Characteristics and features of snowdrop honey
Surely every connoisseur of sweet products has at least once encountered a curiosity that shook the entire Internet - snowdrop honey. The novelty was not immediately to the taste, many reacted to it with distrust and still prefer more familiar varieties. This is not surprising, because most consumers are afraid to buy snowdrop honey because they do not consider it natural. Is this true, read this article.
What it is?
It is not difficult to find jars on the market with the inscription "Snowdrop honey", and since it is the first seasonal product, it goes on sale very quickly. The interest of buyers is also warmed up by a delicate honey creamy mass of the color of baked milk, which seems very tasty and sweet. In addition, manufacturers position this product as hypoallergenic, which significantly increases demand.
It is worth noting that snowdrop, like any other honey, contains many healthy substances. It normalizes the work of the pancreas, nervous and digestive systems, liver and heart. Also, the product is able to cleanse the bile ducts.
Eating honey strengthens the immune system, improves the condition of hair, skin and nails, and has a beneficial effect on the body as a whole.
Indications for use:
- liver disease;
- problems with potency;
- pancreatitis;
- poisoning;
- insomnia;
- stressful situations;
- acne.
Snowdrop honey is ideal for cooking. Its unusual aroma will add originality to any dessert, and at the same time will not interrupt the main taste.
Along with all the benefits, snowdrop honey has several contraindications for use. It should not be given to babies under three years old, and also eaten by pregnant women. It is not recommended to eat honey and those who suffer from high acidity of the stomach. The product will negatively affect the body if you have a wet cough with sputum.
Peculiarities
Since ancient times, honey has been incredibly popular. Probably, he was in every home and is still considered one of the unique products that has not only pleasant taste, but also healing properties. Today, honey is used even in medicine and cosmetology. It contains elements that are difficult to obtain from other products.
If earlier the process of collecting the product was almost barbaric - people simply ruined the hives, today there is a whole science of beekeeping that allows you to collect honey in more humane ways. In modern apiaries, plants are often grown to obtain a certain variety, and specially trained people collect it.
Snowdrop honey is no exception. The only difference is that it is mined in certain places, and special conditions are required for collection. However, in spite of everything, for a long time this product has been the subject of controversy for hundreds of people. Everyone discusses - the collection process, its properties, taste. But most often people doubt whether it really exists.
Snowdrops can be safely called primroses, the flowering period of which falls on the end of March - the beginning of April. It would be logical to assume that at this time the bees cannot fly out of the hives.However, there are southern regions in which the snowdrop bloom period is delayed and, of course, the bees can have time to collect it, but the amount of honey collected cannot be called large.
Product uniqueness
According to manufacturers, snowdrop honey has unique qualities, and is even used as a remedy. The secret of properties lies in the features of the product.
- The color of honey is different - the freshly picked product has a light amber color, and after crystallization, the honey brightens and becomes like white wax.
- The crystallization period takes less than a month.
- The smell is weakly expressed, reminiscent of a spring meadow.
- The taste is delicate with a tart aftertaste, sourness is felt. Might scratch your throat a bit. After crystallization, astringency increases.
- It is considered a very high-calorie product - 100 grams contains 330 kcal.
- Contains only 60% fructose + glucose and 20% sucrose.
To maintain the presentation, honey is whipped until a creamy paste is formed. According to GOST, such a product is not considered honey, but this allows you to extend the shelf life up to a year. It is this jar with the colorful inscription "Snowdrop Honey" that is most often offered in stores.
Truth or fiction?
As a rule, all information about the variety of honey is contained in the product description on the label. Most manufacturers indicate the mountain flower kandyk. However, kandyk is actually an early spring inhabitant of Altai and belongs to herbaceous bulbous plants from the lily family. And the most interesting thing is that it has nothing to do with the common snowdrop. In fairness, it should be noted that the bees really collect nectar from it - there are even apiaries in those places.
Kandyk flowers differ from the snow-white snowdrops we are used to - they have a purple or pink color. It is believed that this shade is given to them by manganese salts, which are rich in local soil. The flowering period covers the end of April / beginning of May.
Honey from kandyk is an expensive delicacy - to get 50 kg of honey, you need about 1 ha of blooming Altai primrose. And since this flower is listed in the Red Book, it is considered endangered, and, according to statistics, there are very few years left before it completely disappears from the face of the earth.
There is another version of the origin of snowdrop honey. In the Crimea, in early February, the folded snowdrop of the genus Galanthus begins to bloom. These primroses produce pollen, but they turn into honey plants only in the last days of flowering. Therefore, the amount of collected pollen, and subsequently honey, is quite limited.
It should be noted that there is very little real snowdrop honey and its cost is very high. However, it is almost impossible to distinguish a fake from the original. In some cases, even the information on the product label, which manufacturers use for their own purposes, does not help. On the other hand, it is the high price that is an obstacle for many consumers.
Therefore, if you want to buy real snowdrop honey, choose a trusted well-known manufacturer and pay attention to the cost of the product - it simply cannot be cheap.
About what other versions there are about the origin of snowdrop honey, see the following video.