HONEY
A spoonful of honey can help to soothe a sore throat to make it feel a little better as it heals and it also complements remedies for coughs, colds and flu.
ABOUT HONEY
HONEY - DIFFERENT TYPES
Although the taste of honey is completely natural its flavour is dependent on the nectar derived from the abundant and diverse number of floral sources. Honey made from a single species of flower is known as monofloral whilst honey made from the nectar of several different flowers is polyfloral. You can also get blended honey where different types of honey are combined in order to achieve a particular taste.
There are literally hundreds of different flavours of honey simply because there are so many species of flower from where bees can gather nectar. Furthermore, certain types of honey are exclusive to individual countries because certain types of flora are solely indigenous to those areas. In America alone there are over 300 unique flavours of honey.
The concentrated flavour of the honey is usually indicated by the colour. A lighter coloured honey would posses a mild flavour whilst the darker honey types are usually more full-bodied. The colour range of honey is thus; water white extra white white extra light amber light amber amber dark amber (near black).
Honey is made up of an elaborate combination of natural sugars mostly Fructose and Glucose (80%) water (18%) and vitamins, minerals, pollen and protein (2%). The texture of the honey also varies between thin and heavy.
Although Honey is produced all over the world, it can only be harvested during the warmer times of the year when flowers and plants are in bloom. Countries with cooler climates have a limited period in which to produce honey (Finlands honey season is a mere 2-3 weeks each year!) and therefore cannot create as much as the warmer countries. For example, the UK produces around 4000 tons of honey each year but consumes well over 25,000 tons meaning that we rely heavily on honey imported from those countries that have longer production seasons.
There are literally hundreds of different flavours of honey simply because there are so many species of flower from where bees can gather nectar. Furthermore, certain types of honey are exclusive to individual countries because certain types of flora are solely indigenous to those areas. In America alone there are over 300 unique flavours of honey.
Below is a table of selected honey flavours together with their countries of origin. |
|
| Honey Flavour/Type | Country/Countries of Origination |
| Acacia Blossom | Hungary; Romania; Bulgaria; China; USA (California) |
| Alfalfa | USA (Western States) |
| Apple Blossom | United Kingdom |
| Attiki | Greece |
| Basswood | Southern Canada; USA |
| Borage | United Kingdom; New Zealand |
| Buckwheat | USA |
| Cherry Blossom | United Kingdom |
| Chestnut | Italy |
| Clover | Canada; New Zealand |
| English (Combination of Flowers) | United Kingdom |
| Eucalyptus | Australia |
| Foxglove | USA (Oregon) |
| Greek (Hymens and Thyme) | Greece (from the Greek mountains) |
| Hawthorn | United Kingdom |
| Heather | United Kingdom |
| Huckleberry | USA (Montana) |
| Lavender | (Southern) France; Spain |
| Leatherwood | Tasmania |
| Lime Blossom | China; Poland; United Kingdom |
| Macadamia | Hawaii; Australia |
| Manuka | New Zealand |
| Mexican (Dzidlze shrub) | Mexico (Yucatan Peninsula) |
| Millefiori | Italy |
| Mixed Flower | Several different countries |
| Orange Blossom | Spain; Florida; Mexico |
| Rosemary | France; Spain |
| Strawberry Clover | Australia |
| Sunflower | France; Spain |
| Tropical Floral Hilo | Hawaii |
| Wild Thyme | New Zealand; Spain; Greece; France |
Honey is also available in several different forms or states;
Liquid Honey:
the most common type of honey and, due to its consistency, the most convenient for using in cooking. Often referred to as runny honey.Whipped/Creamed Honey:
after a time, liquid honey will crystallise (this isnt harmful) but whipped honey is marketed in a crystallised form. At room temperature, whipped honey can be used as a spread like butter. Also known as solid or set honey.Comb Honey:
the wax comb used by the bees is also edible and, here, the honey is left in the comb and packaged.Cut Comb Honey:
this is honey that contains chunks of the honeycomb.Chunk Honey:
consists of pieces of comb honey that are placed in containers and then enveloped with liquid honey.The concentrated flavour of the honey is usually indicated by the colour. A lighter coloured honey would posses a mild flavour whilst the darker honey types are usually more full-bodied. The colour range of honey is thus; water white extra white white extra light amber light amber amber dark amber (near black).
Honey is made up of an elaborate combination of natural sugars mostly Fructose and Glucose (80%) water (18%) and vitamins, minerals, pollen and protein (2%). The texture of the honey also varies between thin and heavy.
Although Honey is produced all over the world, it can only be harvested during the warmer times of the year when flowers and plants are in bloom. Countries with cooler climates have a limited period in which to produce honey (Finlands honey season is a mere 2-3 weeks each year!) and therefore cannot create as much as the warmer countries. For example, the UK produces around 4000 tons of honey each year but consumes well over 25,000 tons meaning that we rely heavily on honey imported from those countries that have longer production seasons.