Honeydew, buckwheat, multiflorous or acacia. Get to know the most popular traditional Polish honeys and find out what impact our health has.
Spring temperature fluctuations, weakening after winter, stress … We have more reasons to take care of our health than usual. Therefore, it is worth strengthening the body’s immunity with an appropriate diet. Traditional honey will come in handy for this.
Its pro-health properties have been known for a long time, hence the growing popularity of the so-called apitherapy, i.e. supporting the treatment of various ailments with bee products. It is not only about honey, but also propolis, royal jelly, pollen and even bee venom. Although these substances can be found in many preparations sold in pharmacies, nothing can replace honey in its pure, natural form.
How can honey help us build immunity? First of all, its antibacterial properties are valuable. Honey is able to overcome staphylococci, streptococci and E.coli, it also destroys Candida fungi. Responsible for such action, among others lysozyme and apidicin derived from the bees themselves, or glucose oxidase produced by the bees’ salivary glands. The latter is an enzyme that reacts with the glucose contained in honey, resulting in hydrogen peroxide. And its 3% solution is nothing more than the well-known hydrogen peroxide.
The antibiotic effect is also possible thanks to substances derived from nectar and pollen, such as thymol, eucalyptol, menthol, pinene and camphene, catechin tannins or flavonoid compounds.
But which honey to choose? Here is a short guide to traditional Polish honey.
Acacia honey – for stressed out
Its distinctive feature is a very light, straw color. Sometimes it is almost colorless. This type of honey is distinguished by the very intense aroma of the black robinia flower from which it is obtained. It is very mild and sweet in taste, which makes it especially tasty for children. Due to the high content of natural sugar – fructose, it crystallizes very slowly.
It is recommended in inflammation of the digestive tract because it protects the intestines and stomach. “Acacia honey has a beneficial effect on everyone who is stressed and overworked. Through its sedative and hypnotic effects, it helps to alleviate the effects of excessive nervous tension, especially in states of exhaustion with mental work, exhaustion, and apathy. It makes it easier to fall asleep, calms down and improves sleep. It helps in depression and neurosis, writes the company Miody Huzar, a family company dealing in the production of traditional honey, on its website.
Honeydew honey – for inflammation of the respiratory tract and for anemics
It is the most unique and healthiest of all types of honey, and that’s because it is produced in a different way than the rest. In the case of honeydew honey, the substance collected by bees is not pollen, but “honeydew”, ie excrements of several species of insects on the leaves or needles of some species of trees and shrubs.
Honeydew honey from deciduous trees has more minerals than nectar honeys. It has a diuretic and choleretic effect, as well as anti-inflammatory and disinfecting properties, so it is recommended for ailments of the urinary system, liver and biliary tract.
Honeydew honey from conifers, on the other hand, contains many bioelements, therefore it is recommended for people with hypervitaminosis, anemia and working in harmful conditions.
Due to their antiseptic properties, honeydew honey is ideal for inflammation of the respiratory tract. They also regulate metabolism in the treatment of gastrointestinal diseases.
Multiflower honey – for allergies and respiratory tract
It is the most popular honey, not only in Poland. Although it appears under one name, it is actually a whole family of honeys. Its color and properties depend on the time of harvest and the type of flowers it was obtained from. Spring honeys are usually light and delicate. Mid-summer honeys, with the addition of linden and phacelia, will be more aromatic and darker, similar to those from late summer with the addition of buckwheat and sunflower seeds.
Despite these differences, all varieties of multiflorous honey have some common features. They are recommended in allergic diseases of the respiratory tract, such as bronchial asthma or hay fever. In the case of pollen allergies, the consumption of multiflorous honey supports the resistance to individual pollen-allergens. Honey from summer flowers, due to its stronger inhibin properties, is primarily used in the prevention and treatment of influenza and diseases of the lower respiratory tract.
Importantly, multiflower honeys are mainly a mixture of easily digestible simple sugars, which are a valuable source of energy for the heart muscle in heart and vascular diseases. They also support the liver in its detoxification function in the course of liver, gallbladder and other diseases.
Buckwheat honey – for atherosclerotic lesions and for diabetics
It is made from the nectar of buckwheat flowers. It has a characteristic dark brown color and a sharp, distinct flavor. Buckwheat honey, next to honeydew honey, is considered one of the most valuable, thanks to the volatile substances, essential oils, mineral salts, inhibin, rutin and enzymes it contains.
Both the buckwheat flower and nectar, as well as the honey derived from it, contain rutin – a substance that strengthens and seals capillary blood vessels, which in turn reduces the risk of atherosclerotic lesions.
Buckwheat honey, compared to other honeys, contains more choline, i.e. vitamin B4. Due to the large amount of fructose, just like acacia honey, it is recommended for people suffering from non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Some scientists also point to the beneficial effect of buckwheat honey in diseases of sight and hearing, as well as in problems with memory. They also indicate the usefulness of buckwheat honey in the processes of bone tissue regeneration after fractures and as an adjunct in anti-cancer therapy.
Miodowy etiquette
Regardless of which type of honey you choose, remember that its operation depends on proper storage. First, honey must not be overheated to a temperature higher than 40 ° C. Overheated honey loses its properties, which will also affect its suitability for consumption.
Second, watch out for moisture, which is the enemy of honey’s durability. Do not leave the honey open any longer, as it will draw in moisture from the air over time.
Honey must also be protected from sunlight and should not be kept in metal containers, because it will acquire a metallic aftertaste, and harmful compounds will be formed in the honey.
Airtight glass vessels are best for storing honey. And most importantly – pay attention to where you buy honey. Choose trusted sources that offer a completely natural product. The highest standards in caring for both the product and employees are met, among others, by the Huzar company, which for almost 25 years has been packaging the highest quality bee honey. Its offer includes virtually any type of honey, coming from the most ecological regions of Poland and the world.
The information contained in the text is based on the brochure “Honey Treatment” by B. Kedzia, E. Hołderna-Kędzi, PZP Warsaw 1998 and “Miodolecznictwo” M. Czekański, S. Rusin; M publishing house, Krakow 2016.
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