Beekeeping farms in various regions of Russia produce several dozen types of honey from the nectar of flowering herbs and trees. One of the most common varieties harvested in the largest apiaries is buckwheat honey. The majority of bee product lovers are familiar with its appearance, taste and useful properties. This variety is found on sale at almost every fair.
Characteristic features of buckwheat honey
Many apiaries use grain annually as a source for collecting nectar for bees due to its high productivity. During the flowering time of buckwheat – from the last decade of June to the beginning of August – you can get more than 1 kg of high-quality monofloral honey from 200 hectare of land. After pollination by insects, the plants give significantly more yield.
Color
Products obtained from buckwheat nectar are easily distinguished from other types of honey by their bright dark brown color with a golden or reddish tint. It may be almost black at first, but gradually fades. The thickened mass resembles milk chocolate in color.
The composition and calorie content of buckwheat honey
The structure of bee products combines substances that are contained in flower nectar and enzymes added by insects during its processing.
Water is always present in buckwheat honey recently pumped out of the honeycomb.
Important!
Before crystallization, the liquid accounts for about 20% of the product volume. The rest is simple carbohydrates: glucose with fructose, a little maltose. Unripe honey contains a large amount of sucrose.
The buckwheat variety contains over 200 components, which are divided into 2 groups:
- Organic compounds, including proteins and vitamins (choline, nicotinamide, ascorbic acid).
- Mineral chemical elements – potassium, phosphorus, boron, zinc, iron, manganese, copper.
In terms of calorie content, buckwheat honey is not inferior to other varieties. Due to the large amount of carbohydrates, the energy value of 100 g of the product is close to 300 kcal.
Taste
The sweet mass packaged in containers gradually begins to thicken. But the properties of buckwheat honey hardly change. After hardening, it retains a sugary, slightly bitter taste and rich aroma. The peculiarity of this variety is the slight burning sensation of the mucous membrane of the mouth caused by it, a tickling feeling in the throat.
When crystallizes
Fresh bee product is transparent, homogeneous, rather liquid. But after 4-5 weeks, it brightens, becomes viscous. Many grains appear inside the soft, viscous mass. Unripe buckwheat honey with a high sucrose content hardens faster – in about 3 weeks. Crystals can be melted again by heating the mass in a water bath.
Useful properties of buckwheat honey
In addition to the fact that the sweet bee product can be used as a sugar substitute and a source of energy, it strengthens human immunity, replenishes the reserves of essential vitamins and minerals in the body.
A number of useful properties of buckwheat honey make it a popular traditional medicine:
- disinfection, elimination of bacteria and viruses;
- increasing the strength of the walls of blood vessels;
- normalization of blood pressure;
- an increase in the level of hemoglobin, the number of red blood cells;
- restoration of damage to the skin, mucous membranes.
The components help to improve the functioning of the digestive and cardiovascular systems. Under the influence of amino acids, metabolic processes, splitting and excretion of harmful substances are accelerated.
Important!
Buckwheat nectar honey has a beneficial effect on the state of the nervous system, making it more resistant to stress and mental stress. Regular use of the product made by bees improves sleep and well-being.
Useful properties of buckwheat honey do not decrease after crystallization, long storage. When used externally and internally, it is easily absorbed.
For men
Bee products are often used in the treatment of diseases of the male genitourinary organs. Honey is beneficial in the fight against inflammation, normalizes blood circulation, and restores sexual activity. It enhances fertility by improving the quality of the seed.
The sweetness can be systematically consumed by athletes in order to restore the body’s strength after heavy physical exertion, improve the functioning of the heart muscle and lungs, and improve health.
For women
Honey amino acids activate the outflow of blood from the genitals, eliminate congestion in the pelvic region, gynecological inflammation. The sweet medicine is recommended during periods of hormonal surges – in addition to its calming effect, it normalizes the work of the endocrine glands.
Buckwheat honey brings the most tangible benefits for women when used externally as a part of cosmetic and medical products. It has a beneficial effect on the skin, nails, hair, smooths out irregularities, relieves tissue swelling.
