There are a few key clues in the honey itself which indicate whether it’s good or not, and what kind of floral source it originated from. It’s probably a good time to mention that contrary to popular belief, the price has nothing to do with how pure (or not pure) the honey is.
The prices are mostly determined by the brand, or where it’s sold. So what should you look for? Here are 6 things to keep an eye out for.
Bee dander
Every bee colony produces a bit of dander, but when bees make honey they mix it with bee dander and wax which creates a thick paste that is the basis of honey. Sometimes this gets in with the honey, and it’s often not easy to tell when you’re shopping for your honey products online as well as buying in a supermarket. This doesn’t mean that the entire jar of honey has bee dander in it, but if you can see some clumps or little oddballs floating about in the jar, this probably indicates that there’s bee dander in the honey.
Any sort of granulated or crystallized bits in the honey
If you look at a jar of honey and see that there are little bits that have turned into crystals then this is basically an indication that it’s not pure honey because bees don’t make crystals heat does. In fact, if you want to make your own, all you have to do is dissolve some honey in hot water and then set it out in a cool dry place, then it will turn into crystals.
The same goes for granulated bits, if there are any sort of clumps or granules floating about when you shake the jar, this doesn’t mean that the entire jar is bad, but it means that there may be some other ingredients that you can’t see. This doesn’t mean staying away from the honey because unless there’s a lot of granulation going on then it should still taste okay.
Keep an eye out for any sort of filmy coating
This goes back to the granulation. If there’s any sort of crystalline filmy coating on the top of a jar of honey, this indicates that it has been heated and is probably not pure. Again, it doesn’t mean that the entire jar is not pure, but it’s a good idea to look for other signs of quality.
If you can see particles in the honey itself (not on top) this is another sign of heat damage For the same reason as above, if there are little bits inside then it’s not pure honey. The only difference here is that these particles won’t be floating about in the jar when you shake it because they’re sitting on the bottom.
Look for chunks and bits in the honey
If you see chunks or little lumps floating about in the honey, then don’t buy it. The only exception to this is if the chunks are made up of wax. This means that there’s bee dander in the honey, but it may not necessarily mean that the entire jar isn’t pure, but it still doesn’t look too appetizing.
Is there any water mixed in?
Pure 100% honey does not have any water in it at all. If you take a spoonful of honey and drip water onto it, pure honey will stay in an unbroken line on top of the water. Anything else which has some other ingredients mixed into it will not. You can also tell by taste if there’s any sort of additives mixed in because pure honey tastes very close to what it smells like.
Of course, if you’re ever in doubt about whether or not some honey is pure then your best bet is to go with the old-fashioned testing methods where you drop some on a plate and add some water. Honey should never dissolve into the water; it should sit as a line since there’s nothing mixed in with it that will dissolve. If it dissolves, then there’s water in it and therefore, additives as well.
Fruit flavour
Any honey which says something like with real fruit flavor or made with real honey is not pure because even if it has some bits of fruit or flowers mixed in, there’s still nothing else added to make the product better. If you see these words on the jar then simply move on to choosing another one.
If you follow these guidelines for choosing good-quality honey, it should be almost impossible to buy a jar that’s been mixed with additives. It may take a little practice to find a few reliable brands but after you’ve done your research and checked the label, then finding something good shouldn’t be much trouble at all.
Remember that even if you have to pay a little more for pure honey, it’s worth the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’re not eating anything mixed with chemicals or preservatives.
