The healing properties of honey are known to everyone, but not everyone knows that a large number of its varieties exist. The article will focus on buckwheat honey and on what this beekeeping product helps from, how it is received and used.

Description and characteristics of buckwheat honey

This type of honey is obtained from the nectar of buckwheat during its flowering. The product is of high value, since the process of its production is very complex. Bees are specially exported to the fields where buckwheat grows during its flowering. This period is short-term, lasting 3-4 weeks, flowering begins in late June and ends in early August. Productivity can reach 80–100 kg / ha of fresh product.

Buckwheat honey production is typical for such countries and regions:

• Ukraine;
• Belarus;
• Altai;
• Cis Ural;
• Volga region;
• Bashkiria.

What does it look like?

A distinctive feature is a dark color, a viscous, viscous structure, however, it can quickly become sugared and turn into a homogeneous mass of dense texture. If the product quickly drains from a spoon - this indicates its low quality, since it is not ripe enough and does not have such benefits.

Color

The color of buckwheat honey varies. It can be yellow, from its saturated shades to brown. A fresh product is often similar in color to Coca-Cola, and as it is sugared it becomes lighter.

Do not confuse it with forest varieties of honey, since buckwheat product is more useful. Distinctive are the smell and aroma.

Taste and Aroma

This product can be recognized by its unique taste - it is bitter and has a tart aftertaste. After tasting, a slight tickle may occur in the throat.

The fragrance combines a spicy fragrance:

• Caramel
• cinnamon
• nutmeg;
• walnut.

Sugaring terms

Crystallization occurs quickly, after which the product has a fine or coarse-grained structure.

Learn also about the properties of such honey varieties as sunflower, melilot honey and milk thistle honey.

The chemical composition and calorie content of the product

The composition of natural honey is difficult to clearly determine, since it directly depends on which flowers and from which plant the bees collect nectar, and it is impossible to strictly control this process, since they can move slightly to neighboring fruit plantations, which will affect the taste of the final product and its components.

On average, 100 g of product contains:

• fructose - 41%;
• glucose - 42%;
• sucrose - 2%.

Sugar in this form is easily absorbed by the body and is necessary for normal life.

If we talk about nutritional value, BJU buckwheat honey is:

• proteins - 0.8 g;
• fats - 0 g;
• carbohydrates - 80.3 g.

Calorie content of 100 g averages 309 kcal.

It is also important to note how many calories are contained in:

• in 1 tsp - 40 kcal;
• in 1 tbsp. l - 120 kcal.
  

Buckwheat honey contains many useful and vital vitamins, minerals, acids, well-digestible sugars, a total of about 40 trace elements, including:

• iron;
• calcium;
• phosphorus;
• potassium;
• magnesium;
• copper;
• zinc;
• aluminum;
• iodine;
• nickel;
• B vitamins (B1, B2, B5, B6);
• biotin (H);
• niacin (PP);
• Vitamin E
• vitamin C;
• amino acids.

Important! When the product is heated above a temperature of +600 ° С and its interaction with water, a chemical reaction occurs and a dangerous carcinogen, oxymethylfurfural, is formed, which has a negative effect on the body and can cause severe poisoning.

The effect of honey on the human body

Having described above a large number of trace elements and vitamins that buckwheat honey is rich in, we can conclude that this product is useful for human health.

Buckwheat beekeeping product is distinguished among other varieties by its unique composition of amino acids and high iron content, due to which it acquires a rich dark color. It is recommended for people suffering from diseases of the gallbladder and kidney stones, liver and cardiovascular diseases.

What is useful?

Useful properties of the product are used in traditional medicine, cosmetology. It is a natural preservative.

• The benefit of the product is that it:
• It has an antibacterial property - it is used to eliminate infections in the oral cavity, during the treatment of inflammatory processes of the throat and trachea. The components included in its composition kill microbes, at the same time its soft structure envelops the inflamed mucous membrane of the throat, facilitating the process of breathing and swallowing, in addition, microflora is restored.
• Helps to get rid of anemia and vitamin deficiency, it is recommended for admission in the postoperative period and as a result of large blood loss.
• It has an immunostimulating property - it helps to cope with a virus attack in the autumn-winter period, so tea with the addition of such a product will be a preventative measure during seasonal diseases.
• It has a positive effect on the blood formation mechanism, since the composition of buckwheat honey is rich in iron. It is advised to include people with hypotension, anemia and other diseases of the circulatory system in the diet. In addition, the bee product helps strengthen and cleanse blood vessels.
• Removes toxins and radionuclides.
• Effectively helps with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, is used to treat colitis and ulcers, restores the mucous membrane.
• It acts as a disinfecting property - they treat wounds, affected areas of the skin with burns.
• With a tonic property, it is used in cosmetology.
• Helps calm the nervous system and normalize sleep.
• It enriches the body with vitamins and minerals, helps eliminate vitamin deficiency.

