Few people perceive dandelion as a plant beneficial to human health. It is better known as a weed. But some know that this is a unique source of nutrients, trace elements, vitamins. Leaves are added to salads, flowers are used to make delicious, healing dandelion honey. It is not considered a beekeeping product, but in appearance it resembles May honey.
Dandelion honey: what is it
This delicacy is amazing in taste. Dandelion honey retains its taste and healing properties for several years. Many are fighting this weed in every possible way, digging it up, cutting it off, destroying it. Others carefully collect the first flowers and make supplies that will be of great benefit, especially in winter before time.
All aboveground and underground parts of the dandelion are considered curative. But for the preparation of dandelion honey, only its first flowers are suitable. It is not difficult to prepare it. Much easier than making jam from fruits and berries. The amazing color and aroma simply does not leave anyone indifferent.
Appearance
Dandelion honey has a viscous, thick consistency. It can crystallize after a while, as happens with natural honey. Transparent, yellowish-golden color. Sweet to taste, with a barely noticeable bitterness. This state of the product is due to the high content of pollen in the flowers and milk in the green parts of the plant at the time of its collection.
Composition, calorie content
Do not rush to remove the dandelion from your own plot. It is a natural source of lecithin, which is essential for normal brain function and liver prophylaxis. It also contains many other beneficial substances:
- beta-carotene;
- proteins;
- fats;
- carbohydrates;
- vitamins A, C, B, E, PP, D;
- iron;
- zinc;
- potassium;
- calcium;
- magnesium.
In 100 gr. this jam contains 200 kcal.
Useful Properties
Most of the nutrients, safely during cooking, pass into honey (jam) from dandelions during cooking, which explains its benefits. Bees do not like the plant’s nectar as it tastes bitter. But leaving such a source of health unattended is not worth it. A man has long appreciated all the benefits of the plant, so he prepares honey on his own. Heat treatment practically does not destroy useful substances, and they retain their activity for a long time during storage.
It is added to tea instead of sugar, used with cereals, cottage cheese. The bitterness is practically not felt. Such honey is not contraindicated for children, if there is no allergic reaction or a medical ban on the use of sweets.
Application
Dandelion honey is of great benefit to the human body. It is especially important in the cold season, when most people get sick with flu, sore throat and other colds or viral diseases. In addition, dandelion honey is useful in treating:
- heart and kidney failure;
- loss of strength after exertion or operations;
- inflammatory diseases in the gastrointestinal tract, liver;
- to increase immunity and body resistance against various infections;
- for the treatment of skin diseases externally (eczema, furunculosis);
- Alzheimer’s disease;
- anemia;
- normalizes sleep, calms the nervous system.
Given the composition of this sweet product, it can be used in the treatment of almost all diseases, excluding diabetes and allergic reactions to the product. Such a sweet medicine will maintain the health of every family member throughout the year.
cooking recipes
Many housewives know well how to make honey (jam) from dandelions. There are many recipes, it is worth recalling the simplest of them. When preparing, some housewives add medicinal herbs to increase the effectiveness of this remedy. Mint is the most common. Ginger, lemon, cinnamon or vanilla pleasantly changes the taste. The recipe does not require any special proportions. You can add at your discretion.
Collecting flowers and preparing
The collection of the plant must be approached carefully. To make honey from dandelions, it is necessary to collect the very first flowers during the period of active flowering. This is mid-May to mid-June. It grows a lot along the tracks, but it is better not to touch such plants. The purest ones grow in their own backyards or on the lawn in the depths of the nearest forest or clear field.
You can expect that flowers growing far from a noisy and dusty settlement are cleaner. The recipes provide for the piece-by-piece use of dandelion flowers. Usually 200 pieces or 400 pieces are collected, which are pre-soaked in cold water throughout the day. An approximate calculation is as follows: 400 gr. the finished product will need 50 flowers.
A simple and popular honey jam recipe
To make dandelion honey jam you will need:
- 300 flowers;
- sugar – 1 kg;
- lemon;
- water 0,5 liters.
- Squeeze the flowers soaked throughout the day, pour a glass of water and put on fire. After boiling, reduce the heat and stand, stirring, for another three minutes. Grind the washed lemon and add to the broth. Set aside container for six hours.
- Prepare syrup from sugar and the rest of water (300 ml). Put the water with sugar (the entire volume) on the fire and cook until completely dissolved, stirring constantly.
- Throw the present broth of dandelions with lemon on a sieve to strain. You can add cheesecloth so that no petals are visible in the honey. Put on fire, stirring occasionally, bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a minimum and cook for another thirty minutes.
- Pour hot into sterilized jars and roll up. Store in a cool, dark place.
Such honey is useful for raising immunity, coughing and as a general tonic. It is recommended to take at night for insomnia.
Dandelion Petal Jam Recipe
It is necessary to cut the petals from 300-400 inflorescences. It is from the green part of the inflorescences that the characteristic bitterness appears. Pour the petals with cold water (2 liters) and stand for 2 hours. Strain the liquid, add lemon juice (XNUMX pcs.) And two and a half kilograms of sugar. Put on fire, bring to a boil. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until the solution thickens noticeably. Pour hot into sterilized jars and store in a dark place.
Cold Dandelion Jam Recipe
You only need yellow flower petals. Place in layers in a XNUMX liter jar: layer of petals / layer of sugar, keeping the proportions ½. Tamp each layer thoroughly. The last top layer should be sugar. Close the jar with a nylon lid and put in a well-lit place. After a few days, juice will appear, leave it all in the same place for fermentation and stand for two weeks. Then strain the liquid, pour into a clean jar and put in the refrigerator. It is useful in treating the liver and as a powerful antioxidant and sedative.
Honey Recipe
Another interesting recipe that will tell you how to make dandelion honey with the addition of May honey. May honey stays liquid when dandelions are in full bloom, making it easier to add to dandelions.
Rinse dandelion petals and grind with a blender or mince. It will take about 100 pieces of inflorescences. Pour over with liquid honey. Mix everything, pour into jars and put in a cool dark place for storage. It is consumed in the usual way along with crushed petals.
Противопоказания
What is useful for dandelion honey is described. But, like any other folk remedy, it has a number of contraindications. It is not recommended to use this remedy for people who have:
- diabetes;
- any stages of obesity;
- allergic reactions to foods used in cooking;
- disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
It is not advisable to use such jam or dandelion honey for pregnant and lactating women, as well as children under two years of age. Although many mothers add honey to water and give a drink to babies instead of water.
Candied fruits are prepared from the plant, jelly is made, added to dishes in raw form, and actively used in cosmetology.
Conclusion
Hopefully, any recipe presented will change your attitude towards dandelion. It is not a honey plant, not attractive to bees, but the benefits to humans are great. The plant is appreciated in different countries. For example, in Belgium, dandelion flowers are used to brew beer. In America, every year in May they celebrate a holiday dedicated to the dandelion. On this day, a variety of dishes are prepared, where a plant is present and guests are treated to it.
Prepare dandelion honey at home and stock up on health for the coming year. The most valuable remedy, which has long been used by traditional medicine and cooked by housewives, is just under everyone’s feet. It is necessary to devote a little time in order to have a unique remedy for healing, strengthening the body and treating many diseases.
