honey

[Guest guest]

please tell me whats the sign and properties of pure honey.

 

thanks,

dheeraj

[Guest guest]

We have a nice article by an ayurvedic doctor in our

archives. This article lists contents and types of hoeny, its properties, where

it should be used:

 

http://health.ayurveda/message/5052

 

Author suggests that above article be read before this present message. While so

much about essential fatty acids (EFA)is being discussed here, essential

glycosugars have missed the required empahsis. Just as so many ailmets can be

cured with just adding EFA to the diet, similar result can be achieved by adding

glycosugars to the diet.

 

The part which could have completed the above article in all respects is " simple

test " s for honey, which is provided here.

 

There are thousands of tests for honey, devised by countries which

import honey from other countries. What tests can be performed by an

individual without much equipment are few. Color of hoeny varies

over a wide range.

 

Impure honeys has become commonplace in the market today, despite

many people's preference for 100% bees' honey. The problem with this

is, unfortunately, fake and impure honey can be passed off as pure

very easily. When viewed on the shelf, it is very hard to pick out

what is pure, and what is not. There are, however, a few ways to

figure this out.

 

One of the nutrients (sugar) in pure honey precipitates when it is

subjected to cool weather. This precipitation gives an appearance of

sugar crystals. The honey giving more sugar precipitates faster.

Mostly this is mistaken for adulteration. But if the precipitated

honey is kept in a vessel which in turn is kept in hot water it

attains normal liquid state which shows that it has no adulterant.

 

A cotton wick dipped in pure honey when lighted with a matchstick

burns and shows the purity of honey. If adulterated, the presence of

water will not allow the honey to burn, If it does, it will produce a

cracking sound. You may carry out this test by taking a candle with

cotton wick. Dip the wick in a little honey and light it with a match

stick. If it refuses to burn, then the presence of water is not

allowing the wick to burn. (If there is only a very small amount of

honey on the wick, though, it might still burn. It will produce a

crackling sound, and it would be best to blow out the wick and try it

again this time using more honey.)

 

Generally honey is adulterated by adding a syrup of jaggery.

 

Pure honey does not dissolve in water but impure honey dissolves. So

to test it mix a spoon of honey in a cup of water and find out

whether it dissolves to check its purity. If it is pure, the honey

will stick together and sink as a solid lump to the bottom of the

glass.

 

This test can also be completed by mixing equal parts honey

and methylated spirits (denatured alcohol). Pure honey will settle to

the bottom. Impure honey is more likely to remain dissolved and make

the solution milky.

 

Another simple test is to pour a few drops of honey on blotting

paper and observe whether or not it is absorbed. If it's absorbed,

the honey's not pure. If you don't have blotting paper, pour a little

bit of honey on a white cloth, then wash the cloth. If there is any

stain left by the honey, it is probably not pure.

 

Crystallized, or granulated honey, is always pure. If you

want to be completely sure that the honey you have bought is pure,

that is the most reliable way.

 

One test which appears simple but difficult to do is allowing

an ant to walk over the surface of honey in a pan. Pure honey has

sufficient viscocity so that ant walks from one end to other without

difficulties.

 

When little honey is put on the tongue, it gradually dissoves

in saliva. The residual taste should be bitter

 

The honey collected by bees from organic flowers and from

plants grown in mineral rich soils, honey has more sugar. While these

days the sugar content in fruits and vegetables is reduced due to

depletion of soil minerals, trace minerals, the sugar content is also

reduced. If you find honey from two different sources is pure, choose

the one which has more sugar content, the one which tests sweeter in

the beginning.

 

Pure honey will heal diabetic ulcers too, which is the best test

for its antibacterial ingredients.

[http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-05/uow-ust050307.php]

 

The antibacterial ingredients of honey are know studied and proven

by modern science too.

 

_________

please tell me whats the sign and properties of pure honey.

[Guest guest]

there is some confusion about the issue of these " glycosugars " , a

term which is really a redundancy since " glyco " already means sugar -

so we are talking about a " sugar-sugar " molecule which makes no

sense, unless we are referring to repeating units of sugar molecules,

for which there is already a term called " polysaccharide " , e.g.

starch, cellulose, etc.

 

too much hay is being made about these " essential glycosugars " , or

perhaps more properly " glyconutrients "

in fact, no special measure need be undertaken to obtain these

nutrients, because they are abundantly present in fruits and vegetables

if desired, one can obtain unique polysaccharides from herbs like

Pushkaramula (Inula helenium - " inulin " ) or medicinal mushrooms like

Shiitake (Lentinus edodes - " lentinin " )

 

really, the term " glycosugar " is a marketing term developed by the

Mannatech corporation, and this where the confusion starts

here is a review by ray sahelian : http://www.raysahelian.com/

glyconutrients.html

also on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glyconutrients

 

as for polysaccharides, there are many different types and these have

been well-studied

in large part their effect is limited to the gut where they influence

the gut ecology, which then modulates the immune system

this effect is limited to the gut because most of these long-chain

polysaccharides are indigestible and not actually absorbed

 

this is not debate about the merits of unpastuerized honey, which has

a lot more going for it than just its carbohydrate content

its benefit has been lauded in ayurveda and every other traditional

medical system, and some of its properties, e.g. wound-healing, have

been verified by research

 

