Forest honey: description and composition, useful properties and contraindications

Forest honey is a polyfloral beekeeping product, the nectar for which bees collect from flowers growing in forest areas. Sweetness belongs to the elite varieties due to its composition, valuable properties, organoleptic characteristics. The product is used in cooking, traditional medicine, cosmetology. But if you are just starting to discover such honey, be sure to make sure that there are no contraindications to its use.

How do bees get forest honey?

To get this type of polyfloral honey, bees collect pollen from forest honey plants. They can be flowers:

• wild raspberries;
• strawberries;
• oregano;
• clover;
• hawthorn;
• limes;
• fir;
• ate;
• willows;
• pines.

It is not easy to get such honey. To do this, the beekeeper takes the apiary to the forest edges or clearings. Fortunately, bees quickly adapt to new conditions, so they start collecting pollen almost immediately. The beekeeper during this period monitors the hives. The optimal period for such field trips is summer-autumn time.

Composition and useful properties

The set of useful substances and, accordingly, the valuable properties of forest honey directly depend on the honey plant from which the pollen was obtained. However, sweets are present in the general composition:

• tocopherol;
• ascorbic acid;
• vitamins K, PP;
• antioxidants;
• organic acids;
• riboflavin;
• pantothenic acid;
• vitamin B_3;
• pyridoxine;
• iron;
• calcium;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• zinc.

Due to this composition, "wild" honey is beneficial for he alth, as it provides:

• increase in blood hemoglobin levels;
• lower blood pressure;
• removal of excess cholesterol from the blood;
• remove toxins from the body;
• maintain he althy brain activity;
• strengthening immunity;
• improvement of skin, nails, hair;
• regulation of stomach acidity;
• stabilization of bile outflow;
• restoration of normal metabolism;
• elimination of the inflammatory process;
• providing antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral activity;
• pain relief.

The product inhibits the growth of cancer cells, protects against heart disease and performs many other useful functions. Therefore, include it in your diet if you have no contraindications to its use.

Application

Forest honey has found its application not only in the culinary industry. It is used in the treatment and prevention of diseases. In addition, the product is also very popular in home cosmetology.

Heart disease

For their treatment, a special paste is prepared from honey and ground cinnamon (fresh or dried). The components are mixed in proportion: 1 teaspoon of honey with 0.5 teaspoon of spices. The resulting mass is spread on bread instead of jam and consumed daily for breakfast.

Arthritis

A honey drink is used in the treatment of arthritis. Dissolve 2 teaspoons of honey and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a glass of water. At the same time, remember that the liquid must be warm, not hot, otherwise the bee product will lose its beneficial properties.

Take the healing remedy twice a day - in the morning and in the evening. If you regularly drink this sweet medicine, it will help relieve pain and inflammation, restore joint mobility and put the disease into remission for a long time.

Bladder infection

Effective product and cystitis. To relieve pain, inflammation and discomfort during urination, prepare a medicine similar to the previous one. Only in a glass of water, dissolve 2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon and 5 milliliters of bee products.

Stir the ingredients thoroughly. It is important that they are completely dissolved in warm water. Use the product immediately after preparation, it is better to do it in the morning or in the evening, before meals.

This home remedy destroys pathogens. A positive result from the treatment can be observed already by the end of the first week.

In cosmetology

Forest honey in home cosmetology is used to make face and hair masks. He contributes:

• wrinkle smoothing;
• rejuvenation;
• achieving a lifting effect;
• combat acne;
• intensification of hair growth;
• prevention of alopecia;
• strengthening the hair follicle.

The product is often added to all kinds of scrubs for the skin of the face, body, head. And it is also useful to use it to lubricate the nail plate and the area around it. Saturation of the skin with vitamins helps to strengthen nails, eliminating their foliation and brittleness.

Types of forest honey

According to the type of collection, forest honey is divided into 2 varieties:

• Honeydewy. This beekeeping product is considered the most valuable because it contains components of animal and vegetable origin. Get it from the secretion of aphids.
• Combined. Actually, this is the honey that bees produce after collecting pollen from forest plants.

Advice. To find out exactly what kind of "wild" honey is in front of you, study the label on the jar. If you are buying directly from a beekeeper, you can ask him how the bee product was obtained.

Depending on the honey plant, honey happens:

• Pine. Produced mainly in Greece or the Aegean part of Turkey. Dark brown in color with caramel or woody flavors.
• Spruce. It is distinguished by an amber color with the presence of reddish veins. The aroma is reminiscent of caramel or condensed milk.
• Pikhtov. This honey is a honeydew variety. The mass is painted in a dark color with barely noticeable greenish streaks. The smell can be different - herbal, resinous, caramel or even balsamic.
• Bukov. It is characterized by a mild but very sweet taste. It has a very thick consistency, smooth surface, no crystallization when in liquid form.
• Dubov. Differs in dark color and well expressed, pleasant aroma. Honeydew is produced by insects. Honey crystallizes quickly. Its crystals can reach impressive sizes.

This list could go on and on. After all, completely different forest cultures can act as honey plants - both trees and plants.

Depending on this, the taste properties of the product will vary, and not just its composition and useful properties.

How to distinguish from a fake?

Determining forest honey and distinguishing it from fake is necessary, taking into account its organoleptic characteristics. You can understand that you have a really “wild” bee product in front of you by the following parameters:

• Color. It varies from light amber or golden to brown, sometimes even black. Additional shades may be present if coniferous trees acted as honey plants.
• Fragrance. Bright, well-defined and palpable. Can be soft, but sometimes has a tart note.
• Taste. It is difficult to compare it with the taste of other types of honey. And even more so, an artificially obtained product will not be able to repeat this organoleptic criterion. The taste of forest honey is rich, astringent, tart, sometimes with a slight sourness.

The process of crystallization proceeds in different ways. Therefore, according to this criterion, it is difficult to judge the authenticity of honey.

Contraindications for use

Honey of forest origin is undoubtedly a useful product. But do not forget about the contraindications that he also has. It is forbidden to use it if available:

• allergies to any bee products;
• severe diseases of the digestive tract;
• progressive oncopathologies;
• sweet intolerance as such;
• disturbances in the level of stomach acidity.

Despite the low glycemic index, the bee product is prohibited for use in diabetes.You should not get involved in them for people with overweight, and with obesity, it is completely contraindicated. Doctors advise not to include honey in the diet during pregnancy and not to give it to children under 3 years of age.

Storage Features

Honey is stored in a dark place, protected from direct sunlight. Perfect for this pantry, cellar or basement. But it is not forbidden to put the container with the product on the shelf of the refrigerator.

It is recommended to store the sweetness in the container where it was at the time of purchase. Usually glass jars or plastic buckets are used for this. The optimum temperature for the product is not higher than +25 °C. If you follow these simple rules, then honey will retain its beneficial properties for a long time.

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