At what diseases is applied
The presence of components with properties to cause the death of harmful microorganisms, allows you to treat inflammatory processes, infectious diseases, complications that have begun with bee products.
The benefits of buckwheat honey have been proven for almost all body systems. The help of its active elements will be useful in healing from the following diseases:
- anemia, seasonal vitamin deficiency;
- metabolic disease;
- malfunctions of the heart, kidneys;
- problems with blood vessels (thinning of the walls, a decrease in the lumen);
- high blood pressure;
- diseases of the respiratory tract, genitourinary system;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes of the stomach and intestines;
- internal hemorrhage.
Honey ointments and balms heal wounds, burns, tissue frostbite.
Important!
The nutritious calorie mass extracted from the honeycomb helps to recuperate after surgeries and accelerate recovery.
During treatment, it is recommended not to substitute honey for medications prescribed by a doctor, and to observe moderation. The greatest benefit is achieved with the complex use of medicinal products.
Traditional medicine recipes with buckwheat honey
For prophylactic purposes, it is enough to take 8-10 g of sweet bee product daily for 2 months both on an empty stomach and after meals. A portion of honey is dissolved in the mouth or dissolved in 1 glass of non-hot water and drunk. If you do this at night, gradually the sleep will become stronger. Taking the product in the morning will improve digestion and skin condition.
For colds and respiratory diseases
A well-known folk medicine will help to eliminate irritation in the throat, alleviate pain, stop coughing – 1 glass of warm milk with 30 g of buckwheat honey. The mixture is drunk up to 3 times a day. You can add a pinch of baking soda, replace milk with water.
Important!
To reduce body temperature to normal values, an infusion of raspberries and honey is prepared. After taking such a medicine, you need to cover yourself with a blanket, a rug to increase sweating.
First, for 20 minutes, pour 30 g of raspberries with 1 glass of hot water, then filter the liquid and dissolve 30 ml of honey in it. Instead of berries, raspberry jam, chopped linden flowers are suitable.
In case of serious diseases – bronchitis, pneumonia – mix 1 kg of buckwheat honey, 200 ml of olive oil, as well as dried aloe, linden flowers and birch buds (150-180 g each in crushed form). Pieces of aloe are added to the bee product, heated in a water bath. The buds and flowers are boiled for about 2 minutes in 2 glasses of drinking water. Then both mixtures are filtered and poured into a common container with olive oil. The agent should be taken orally 3 times a day, 30 ml each.
From prostatitis
For inflammation of the prostate gland, it is advised to drink medicinal infusions from dried medicinal plants – birch leaves, plantain, ostudnik and bearberry. 100 g of herbs are poured into a container that retains heat, 500 ml of boiling water is poured on top. Sealed dishes are removed for 4-5 hours in a dark place. Honey in an amount of 100 g is mixed with the cooled and filtered infusion. Half a glass of useful liquid should be drunk after meals 3-4 times a day.
With liver diseases
Violation of cellular metabolism, inflammation, poisoning of this important organ leads to serious consequences. Honey-coniferous infusion restores the normal functioning of the liver and gallbladder. 1 kg of sweet mass with the same number of pine needles, you need to pour 2 liters of warm water. The sealed container is kept in a warm place without access to sunlight for 3-5 days. The finished product is taken 2 times a day, 30 ml.
To improve immunity
Altai buckwheat honey with the addition of a small amount of chopped steamed dried apricots with raisins, chopped walnut kernels and hazelnuts will help improve health, increase the body’s resistance to infections. Before the onset of the cold season, for prevention, they begin to take 2 g of a tasty mixture 3-30 times a day. To enhance the effect, add the juice of a whole lemon. A pinch of mint leaves, cinnamon will make the aroma richer.
With heart failure
Buckwheat honey improves blood flow, strengthens blood vessels. A useful remedy for restoring the normal rhythm of the heart is obtained from cranberries, walnuts, raisins. The grated berries are combined with pieces of fruit, honey is poured so as to cover the resulting mixture with it. After each meal, you need to eat 30 g of sweet medicine.
