One of the most useful beekeeping products is natural sweet clover honey. What it is and for what purpose it is used, read below.
What is clover honey?
In order not to fall for the tricks of fraudsters and not to buy a fake, you need to know what the bees make bottom honey from and study its main characteristics. Yellow and white sweet clover is the main raw material for collecting nectar from which the variety in question is produced.
Did you know? Cleopatra was officially the first representative of the weak half of humanity, noting the positive qualities of honey, which she actively used to improve her appearance.
The plant is one of the most valuable melliferous crops that are ubiquitous. A wild-growing specimen provides a production yield of raw materials in the range of 150–200 kg / ha, varietal species - 200–300 kg / ha. High honey plants due to the large number of flowers per unit area. Flowering, and accordingly the collection of nectar, begins in early June, ends in September.
It is rather difficult to obtain a pure clover variety without impurities, since the phase of clover flowering coincides with a large number of other plants. In this regard, sweet clover nectar is most often one of the elements of summer honey. So, for example, at the end of June, when honey is collected, they get a buckwheat-clover version, which is more saturated in color.
Description and characteristic
What a clover product looks like largely depends on whether it is clean or whether pollen and nectar from other plants are present. Pure products have a low degree of viscosity and are almost transparent, with barely noticeable mother-of-pearl yellowness. Sweet liquid exudes a delicate delicate aroma. It has good taste characteristics - moderately sweet, without sugaryness with pronounced notes of vanilla.
Crystallization takes 3-4 weeks. At the end of this process, raw materials collected from white flowers are converted into a greasy mixture of almost white color, and from yellow, a fine-grained mixture with a similar color. Calorie content per 100 g of product is 314 kcal.
The chemical composition and calorie content of the product
Per 100 g of products are:
- 0.8 g of protein;
- 0 g of fat;
- 81.5 g of carbohydrates;
- 17.7 g of water.
The main components of this product are:
- fructose 40%;
- glucose from 36%;
- sucrose 10–20%.
In addition to carbohydrate compounds, the composition of sweets includes more than 300 of the most various elements:
- B vitamins;
- essential amino acids;
- antioxidants;
- calcium;
- magnesium;
- zinc;
- potassium;
- phosphorus;
- fluorine;
- copper;
- iron;
- selenium, etc.
Properties of honey for the human body
The rich chemical composition determines the healing properties of sweet clover delicacy. The use of this product has a beneficial effect on the whole organism. But, in everything you need to know the measure, otherwise the healing elements can be harmful.
Benefit
Each honey variety has its own unique characteristics. The main beneficial qualities of clover are the ability to enhance lactation and have an antibacterial-healing effect on the mucous membranes of the digestive tract.
In addition, the dosed consumption of honey products allows you to eliminate metabolic problems, as well as restore the functionality of the endocrine system. White honey is especially useful for women who are on the eve of menopause and suffering from painful periods.
- In addition to the above useful qualities, the tool helps:
- effectively restore the functionality of the immune system;
- adjust the central nervous system;
- eliminate symptoms of chronic fatigue with increased physical and mental stress;
- relieve pain with external use;
- accelerate the elimination of toxins from the body.
Did you know? Honey products do a great job of eliminating alcohol from the body. In the morning with a hangover, the best breakfast is toasted toast, generously oiled with delicacy.
Harm and contraindications
- The main contraindications for the use of clover beekeeping product:
- intolerance to products;
- allergy to herbs and legumes;
- children under 3 years old;
- gastrointestinal diseases, accompanied by erosion of the mucous membranes in the acute stage;
- diabetes;
- obesity.
How to determine clover honey for naturalness at home?
Sweet clover variety is often faked by adding sugar syrup, flour, jelly, etc. to the composition of the rapeseed product, which is a cheaper and less useful option.
In fact, to distinguish natural raw materials from fakes is quite simple:
- Check all the taste, color and aroma characteristics - they must meet the above criteria.
- Taking a small amount of honey to drop 2 drops of iodine on it - with the addition of flour and starch, the composition will turn blue.
- Having dissolved a small amount of honey in 100 g of water, add 1 tsp. vinegar - when adding chalk, bubbling and hissing will be observed.
- By dissolving a small amount of honey in water and waiting for a while, you can determine the presence of sugar - it will settle in the form of sediment at the bottom of the tank.
How to apply
The daily rate of consumption of clover honey is 4 tbsp. l., divided into several methods.
Products are widely used in many areas of human life:
- folk medicine;
- cosmetology;
- cooking.
In folk medicine
The clover variety of honey products is effective for external and internal use.
It will be useful in the treatment of:
- Gout - in the form of compresses superimposed on areas of the body in which pain is most strongly felt. To a glass of water add 1 tbsp. raw materials + 20 drops of aloe vera ether. Apply a compress for 30 minutes. The course is continued until the symptoms disappear completely.
- The initial stage of gastritis during remission and with nervous exhaustion - 1 cup of honey is added to a glass of water or pumpkin juice and drunk 20 minutes after breakfast. The course is 2 weeks. Then take a break for 10 days and repeat the course again.
- Bronchus with severe cough - make a mixture of 1 teaspoon of honey and the same amount of black radish, ground on a grater. Take 3 times a day after meals, drinking plenty of water. The course of treatment is 7-10 days.
- Hemorrhoids in the initial stage - per 100 ml of warm water, comfortable temperature for the human body, add 20 g of honey. Enemas are made with this compound. It will not be superfluous to add clover honey to the bath.
Important! Not only honey from the clover is healing. The plant itself, moreover, all its parts, is actively used in medicinal formulations.
In cosmetology
Honey raw materials are often used in the manufacture of:
- face masks, relieving acne, as well as anti-aging;
- perfumes;
- masks and shampoos for hair, accelerating their growth and restoring the split ends.
One of the most effective procedures to improve the condition of the skin, partially eliminate stretch marks and get rid of cellulite, is a honey wrap. Why 2 tbsp. raw materials are applied to the problem area of the body, previously steamed in the shower and scrubbed. Then wrap with cling film and leave for 40 minutes. After rinse with warm water.
In cooking
Honey raw materials are indispensable in the preparation of sauces and marinades for meat products, fish and syrups for desserts. The product in question goes well with soy sauce and lemon. For 50 ml of soy sauce, add 30 g of honey + juice of one lemon + spices for meat / fish and salt to taste. All ingredients are placed in a heat-resistant glass dish and kept in a water bath, stirring constantly until the honey is completely dissolved. This marinade is great for soaking ducks, mackerel for grilling, pork.
Important! In soy-honey marinade, lemon juice can be replaced with lime, orange or pomegranate. This will help to give the dish a more interesting, piquant taste.
For the preparation of honey syrup 2 tbsp. honey is added to 200 ml of water. The mixture is kept in a water bath until the honey is completely dissolved, and then used as watering for fruit salads.
How to store and in what conditions?
Natural honey products are characterized by a high level of shelf life, due to the presence in their composition of a large number of antiseptic elements.
But in order to keep useful elements, you need to follow a number of rules:
- ware for storage should be only from natural materials without the inclusion of metal;
- the container must be tightly closed;
- optimal temperature for storage is +6 ... + 20 ° С;
- the storage room should be well protected from direct sunlight.
Sweet clover honey is a unique beekeeping product, valued for its high quality indicators and healing properties. Its regular use in moderation can significantly improve health.
