey is diluted
The texture of honey depends on the moisture levels in the natural environment. In the Western
Ghats where there is extensive rainfall, honey has a higher content of moisture.
Bitter/sour honey has gone bad
Bees collect nectar from different flowers. The floral source determines the flavour – sweet, bitter or sour. Far from going bad, bitter honey is prized for its nutritional value
Crystallised honey has been tampered with (by adding sugar or jaggery)
Honey crystallises in cold weather due to its glucose content. Simply placing the jar in warm water
brings it back to its liquid state. In fact, in certain parts of the world, crystallised honey is used like a
jam.
Honey has a consistent taste
The taste of honey depends on the season of its collection, the type of bee that collects it, and the
floral source. In fact, not only do varieties of honey taste different, different batches of the same
variety also do.
The residue formation on top of the honey is nothing but pollen, naturally found in the honey. When honey is left untouched for a long period of time, the pollen forms a thin film on top. Simply stirring the honey will make the pollen dissolve.In fact, more and more people today consider bee pollen to be a superfood. In many countries, bee pollen is consumed as a distinct item.