For anemia
An increase in the level of hemoglobin can be achieved by consuming a small amount of a bee product from buckwheat nectar every day. But it is much more useful to drink an infusion with rose hips (100 g). Plant raw materials are crushed, poured with boiling water for 12 hours. Then honey is added to the container and the finished composition is taken before meals, 30 g each.
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The widening of the lumen of the blood vessels helps to lower blood pressure. A useful mixture of buckwheat honey, lemon and vegetable juices (they are obtained from beets, black radish, carrots) diluted with water works well in this direction. The mass is insisted for 48 hours. The course of treatment is 2 months. Take 100 ml of the product daily, dividing the portion into 3 parts. A break of at least 30 days is required between the two courses.
Противопоказания
It is safe to consume buckwheat honey for a healthy person, as well as in the presence of many chronic diseases. The main thing is to comply with the maximum daily dosage limit: 150 ml for an adult, 50 ml for a child or teenager. A baby should not be offered sweetness until the age of 2. It is recommended not to apply honey ointment to open wounds, abscesses, and extensive inflammation.
Important!
The main contraindication to admission is an identified allergy to bee products, a tendency to the appearance of diathesis. A small portion can cause nasal congestion, coughing, watery eyes, redness and itching of the skin. The reaction is very strong, up to swelling of the airways.
Doctors also advise not to use honey products in case of diabetes mellitus, hepatitis, bronchial asthma, thrombosis. It is better to refrain from them with diarrhea, low blood pressure, fever. However, many people who did not comply with these prohibitions did not experience any negative consequences of taking.
Is it possible to use buckwheat honey
Certain categories of lovers of a sweet product, despite the benefits they bring, should be careful to use honey as an additive to food, medicine. Excessive consumption can be harmful to health. It is worth discussing with the doctor the possibility of treatment with traditional medicine.
When breastfeeding
The components of the mother’s nutrition enter the milk she produces and then into the baby’s stomach. Therefore, it is necessary to postpone the use of honey until the moment when the colic stops. Until the baby is 3-5 months old, there is a possibility that the active substances will cause the appearance of an allergic rash, abdominal pain, and stool disorders.
After the child’s digestive system matures, a nursing mother can gradually introduce bee products into her diet, starting from 5-10 g per day.
In pregnancy
In anticipation of the birth of a child, many women use traditional medicine to treat various diseases. One of the most readily available natural medicines is honey. In addition to helping in the fight against infections, preventing colds, it supplies the body with the necessary vitamins and minerals, increases the number of red blood cells in the blood, and improves sleep.
Important!
During pregnancy, it is allowed to use honey, if there are no contraindications. The dosage of ingredients indicated in the recipe must be observed.
But when diagnosed with gestational diabetes mellitus, it is better to refrain from consuming sweets for the coming months.
With pancreatitis, cholecystitis and gastritis
Buckwheat honey is beneficial for chronic diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It helps in eliminating infections, restores damaged areas of mucous membranes. However, it is believed that the exacerbation of inflammatory processes is a reason to temporarily stop taking bee products, using only medicines from the pharmacy.
With diabetes
The reduced amount of carbohydrates, the content of vital substances is what buckwheat honey is useful for for the body. It is often advised to replace sugar and other sweets for people with diabetes. Doctors have the opposite recommendations: completely exclude from the menu foods rich in carbohydrates that can increase glucose levels.
Buckwheat honey for weight loss
Compliance with the dietary regimen does not prevent the inclusion of different varieties of sweet mass in the menu, which is easy to digest. Amino acids activate metabolism, elimination of processed food particles. If you want to lose weight, it is better to use healthy sweets in small quantities before lunch, do not forget about feasible physical activity.
The use of buckwheat honey in cosmetology
It has long been noticed that many useful remedies that heal affected skin areas can be used to moisturize it and eliminate minor flaws. Therefore, honey is added to creams, ointments, balms, masks, mixtures for wraps are made on its basis.
