Honey can be obtained from a variety of flowering melliferous plants, but it is linden that is considered one of the best. In the article, we consider the features of this type of bee delicacy, its benefits and possible harm.

Description and characteristics of linden honey

Sweets obtained in different regions have a different color, taste, aroma and texture. This is not of particular importance in determining quality - it is enough that the product is genuine.

What does it look like

The appearance of any product has a great influence on its cost: linden honey looks very appetizing both in fresh and in crystallized form. Liquid sweetness is almost transparent and plays well in bright light.

Colour

The color scheme can be very different, depending on the place of collection by the nectar bees. It is also important when they collect it - at the beginning, in the middle or at the end of the flowering period. Usually the delicacy turns pale yellow. There are also greenish shades, the appearance of which is due to the features of the area or the location of the accompanying honey plants.

Taste and Aroma

The smell and taste of the lime product are ideal: even in the aroma you can hear sweetness, and in the taste - light bitterness acquired from neighboring plants, a little astringency and an indescribable gamut of lime color. Aromatic properties are usually described as follows - fresh wood with fragrance from camphor, mint and balsamic smell.

Important! Lime groves are able to produce a large quantity of high-quality honey with almost standard taste, smell and color.

Sugaring terms

Crystallization of this product occurs 3-4 months after harvest. Given the fluidity, monosaccharides are rapidly released in it. The product in question is very quickly sugared in a jar. Previously, a clear, light liquid becomes cloudy after a month, becomes denser, and crystals begin to precipitate in it.

For another two months, honey turns into a sugar mass. Its properties will not deteriorate from this. If someone does not like the sweetness to thicken and crystallize, then it is worthwhile to understand that not sugared linden honey is fake in time.

The chemical composition and calorie content of the product

Like any other honey, linden contains many useful substances for the human body - there are more than 300 different minerals and vitamins.

Monosaccharides make up the bulk, the rest relates to polysaccharides and other substances:

• fructose - 39%,
• glucose - 36%;
• polysaccharides, water, ash and other organic matter - 25%.

The main trace elements in the treat:

• fluorine;
• zinc;
• nickel;
• copper;
• chrome and others

By caloric content among other types, the product is dietary - its 100 grams contain only 300 kcal. This is not the lowest calorie content among food products, but almost complete digestibility does not cause the body to waste energy on processing.

Other honey varieties also have beneficial properties:

Properties of honey for the human body

The product is considered to be medicinal, and its effect facilitates the course of many diseases. There is even such a thing as medical treatment (medical therapy).

Beneficial features

The use of linden honey for the prevention and treatment of many ailments of the body has long been known.

With the help of this treat, you can ease the course of many diseases of various systems and organs:

• Airways - diaphoretic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and expectorant effect;
• gastrointestinal tract - antibacterial properties help to remove inflammatory processes in internal organs and improve their work;
• cardiovascular and nervous system - improves metabolism and helps against stress and insomnia;
• skin diseases - external use helps in the fight against rashes, eczema, purulent inflammation, the effects of burns.

Important! Any honey, including linden, has some laxative effect. This should be taken into account when taking it and making plans for the near future after it.

Harm and contraindications

Allergy sufferers and diabetics should limit or completely exclude the use of a bee product. The whole beneficial effect can be crossed out by a sudden increase in blood sugar or a sharp allergic reaction.

For men, excessive consumption of linden honey can also become unsafe due to the presence in it of a large number of hormones intended for women.

The use of the substance in aerosol form by asthmatics and cores is also dangerous, since the reaction of the respiratory tract and the cardiovascular system to the injection can be unpredictable.

How to determine the naturalness of linden honey at home?

There are several rules for choosing natural honey.

To determine the quality of the purchased product, you can use the following verification methods:

1. Checking the taste, or organoleptic, properties of the product allows you to immediately determine its quality - a slight tickle in the throat and a spicy aftertaste should appear. If there is only sweetness in the mouth, then this is a fake.
2. All kinds of additives, both diluting honey, and adding mass and attractive appearance to it, can be recognized by dissolving a spoonful of the substance in a glass of water. A drop of iodine needs to be added to the liquid, and if the water around it turns blue, then the product is not real.
3. In a saucer with a little sweets, put a piece of bread. If it gets wet after a couple of minutes, it means that you are dealing with a fake diluted with sugar or sugar syrup.
4. A visual inspection of the contents of the jar will also help to identify a fake - the heterogeneity of the substance, influxes and candiedness indicate a poor-quality and mixed product. Such honey will either become sugared quickly or sour.

Video: How to distinguish real from fake honey

It is not always possible to purchase goods from a trusted seller. Every buyer needs to know how to choose this expensive treat and not be deceived.

How to apply

The use of linden honey is diverse - from simple use in food to wrapping the body for cosmetic purposes. This substance is able to both saturate during nutrition and help with many ailments.

Did you know? An interesting property of linden honey is its effect on the release of hydrochloric acid in the human stomach. In the form of heat, it suppresses secretion, and in the cold — on the contrary, accelerates it.

In folk medicine

There are many popular recipes in which linden honey is used as the main or one of the main components. Given the fact that they all have a long history, their use is justified.

Diseases respiratory tract can be treated with honey in the following ways:

• for inflammation of the nasopharynx, mix with aloe juice in a ratio of 2: 1, soak for a week in a dark place and apply a tablespoon a day;
• from a cold, instillation of each nostril with 5-6 drops of a 30% honey solution in fresh beet juice will help;
• in the fight against bronchitis, you can grind aloe leaves and add honey in a ratio of 5: 1, two egg yolks and a bottle of cahors - use a tablespoon in the morning and evening;
• when coughing, make cakes - add honey, vegetable oil, dry mustard to the flour, knead the dough and put it on the chest. All ingredients are taken in equal proportions.

Disease gastrointestinal tract it is also possible to weaken with a bee product. The scarring of the effects of peptic ulcer will be milder and faster if you drink a drink from a tablespoon of honey dissolved in warm boiled water three times a day. For better assimilation of food and normalization of bowel function, you can use a treat, diluted in sauerkraut juice, mixed with fresh butter or combined with chopped nuts.

Important! If you plan to go out, it is worth remembering that all honey recipes have a diaphoretic effect.

In cosmetology

The cosmetics industry, like the medical industry, makes extensive use of the beneficial properties of linden honey in its products. But alternative methods also cope well with wrinkles and roughness of the skin. A small amount of the product can be mixed with the pulp of peach, apricot or strawberry - you get a rejuvenating mask for the skin of the face and neck. And the mixture with cottage cheese or egg yolk can be rubbed into the hair and scalp.

How to store and in what conditions?

The basic rules for storing lime treats are as follows:

• glass container with a tight lid;
• a darkened room with a temperature of up to + 25 ° С (pantry, basement, underground);
• Smelling substances and objects should be far away.

Product jars can be placed in a canvas bag. This will not only limit the access of light, but also create a halo of antiquity around this exceptional product.

Did you know? To get only 100 grams of the product, the bee must process 100,000 flowers.

Linden honey can be considered the king among many types of this delicacy, as its taste and healing properties are extremely high.