Chestnut honey: useful properties and contraindications, where it is collected, how to identify a fake

Chestnut honey is considered very rare, and therefore very valuable. It is characterized by unique characteristics and exquisite taste. An important advantage of the product are exceptional medicinal properties. They are associated with a high content of useful components. The product includes flavonoids, alkaloids, phytoncides and other valuable substances that have a positive effect on human he alth.

Description and distinguishing features

This honey is considered a very valuable product. The flowering of the chestnut begins shortly after the foliage blooms.Bees collect nectar from it around May-June. At the same time, the collection of honey does not last long - only 2-3 weeks. In mountainous areas, chestnut begins to bloom a little later - in the first half of July. From 1 hectare in good conditions it is possible to obtain up to 600 kilograms of a substance.

This variety has a number of distinctive features:

1. Color - The product has a dark amber hue. This is due to the high content of enzymes and chestnut pollen.
2. Taste qualities are very specific. Such honey is noticeably bitter. In addition, after it remains a nutty aftertaste and sore throat. Therefore, fans of regular bee nectar may not like this variety.
3. Fragrance - natural product has a chestnut scent.
4. Crystallization - at the end of summer the product has a liquid consistency. At the same time, it candied only after a couple of years.

Composition and calorie content of chestnut honey

Carbohydrates predominate in the composition of the product. 100 grams of honey contains 82 grams of various sugars. In this case, the main share falls on fructose. This monosaccharide is quickly digested. It also contains 0.3 grams of protein.

Chestnut honey contains micro and macro elements valuable for the body. Particularly important are potassium, which is required for the normal functioning of the heart, calcium and phosphorus for the formation of bones and teeth, and iron for the formation of red blood cells.

The product also includes many vitamins:

1. Riboflavin - present in many enzymes and improves metabolic processes.
2. Vitamin C - takes part in metabolism, has antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties.
3. Nicotinic acid - takes part in the metabolism of lipids and proteins.
4. Choline - helps regulate insulin levels and affects carbohydrate metabolism.
5. Pantothenic acid - promotes the formation of antibodies, produces neurotransmitters, activates intestinal motility.
6. Pyridoxine - takes part in the absorption of glucose and the formation of red blood cells.
7. Folates - needed for the formation of immunity.
8. Tocopherol - has active antioxidant properties.
9. Biotin - regulates carbohydrate metabolism.

Other useful components include organic acids, plant hormones, enzyme substances. At the same time, the product has a fairly high calorie content. There are 328 kilocalories in 100 grams of the substance.

Useful properties

Chestnut honey has amazing he alth benefits. With it, you can achieve the following results:

1. Eliminate colds and upper respiratory infections.
2. Relieve puffiness.
3. Get rid of diseases of the genitourinary system.
4. Get an antiseptic and wound healing effect.
5. Cope with stress and fatigue.
6. Get rid of stagnant processes in the liver. This effect is achieved by stimulating the outflow of bile.
7. Improve the functioning of the digestive organs. This is due to low acidity and ease of absorption.
8. Cope with diseases of the circulatory system, pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, thrombophlebitis and varicose veins. Also, the product helps to strengthen the walls of capillaries and improves blood circulation in the arteries and veins.
9. Eliminate neuroses, sleep disorders, neurasthenia.

The use of honey as part of combination therapy is not addictive. A small amount of the product is allowed to be consumed even with diabetes.

Traditional medicine

Useful properties of chestnut honey allow you to actively use it in traditional medicine. It is best to combine it with royal jelly. Experts advise to consume at least 60 grams of the substance per day. At the same time, it is recommended to exclude the use of alcohol and drugs containing nicotine.

People with frequent colds, diseases of the respiratory system and the pulmonary system are recommended to combine chestnut honey with radish. To do this, in a medium-sized root crop, you need to make a recess and add 2 small spoons of beekeeping product there. Drink juice 1 tablespoon. It is recommended to do this at intervals of 2 hours.

To get rid of skin ulcers, it is worth making a compress based on cabbage leaves. To do this, the bee product is applied to the cabbage and applied to the problem area before going to bed. It is recommended to remove the compress in the morning.

How to distinguish from a fake

Chestnut honey is considered quite an expensive and rare product. That is why it is often faked. To determine the naturalness of the mass to taste, it should be borne in mind that this variety has a very noticeable bitterness.

Sometimes burnt sugar is added to an inexpensive polyfloral product to give it a brown tint. You can suspect a fake by the burnt smell. The natural mass should have notes of chestnut in the aroma.

This product may have a light color with a slight reddish tint. At the same time, chestnut honey is not whitish. The ripened product has a shade of dark chocolate. Signs of crystallization also indicate a fake, since the product must remain liquid for 2 years.

A distinctive feature of the product is the low water content in its composition. This makes the composition viscous and viscous. If you let the mass drain from a spoon, you can see that it is layered with a slide, and does not spread.

Contraindications and harm

Despite many useful properties, chestnut honey has a number of contraindications. Allergy is considered the main limitation to the use of this product. With great care, the substance should be treated by people who have negative reactions to pollen or any bee products.

You should not use this honey during pregnancy and lactation. It is also not recommended for young children. This is due to the high allergenicity of the substance. When introducing honey into a child's diet, it is important to do it in small portions and monitor the absence of unpleasant reactions.

If you experience nausea, swelling of the mucous membranes, skin rashes after drinking honey, it is recommended to drink an antihistamine - "Zirtek" or "Suprastin". Then you need to see a doctor.

Storage rules

Chestnut honey has certain storage rules. Of course, due to the high sugar content, the product does not spoil for a long time. But if certain rules are violated, it may lose its useful properties.

Experts do not advise heating the product in the microwave or on the stove. Also, it is not recommended to store it at high temperatures or in the open sun. In addition, the mass should not be kept in the refrigerator or frozen. The fact is that freezing will immediately lead to crystallization of the product. In the case of storage in the refrigerator, it is very problematic to provide the substance with suitable humidity parameters.

In order for honey to retain its benefits for a long time, it must be kept at a temperature of + 5-20 degrees. In this case, the mass is best placed in a glass or ceramic container. The container must have a hermetically sealed lid.

Is chestnut honey candied

The composition of chestnut honey contains a large amount of fructose. That is why it does not crystallize for a long time. The mass is able to maintain a liquid consistency for 2 years.

After crystallization, the product resembles a brown jelly, in which there are crystalline yellow blotches. There is also a risk of stratification of the substance, but this does not affect its beneficial properties.

Chestnut honey is a very valuable product that brings great he alth benefits. This is due to the high content of useful components in the composition of the substance. To achieve a beneficial effect of the mass on the body, it is important to choose a natural composition and follow the rules for its use.

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