Chewing honey honeycombs is of particular benefit, since the process strengthens the gums, and the honey contained in them has a beneficial effect on the respiratory tract.

For women

• The product is useful for women's health and is used for various purposes:
• to combat overweight. Thanks to its effect, the metabolic processes of the body return to normal;
• to normalize the hormonal background;
• for the treatment of gynecological inflammatory processes in the form of tampons and lotions based on honey;
• to restore skin firmness and elasticity, giving it a more radiant and healthy look. Cosmetics based on bee products contribute to the elimination of small, facial wrinkles, prevents its wilting.

For pregnant and lactating women, they recommend taking buckwheat honey to restore immunity and increase vitality, improve health. The composition is similar to blood plasma, therefore, it is perceived by the body well. In addition, a high concentration of iron in the product can help increase hemoglobin levels, as many pregnant women feel a lack of it, especially towards the end of the period of gestation.

Important! Uncontrolled intake of honey and other beekeeping products during pregnancy can cause an allergic reaction to it in a child.

For men

Eating it can have a positive effect on men's health.

• The complex of components included in its composition helps:
• in maintaining a stable potency;
• in increasing the speed and quality of filling of cavernous bodies;
• that the sensations during sex are more acute;
• in increasing the duration of an erection.

Harm and contraindications

Compliance with the doctor's recommendations and the correct dosage of the product have a positive effect, however, exceeding the norms in order to achieve a quick effect can be harmful.

Relative harm from taking buckwheat honey can be felt by people:

• who plan to lose weight, because the ratio of glucose to fructose is practical at a level that means the product has a high calorie content;
• at elevated temperature;
• suffering from hypertension;
• pregnant women, if the reception is conducted without the supervision of a doctor, since it can cause allergies in the mother, and later in the baby.

• It is contraindicated to eat buckwheat honey:
• people with an allergy to beekeeping products and, with caution, prone to allergic reactions;
• people suffering from diabetes, because it can provoke a jump in blood glucose;
• with diathesis and scrofula;
• children under the age of 1.5 years, because their digestive system is not yet fully formed.

How to determine naturalness?

Since buckwheat is very valuable and is produced in a limited area, the product is often faked. Therefore, before you purchase the proposed product, you must check the quality. Did you know? According to Japanese scientists who conducted research in the 60–70s of the last century, the use of buckwheat honey helps to cope with radiation, since the product helps to remove radionuclides. Recommendations on how to distinguish a buckwheat from a fake and choose a natural beekeeping product:

1. Buckwheat honey can be liquid or thick. Fresh product should be liquid in consistency and homogeneous.
2. A liquid product can be purchased exclusively from July to September, during the period when it is collected and for an additional 1 month, since then it begins to crystallize.
3. You can rub the drop with your fingers and it will be absorbed into the skin. In turn, if you do the same with a fake, then between the fingers there will be lumps.
4. Fresh honey flows from the spoon, after raising it, the fake will not pour like that, its stream will be intermittent.
5. Knowing what the product is made of, it should be remembered that the color of buckwheat honey should be dark and saturated shades of yellow and brown.
6. Pleasant spicy taste that leaves a slightly bitter and tart aftertaste in the mouth.
7. When you add a spoonful of product to a glass of water or strong alcohol, it completely dissolves, leaving no residue.
8. Having laid a spoonful of the product on a piece of paper, there should not be a water stain on it after some time, if it has appeared - it indicates that the honey was diluted with water or sugar syrup.
9. In a glass with water and honey, you can drip a few drops of iodine, if the bee product contains impurities from starch and flour, the liquid will turn blue.

Video: How to choose buckwheat honey

Such a situation may occur that the honey is stratified: one part of it crystallized, and the other became more liquid. Is this an indicator of product quality, and for what reason can it happen?

The reasons for stratification can be:

1. Natural : almost equal ratio of fructose and glucose in a bee product, incompatibility of inflorescences. Glucose is responsible for crystallization, causing hardening, and fructose for the liquid state. If the ratio of these components is practically equal, stratification can occur.
2. Provoked : honey is collected too early and has not ripened, stored under the wrong conditions, melted at temperatures above + 40 ° C, falsification.
   

How to take?

All beekeeping products are good, but in moderation, since their excessive consumption can negatively affect a person’s health and well-being. So, experts recommend that you adhere to certain dosages when taking this product for medicinal or prophylactic purposes, starting to eat it with minimal doses.

For example, a day is allowed to eat:

• for an adult - 150 g;
• for children - 50 g.

