Honey, a divine gift of nature, has been cherished by masses for countless centuries. Its unparalleled sweetness, taste and range of benefits have never ceased to amaze us. However, there are occasions when honey undergoes a noticeable transformation, changing its texture and consistency through a process called crystallization. In this state, honey no longer flows as a liquid, but gracefully converts into a semi-solid state, forming delicate crystals. Unfortunately, many of us see this as a sign of decay or spoilage, and immediately discard crystallized honey without giving a second thought. Some of us even begin to question the quality of this honey, suspecting it to be adulterated or of inferior quality.
Well, it is time for some enlightenment here!
Let us put all these misconceptions to rest, as the above notion is completely false. The sweet truth about crystallized honey is that it is not bad or spoiled at all! It is as good and delightful as its liquid counterpart, offering the same level of taste and nutrition. The only difference lies in its colour and texture, while rest remains the same. In fact, crystallization is a strong indication that your honey is absolutely pure, unprocessed, high-quality and free of any artificial additives.
Crystallization is a natural phenomenon in raw honey, and no one has any control over it. Simply put, raw honey has a natural tendency to crystalize over time. To enhance our knowledge further, let’s delve a bit into the composition of honey. Essentially, honey is an over-saturated solution that contains high levels of glucose (grape sugar) and fructose (fruit sugar). The proportions of these two sugars vary across different types of honey, and it is GLUCOSE that tends to crystallize more readily due to its limited solubility in water.
Therefore, honey that has a higher glucose content tends to crystallize at a faster rate as compared to honey with higher fructose content. This is the reason why honey flavours such as jamun, lychee, etc could take years to get crystallized, owing to their low glucose content. On the other hand, flavours such as mustard honey, being richer in glucose, might even crystallize within a matter of weeks.
Orbee’s mustard honey is derived from the mustard flowers cultivated in the Uttarakhand region of Northern India. This raw honey represents a unique variety that is meticulously collected by bees by gathering nectar from the lively mustard blossoms. Magically, they convert the essence of these flowers into a delicious treat that captures the bountiful essence of nature. This process gives mustard honey its distinctive floral attributes, gracefully balancing the tangy taste of mustard with the subtle sweetness of honey.
The exceptional quality of mustard honey lies in its rapid crystallization due to its high natural glucose content. This remarkable feature sets mustard honey apart from others. As this honey transforms from a liquid to a semi-solid state, it presents a delightful texture and consistency that maintains its already rich and delectable flavour.
Apart from Orbees’s raw mustard honey, another flavour that experiences rapid crystallization is its raw multifloral honey. This extraordinary honey is derived by bees who laboriously extract nectar from multiple flowers, including mustard flowers. Naturally, different varieties of flowers bear different nectar, each with its own unique blend of glucose and fructose. And since this nectar includes the sweetness of mustard flowers also, the multifloral honey tends to crystallize faster.
Apart from this, other flavours of Orbee honey such as raw lychee honey, raw jamun honey, raw saunf honey and raw coriander honey have different probabilities of crystallization. These particular honey variants tend to retain their liquid consistency for several years, as their crystallization process occurs at a slower pace.
In this context, it is important to note that temperature also plays a critical role in honey crystallization. Lower temperatures are known to accelerate the crystallization process, while higher temperatures slow down the process. Therefore, it becomes evident that honey crystallizes speedily during chilly days and the process slows down during the warmer summer season.
At Orbee, we fully respect the authenticity of nature’s creation. Our honey undergoes no alternation or enhancement. It is not subjected to extreme heat or infused with any artificial additives. We do not adopt any practices to slow down the natural crystallization process. We believe in keeping it real!
So, don’t discard your jar of crystallized honey next time! Embrace its richness, as it is a precious gift from nature. With Orbee, you could indulge in the genuine flavours of nature's bounty by savouring its diverse varieties of honey!