Honey: how to distinguish natural from fake?

12 March 2019 by
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There is natural honey, the pure one, and there is fake honey. You have probably already tasted a fake one without knowing it. They are both present on the web and in the supermarket shelves. But how can you tell the difference between fake honey and real honey? A honey that is harmful for your health and a quality honey? 

What is natural honey ?

Natural honey is the product of the hive, it is not mixed with any other product. At worst, pure honey can be filtered and slightly warmed. But here again, a temperature below 36°C is recommended so that the honey can keep all its benefits. Honey can only undergo light treatments in order not to lose its purity. If some industrialists make their honey creamy by mixing them, those who are the most conscientious do not add anything to their honey. However, not all creamy honeys are blended or impure. The texture depends on the variety of plants foraged by the bees. Some honeys, such as  Honey of Litchi or the Honey Thousand Flowers of the Highlands are naturally creamy. To choose your honey, it is therefore necessary to know its floral origin.

What is fake honey ?

False honey is impure honey or honey made only of sugar. Chinese honey in particular is considered to be false honey. This one has been transformed because of the addition of products such as dextrose, glucose, invert sugar, sugar syrup or flour. We can even find honey that does not contain honey at all. Some industries can go so far as to display on their label "honey-based product" or "honey mixture". It should also be noted that the honey mixture is different from polyfloral honey. The latter can be pure, such as Wild Dry Forest Honey, or the  Wild Rainforest Honey. This means that the bees in the hive have gathered several varieties of plants. The honey mixture is honey associated with aromatics or preservatives.

Some criteria to check :

The certifications will prove to you that a honey is of quality, that a honey is natural. We can mention for example the label "pure honey" or the "honey of France". There are also the stars attributed by associations such as Cari Belgium. Connoisseurs will be able to identify the real and the fake only by looking at the texture or by tasting. However, this is not possible with online shopping. Especially since pure honey crystallizes over time and it becomes more or less difficult to identify.

The price of natural honey

The price of honey allows to evaluate its quality. Be careful, the most expensive honey is not always the best. It is not because it is expensive that it is natural. On the other hand, the work required to package honey without using additives is hard. It takes time and patience. Nevertheless, the benefits of honey are worth the cost and the work. At less than €5 per 500g, honey may not be pure. So beware! Some trusted sites allow a traceability of the product.

Crystallization

All honeys will eventually crystallize. Some will simply take longer than others to froth. The idea that granulated honey is fake is a misconception. It is a supersaturated sugar solution. This means that it can crystallize quickly. It is in temperate climates that crystallization occurs most rapidly. It can take only a few weeks for honey from certain floral sources.

Where to buy your natural honey ?

Are you used to buying your honeys in supermarkets? Try buying directly from the beekeeper instead. If you are one of those who only shop on the internet, try to find the origin of the honey and get information about the producer. For Ilanga Nature in particular, the honey is harvested directly from the beekeeper before being put on sale. It does not undergo any treatment and you can easily learn about the honey. The good salesman will master enough the product he sells you to talk about it. In short, the best solution is to find a reliable dealer and stick with him.

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