Saumya Raw Honey
SAUMYA RAW HONEY
Honey is a natural energy source that gives more and faster energy than an infusion of glucose. Honey is produced by bees from the nectars of flowers that possess multiple therapeutic properties, such as antibacterial, (morning and evening) prebiotic, antioxidant (such as flavonoids and phenolic acids that prevent premature aging, Type 2 diabetes, and heart diseases), and antimutagenic. This natural product is an aqueous supersaturated solution, mainly composed of fructose and glucose and other minor constituents, such as organic acids, amino acids, proteins, minerals, vitamins, lipids, aroma compounds, flavonoids, pigments, waxes, pollen grains, several enzymes, and other phytochemicals.
Honey is a natural sweetener with no fat and only trace amounts of protein and fiber. It is a significant dietary source of vitamins and minerals. It is rich in health-promoting plant compounds known as polyphenols. It protects against metabolic syndrome and helps increase adiponectin levels – a hormone that reduces inflammation and improves blood sugar regulation. Honey may help lower blood pressure, improve blood fat levels, regulate heartbeat, and prevent the death of healthy cells — all factors that can improve heart function and health. Raw honey typically contains propolis, bees’ resin from sap-producing trees, and similar plants. Propolis may improve cholesterol and triglyceride levels; it is most effective at healing partial-thickness burns and wounds that have become infected after surgery. These healing powers come from their antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Honey appears more effective than certain cough medicines.
To make honey, bees visit flowers to collect sweet nectar. Despite having flowers near their hive, they may fly up to 4 km and collect nectar from flowers other than those they have nearby. The worker bees then store that nectar in a special honey stomach, mixing it with enzymes to reduce the water content. Once back at the hive, more worker bees start chewing the honey to combine it with more enzymes. This process creates a simple syrup. Bees then place it in a honey comb cell. Once the syrup is in the cell, the bees fan it with their wings to help it dry and thicken. Finally, a bee will cap the cell with beeswax, safely storing it for eating or harvesting later. Thus, the honey-making process has many steps. Variables such as where the bees collect their food, the climate and weather of that place, the type of flower from which the nectar is collected, and the condition of the hive all affect the bees and their work. Thus, honey’s colour, texture, flavour, and thickness will vary from batch to batch.
The natural sugars (glucose and fructose) in honey bind together and begin to form little crystals, which can start making honey harder. With differing blends, some honey will begin to crystallize faster than others. The pollen in honey enhances this binding process and provides a platform for the crystallization process. Bees do not intentionally use pollen when making honey, but the powder sticks to their bodies as they visit each flower and inevitably ends up in the honeycomb cells. Fortunately, pollen granules and other imperfections are natural and healthy parts of raw honey. They are also the sources of many benefits of honey, such as antioxidants, enzymes, and anti-inflammatory properties. Additionally, honey stored for a long time may become darker and lose its aroma and flavour. While this is not a health risk, it may not be as tasty or attractive.
Lack of awareness about the natural phenomenon (crystallization and change of color over time) of pure honey, consumers get an impression of bad quality and adulteration of the honey they are consuming. Commercial establishments (instead of educating consumers) started to process honey to overcome this thinking of innocent consumers. While processing, the honey undergoes pasteurization. This is the process of heating the honey at extreme temperatures, which destroys microorganisms within it, such as yeast or bacteria. Not simply that, but pasteurization also destroys many of the best properties of honey, such as its natural antioxidants and bits of pollen or honeycomb. Without these elements, its natural nutrients and benefits go away. It becomes as good as regular sugar, consumption of which has no benefit of honey and becomes a sheer waste of money. Raw honey, on the other hand, never undergoes pasteurization. The beekeeper will strain or filter their honey with a soft and thin cotton cloth (Malmal) to remove some of the natural debris. Still, all the unique and beneficial characteristics remain intact. If it gets crystallized, it means your honey is 100% pure and unadulterated. Crystallization in winter, or even in summer, if honey is kept in an air-conditioned room or a fridge, is very common. Even otherwise, the nectar of different flowers has different time frames of crystallization; some may even become solid.
What to do if honey gets crystallized? There is nothing to be worried about. If you want to liquefy it, keep the honey jar in direct sunlight for a few hours; it will get liquified. If direct sunlight is beyond your reach, keep the jar in hot water for some time, but never heat it directly on flame. Do not put the jar in boiling water over a flame or in ovens/ microwaves. Heating it will destroy all the inherent benefits and leave it of no medicinal use. There is no harm in consuming it, even in solid form, because even crystallized honey retains all its nutritional properties.
Swasthya Bhandar’s raw honey is a collection from Himalayan natural forests. It is multi-floral and organic*, with all the benefits of a super-quality 100% pure honey. We have procured it with great effort after being fully satisfied from all angles, simply for the convenience and benefit of our patients.
* Presently, it is not certified Organic but being from natural wild forest it is impliedly organic and additionally, it has been found organic when tested in a laboratory which is duly accredited by FSSAI, APEDA and RSOCA
| SAUMYA RAW HONEY | |
|---|---|
| Weight | Price |
| 50g | ₹100 |
| 125g | ₹180 |
| 250g | ₹300 |
| 500g | ₹450 |
| 1kg | ₹850 |