Effect after using fragrant cosmetics:
- smoothing wrinkles;
- the return of elasticity to aging skin;
- improvement of capillary blood flow, removal of edema;
- bleaching age spots;
- cleansing clogged pores, healing inflammation.
Do not use honey cosmetics for the face, hands, hair for people who are allergic to its components. Otherwise, instead of the expected result, you can get irritation, itching, rash.
Facial masks
Cosmetics are made from liquid honey (fresh or melted in a water bath). Small grains can damage the surface of the skin.
For the nutrient mixture, you will need 50 ml of bee product, juice of a whole lemon and a raw chicken egg. The mask is applied to the face, washed off after 15-20 minutes. It is also suitable for the neck, décolleté area. Instead of a lemon with an egg, it is allowed to take 50 ml of cucumber juice and keep the mass for half an hour. The procedure is repeated every 3-4 days.
Skin cleaning is carried out with a scrub obtained by adding 5 g of ground coffee to 100 g of buckwheat honey. A cream made from a bee product whipped with coconut oil (ratio 3: 1) has a similar effect. The products are washed off 5-10 minutes after application.
Hair masks
The honey and onion mixture fights dandruff. If the scalp is very flaky, grate onions (1 pc.), Add 60 ml of liquid honey, pour both components with olive oil. The product is used to lubricate the hair roots, hold for 20-25 minutes and rinse thoroughly with warm running water.
At the initial stage, a mask of 60 ml of buckwheat honey with 1 egg yolk can stop the balding process. After shampooing, the mixture is distributed from the roots to the ends of the hair, put on a shower cap and wrapped in a towel. It takes 30 minutes for the remedy to work. Then the head needs to be washed again.
Hand ointment
To soften, smooth the skin on the back of the palms, use a mixture of 90 ml of glycerin, 20 ml of liquid buckwheat honey and the same amount of ammonia. All ingredients are poured into one container, add 30 ml of water. This ointment will benefit your hands with daily use.
How to distinguish real buckwheat honey from fake
You should not buy goods from unverified apiaries, without reviewing the documents. On the market, you can come across products that insects have produced from the nectar of plants treated with chemicals, or from sugar syrup.
Lovers of bee products in appearance and taste understand which variety the seller is offering. They know many ways, for example, how to determine the naturalness of buckwheat honey. Beginners will need a few tips.
Important!
White foam on the surface of the sweet mass means its fermentation. The absence of a pronounced odor, bitter aftertaste signals that the product is not obtained from buckwheat nectar.
The fact that the honey is not sugared is not yet an indicator of freshness; it could be specially heated to dissolve the grains. During crystallization, a quality product remains homogeneous, does not stratify.
To imitate a dark brown color, a rich aroma, a structure of small particles, dyes and other additives (molasses, flour) are often added to the honey mass. Impurities at home are found through simple chemical reactions. For example, a sign of the presence of starch is a local blue discoloration from 2-3 drops of iodine, and the presence of chalk particles is the release of foam from the addition of acetic acid.
Real honey without additives does not stain white fabric, does not absorb into paper, does not form a precipitate when dissolved in water.
Storing buckwheat honey
The product does not lose its beneficial properties for at least 1 year from the date of extraction from the honeycomb. It is important to choose the optimal container for storage and observe the necessary conditions in order to avoid early damage.
Important!
Do not use metal utensils, with which the substances of honey can enter into a chemical reaction. A container made of glass, ceramics is suitable.
The container is tightly corked with a lid, removed to a dark, dry, cold place. The product easily absorbs liquids and aromas, therefore it does not tolerate high humidity, proximity to strong-smelling food, household chemicals. The solidified mass must not be heated to a temperature above 40 ° C, otherwise carcinogenic substances will be released.
Buckwheat honey has an unusual dark color and benefits the health and appearance of people using it. Even children and pregnant women can use the product. Honey has long been used in folk medicine, cosmetology, cooking, and has many positive reviews. This sweet natural medicine should be in every home.
