Let
us first define or explain what crystallisation of honey is. When honey takes
on a solid or semi-solid from, it is said to be crystallised. Usually it is
most noticeable when honey is put in the fridge and there are noticeable white
granular substances at the bottom which most people around here conclude to be
sugar (sucrose) granules.
This natural phenomenon happens when glucose, one
of three main sugars in honey, spontaneously precipitates out of the
supersaturated honey solution. The glucose loses water (becoming glucose
monohydrate) and takes the form of a crystal.
Honey
will crystallize because it is a supersaturated sugar solution. Let me be quick
to add that this is not the sugar we all are medically worried about, on the
average honey will contain only about 1.3% of the sugar(sucrose) that is
harmful to health. The majority of the sugar in honey is glucose and fructose.
Haven said this; a couple of factors may predispose honey to crystallisation.
This will usually include but not limited to
1.
Botanical
origin or source of the honey, and by extension its glucose level and moisture
content.
2.
Alternate
heating and cooling especially with harvesting processing and packaging.
3.
The
presence of about 180 substances excluding sugars may also be a factor
The highlights of this is that we should not tag a
sample of honey as bad because it has white sediments at the bottom of the jar,
what it simply means is that the honey contains a good amount of glucose which
is actually a positive indication. Honey samples from plant sources such as
Alfalfa, Cotton, Dandelion, Prune, Rape etc will readily crystallise as opposed
to honey from plant sources such as Tupelo, Sunflower, Grape, Acacia, etc.
Which will not.
The only reason which is not so very concrete;
while you should not go for honey with crystals at the bottom of its jar is
that the crystallisation may have been caused by alternate heating and cooling
at temperatures above 70˚C. This would have killed most of honeys essential
micro nutrients with leaves the honey as just a solution of sugar.
However to prevent your honey from crystallising
please do not put you honey jar in refrigerators. Your honey will remain good
at room temperature. It is important that your honey does not crystallise by
cooling or induction because this increases the moisture content and encourages
fermentation of the honey. So, please warm crystallised honey by placing your
jar in hot water making sure the temperature does not exceed 70˚C and let it
remain at room temperature.
On a good note, it is interesting to know that crystallised
honey is even more expensive and of other uses such as bread spread in some
regions. It is called cremed honey, having the texture of butter, wow! I am
sure you will love it.
Now I sure you know will not throw away your crystallised
honey, what is at the bottom is not sugar(sugar) which your doctor warns you
About but it is Sugar(Glucose) which you need badly. Have a honey time.