You should also know:

1. Buckwheat honey should not be washed with cold water, as it can increase the acidity of the stomach.
2. Do not use it before going outside in the winter, as it can activate metabolic processes in the body. Due to which, heat transfer can slightly increase and the ability to catch a cold increases.
3. You can not eat in unlimited quantities.

Important! It should be remembered that honey should not be heated above +40 ° C. Honey is used in various fields, among which the most popular are:

• ethnoscience;
• Cooking
• cosmetology.

For face

The skin of the face, due to the properties of buckwheat honey, becomes more elastic, small and facial wrinkles disappear, rejuvenation occurs due to the fact that blood circulation and metabolism increase. In this regard, the product is used as a basis in the preparation of masks and for massage.

For example:

1. Massage Before starting the procedure, thoroughly cleanse the face with a scrub and apply a tonic. Further, the surface of the face is covered with honey, except for the delicate area around the eyes, eyebrows, reaching the hairline. Then it is necessary to lie down and proceed to light patting, massage movements. Perform the procedure until it begins to slide into lumps, after which it is removed from the face with warm water. Then you need to apply a night cream. After the procedure, the skin may turn slightly red. Massage sessions are carried out with an interval of 2 days. The general course is 9 procedures.
2. Wrinkle mask . Ingredients: oatmeal - 1 tbsp. l., buckwheat honey - 1 tbsp. l., water - 2 tbsp. l., green tea - 2 tbsp. l Mix all ingredients until smooth. Then apply it on the face for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water and apply cream.
3. Mask for improving complexion . Mixing carrot juice - 1 tbsp. l., yolk 1 egg, liquid buckwheat honey - 1 tsp., applied to the face and left for 25 minutes. Then rinse with warm water.

Read more about the use of honey for the face.

With diabetes

Honey can provoke an increase in blood sugar in people who are dependent on insulin levels. However, some doctors are of the opinion that in the early stages of the disease and in small doses, the product can and is useful to eat. The dosage and frequency of administration is calculated individually by the doctor.

For hair

• The action of honey has:
• strengthening effect;
• relieves scalp irritation and eliminates itching;
• positive effect on the skin, preventing the appearance of dandruff.

Hair Mask. The effectiveness of the buckwheat variety is manifested in combination with onions, when these two components are mixed in equal proportions. Grate the onion and mix with liquid honey. If the bee product has crystallized, it can be dissolved in a steam bath. The resulting mixture is applied to the head, rubbing into the roots of the hair and left for 30 minutes, and then washed off. If the hair structure is dry, then a few drops of olive oil can be added to the mask, which will help make the hair even softer.

With a cold

Eating honey during colds will help to quickly and effectively get rid of symptoms and recover, since the product has a pronounced antiseptic effect.

There are many ways to treat a cold, among which are:

1. Add 1 tsp. honey in a glass of warm but not hot milk. Drink a drink before bedtime.
2. Onion juice - 1 part, water - 2 parts, liquid honey - 1 tsp. Combine the components and let it brew for 30 minutes, then drip 2 drops into each nostril three times a day from a cold. To treat a throat, it can be used as a rinse once a day.

We advise you to read about the features of the use of honey for the benefit of the body.

For the liver

The product helps fight liver diseases by affecting the parenchyma.

In the chronic form of hepatitis, hepatosis, cirrhosis, alcohol intoxication, an infusion is prepared from the following ingredients:

• pine needles - 1 kg;
• buckwheat honey - 1 kg;
• water - 2 l.

Connect in a clay pot with a lid. In winter, insisting is 10 days, in summer - 3 days. Take an infusion of 1 tbsp. twice a day.

How to store and in what conditions?

Storage temperature of honey should be between +5 ... + 18 ° C. Optimum - + 10 ° C. For this, a refrigerator or a cool basement is best.

Buckwheat honey is afraid of humid conditions and can become watery, absorbing it into itself, and exfoliate or even ferment.

Care should be taken that honey is stored in a dark place, avoiding direct sunlight, which can affect beneficial qualities.

The ideal storage container for this product is:

• glass jar;
• plastic container with a tight-fitting lid;
• enameled dishes.

You can not store:

• in an iron can;
• in galvanized dishes;
• pine and oak containers.

Did you know? Honey is much denser than water, and therefore 700 g of a bee product can be stored in a 500 ml jar. Buckwheat product is an excellent natural preservative, therefore, subject to storage conditions, can be stored for a long time.

However, note:

• the diastase number, or an indicator of the naturalness and maturity of a beekeeping product, decreases by 30% after 1 year;
• 50% by the end of 2 years.

Buckwheat honey is a product containing healthy sugars, which contains a large number of useful substances and trace elements that are used to treat and prevent diseases. Pronounced taste and aroma distinguish the product from other varieties. The useful properties of the product should be treated with care, taking it in the recommended doses, since its effect on the body can be very intense.