You can add a natural, sweet touch to your meals by using honey instead of sugar. This liquid is obtained by bees from the nectar of flowers. It also plays an important role in the maintenance and nutrition of bee colonies. Each honey bee produces an average of half a teaspoon of it in its lifetime. Considering the tons humans consume each year, that's a lot of bees at work.
Production and use of honey instead of sugar
The honey bee (Apis mellifera) collects nectar from flowers with its mouth. Enzymes in the bee's saliva create a chemical reaction that turns the nectar into honey. This is then deposited in the honeycomb of the hive. The texture and taste depend primarily on which flowers the honey bees collect from.
This is referenced in ancient writings, with the sweet having long been used for both nutrition and medicinal healing. For centuries, people have used the sweet sugar substitute to worship the gods and embalm the dead. It is also suitable for medical and cosmetic purposes. Nowadays, it is a popular, versatile sweetener that you can use in place of white cane sugar in baking, sauces, and hot drinks.
The soft natural remedy works well in moist, dense, full-flavored casseroles. If you use honey instead of sugar, it will taste sweeter. Because of this, you need to use less. Since its consistency is liquid, you also need less liquid in the recipes you want. This will allow you to caramelize the dish more quickly and give it a darker finish.
The golden-colored candy is most often sold pasteurized, although raw versions can also be found on the market. As a rule, the darker the color, the stronger the taste. Beekeeper's honey can solidify at room temperature, but it can be liquefied again by gently heating the container in warm water.
Nutritional values of honey
It consists of fructose (40%), glucose (30%), water and minerals such as iron, calcium, potassium and magnesium. However, this natural product is sweeter than table sugar due to the high fructose content. It's a carbohydrate-rich food that has a glycemic index (GI) value of 55 (mid range). SomeHoneys like Manukahowever, have a lower GI due to fluctuating fructose content (the more fructose, the lower the GI). However, the candy is still high in calories and causes a spike in blood sugar.
In contrast to sugar, it has a lower GI value. This means that blood sugar levels do not rise as quickly. Bee honey is sweeter than sugar, so you may need less of it, but it has slightly more calories per teaspoon, so it's wise to keep an eye on your portion sizes. For diabetics or those trying to control their blood sugar levels, there is no real benefit to substituting one for the other, as both foods ultimately affect blood sugar levels.
It's also worth noting that, like other syrups, bee honey is classified as a "free" sugar - the kind we recommend reducing. If you prefer it, choose a raw variety that contains more vitamins, enzymes, antioxidants and nutrients than white sugar, but consume it in moderation. It should also be borne in mind that the nutritional benefits of honey consumption are negligible.