HOWEVER, honey is still a source of rapidly digesting carbohydrates,

and people would do well to watch their honey intake

 

in traditional societies like ancient india, bee-keeping was fairly

rudimentary and the actual yield and intake would have been a

fraction of what people have available to them nowadays - like

everything else, its in large part an industrial product

 

in addition to honey, traditional peoples would have consumed the

honeycomb and propolis - now of course honey is a " refined " product

but you can still find these traditional honeys, packed with the

original honeycomb

 

in small amounts, yes honey is an elixir

in large amounts consumed on a regular basis, honey will promote

obesity, diabetes, dysbiosis, and increase the risk of cancer and CVD

Caldecott, Dip. Cl.H, RH(AHG)

Ayurvedic practitioner, Medical Herbalist

203 - 1750 East 10th Ave

Vancouver, BC V5N 5K4 CANADA

web: http//:www.toddcaldecott.com

email: todd

tel: (1)778.896.8894

fax: (1)866.703.2792

 

___

Author suggests that above article be read before this present

message. While so much about essential fatty acids (EFA)is being

discussed here, essential glycosugars have missed the required

empahsis. Just as so many ailmets can be cured with just adding EFA

to the diet, similar result can be achieved by adding glycosugars

to the diet.

[Guest guest]

creamed honey is a naturally crystallized honey that has been worked,

or mixed, to yield a creamy consistency:

http://www.honeycouncil.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=4823

 

the color of honey will depend on the source of nectar, e.g.

buckwheat creates a much darker honey than alfalfa

generally speaking, the darker the honey the better it is in terms of

antioxidant activity, and as such, easily obtainable buckwheat is

about the best:

http://www.sciencenews.org/pages/sn_arc98/9_12_98/bob1.htm

Caldecott, Dip. Cl.H, RH(AHG)

Ayurvedic practitioner, Medical Herbalist

203 - 1750 East 10th Ave

Vancouver, BC V5N 5K4 CANADA

web: http//:www.toddcaldecott.com

email: todd

tel: (1)778.896.8894

fax: (1)866.703.2792

________________________________

in canada hives are plenty

so what are we exactly looking for perfect honey

i buy it from farmers who have creamed it; how do they do this?

Other times I have had the one that is very dark in color and turns

to crystal both are said to be pure, unpasturized and organic right

from the hive not the shop

[Guest guest]

Hey

 

Can you explain why it's recommended not to heat honey; other than it

becomes hard to digest.

 

This is a recommendation that I heard 30 years ago, and have followed

ever since, only because " it felt right " to me. But I've never been

able to get a good, strong, maybe even scientific reason why.

 

Thanks,

Patti

 

Patti Garland

Ayurvedic Chef and LifeStyle Coach

Bliss Kitchen

http://www.BlissKitchen.com

(760) 902-7020

[Guest guest]

but does creaming the honey have any negative impact?

 

 

_______________

creamed honey is a naturally crystallized honey

that has been worked,

or mixed, to yield a creamy consistency:

http://www.honeycouncil.ca/users/folder.asp?FolderID=4823

[Guest guest]

hi y'all

 

the only explanation i have come up with is that honey may contain

latent toxins from the flower nectar, and heating the honey activates

these potential toxins

 

however, not all flowers contribute toxins, and so it would seem that

this traditional recommendation is made on the basis of not knowing

from where the bees are gathering their nectar

 

in ancient india honey was usually gathered from wild sources, and

even as bee-keeping evolved, the beekeepers simply set up hives in

the forest and thus didn't control the bees' access to nectar

 

as such, the bees would gather nectar from any plant, and because

some plants are toxic, there would be some degree of toxin in the

gathered nectar and hence the honey itself

 

i also review this in my book, and cite one study in which a honey

was actually determined to be toxic due to the presence of toxins

derived from the nectar of toxic plants

 

i should add that in Chinese medicine, they actually stir-fry certain

herbs like licorice root in honey to add to its medicinal properties

- once again, perhaps this is a difference in the traditional

sourcing of honey, apiary techniques or just a different perspective

 

to be honest, i think that for the kind of honeys that are produced

in the west, such as alfalfa and buckwheat, in which the nectar is

non-toxic, that heating the honey would have no bad effect

 

the other reason to not heat honey of course is that its unique

chemistry, containing an array of phytochemicals, vitamins and

enzymes, is denatured with heat

 

as for the question, does creaming destroy the natural qualities of

the honey i would say no, as this process is by and large natural

however, as most creamed honey i see is pasteurized and would avoid

it for this reason

 

best...

Caldecott, Dip. Cl.H, RH(AHG)

Ayurvedic practitioner, Medical Herbalist

203 - 1750 East 10th Ave

Vancouver, BC V5N 5K4 CANADA

web: http//:www.toddcaldecott.com

email: todd

tel: (1)778.896.8894

fax: (1)866.703.2792

_______

Can you explain why it's recommended not to heat honey; other than it

becomes hard to digest.

[Guest guest]

Hey

 

Thanks again for taking the time to explain. Do you ever sleep, my

friend?!!!

 

This makes a lot of sense, and feels like the new place to move

forward from.

 

Blissfully,

Patti

Patti Garland

Ayurvedic Chef and LifeStyle Coach

Bliss Kitchen

http://www.BlissKitchen.com

(760) 902-7020

_

the only explanation i have come up with is that honey may contain

latent toxins from the flower nectar, and heating the honey activates

these potential toxins

 

however, not all flowers contribute toxins, and so it would seem that

this traditional recommendation is made on the basis of not knowing

from where the bees are gathering their nectar