MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT HONEY

Here are 5 myths and facts about honey You should know before you buy honey

MYTH: Pure Honey is not or rarely available these days.

FACT: Production of natural Honey in India is 70,000 tonnes per year out of which
              25000 tonnes of honey is exported.

MYTH: Honey can easily be tested for its purity by conventional methods. like
               a) Slowly dropping honey in a glass of water, pure honey settles at the bottom
               b) The dog will not eat bread applied with pure honey
               c) Cotton wet in Honey will not carbon smoke when burnt
               d) Ants will not get attracted to pure Honey.

FACT: Conventional method of testing can only identify physical nature. 
              All the fake and adulterated Honey available these days can pass all these tests easily.                  Honey can only be identified in food laboratories.

MYTH: Pure Honey doesn't crystallize or Granulate. Crystallized Honey is Fake or adulterated. 

FACT: This is the most popular myth in India and Gulf countries. 
              Crystallization of Honey is a Natural phenomenon which depends on 
              (a) Variety of Honey(source of flowers) 
              (b) Atmospheric Temperature
              (c) Presence of Pollen and other particles
              Pure crystallized Honey can easily be re-liquefied by keeping in warm
              water or sunlight.  Crystallization doesn't affect the quality of Honey.

MYTH: Apiary Honey or Beekeeping Honey is artificial and has no medicinal value.

 FACT: The Honey produced by beekeepers are same or some way superior
               to the tribal collected squeezed Honey.(Reason: more hygienic, 
               combs not destroyed, free from remnants of bees larvae and dust)  

MYTH: Light coloured and thick Honey are of superior quality.

FACT: Color of Natural Honey Ranges from light watery colour to dark amber,
             which depends on the source of flower and pollen content. Irrespective of colour all types of Honey has almost the same nutritional and medicinal value. Honey contains moisture level ranging 18-25 %, which is according to the time and season of harvesting. lesser the moisture thicker will be the Honey. Few brands deliberately thicken Honey to be more appealing in the market.