10 Things You Don't Know About Honey

Honey is a truly ancient food. Traces of this substance have been found in very ancient fossil finds and even in the graves of populations who lived thousands of years ago! Here are 10 curiosities about this particular and sweet substance that bees produce .

1. Honey does not have an expiration date

Unlike any other food, honey has the amazing ability to be preserved over time and, if stored under vacuum, it enjoys an almost eternal life. It can literally remain edible even for millennia. The proof of this is given precisely by the fact that some historians have found small quantities of honey inside Egyptian tombs and just think ... still edible!

The ability of honey to be preserved over time has scientific explanations. It is in fact a substance that is not at all hospitable for the proliferation of bacteria that usually need humid environments. Honey is a not very humid substance since bees apply a sort of ventilation to ensure that all the water present in the substance evaporates. This prevents mold or bacteria from forming over time. An amazing process!

2. It is wrong to keep honey in the fridge

Why keep honey in the fridge if it has the ability to keep intact for millennia? Honey does not go bad , this is its natural predisposition. Storing it in a cold and humid environment such as that of a refrigerator could alter its taste and quality. Furthermore, particularly cold environments favor and speed up the crystallization process. In the fridge, your honey jar could absorb moisture and spoil.

3. How many species of bees do honey produce?

Contrary to popular belief, not all bees produce honey . If you didn't know, now let's reveal something: there are about 20 thousand species of bees in the world! Of all these, the species that produces the most is the honey bee or Apis Mellifera . It is no coincidence that it is the most bred and marketed species. Some of these 20,000 species do not produce honey.

4. Honey is used as a food supply for the survival of bees

All the work and effort of bees to produce honey has an explanation. In fact, bees produce honey and store it inside the hexagonal cells present in the hive. Honey is stored in large quantities and will serve the swarm as a food supply to survive the winter.

5. Bees produce large quantities

If you think that a swarm can contain around 60,000 individuals, then you also have to think that a hive is in great need of food to ensure that all members of the family can survive. Each hive produces a lot of honey, in terms of quantity we can speak from 15 kg up to about 30 kg. That's a huge number when we consider the size of these small animals. To achieve this, bees collect nectar from millions of flowers .

6. Beekeepers only take part of the honey

The work of beekeepers or better, good beekeepers, is an activity carried out with passion and in full symbiosis with bees. Beekeepers take care of the development and survival of their swarms and also derive a financial return from it when everything is going well. When a beekeeper takes honey, he does not take more than necessary. The quantity that the beekeeper takes is limited since he must still leave enough honey for his bees to ensure that they survive.

A good beekeeper knows that you don't have to completely empty a hive to say you've got a good harvest. In reality, just take a third or a little more.

7. Crystallization is a very normal process

crystallization is a process that characterizes all types of honey. Some varieties are more prone to crystallization than others but in any case this is a normal process and in this case you will not have to worry at all, there is no need to throw away your jar of honey, absolutely!

8. It is also used for the treatment of small wounds

Honey is very rich in beneficial substances and its properties are endless. Being a real natural antibiotic , it is also used for the treatment of superficial wounds or small lesions and is able to disinfect the area and promote healing. This substance is also very rich in antioxidants, which makes it a very special food. The ancient Egyptians believed that honey was a real treasure as they thought it was sacred food directly from the gods.

9. Bees have been producing for millions of years

Bees started producing it long before humans knew it! Bees are thought to have started making honey around 130 million years ago!

10. There are various types of honey

Acacia, chestnut, wildflower, the types of honey are really many, each with different characteristics, flavors and properties. It is also possible to distinguish one honey from another based on color (lighter or darker) based on the type of product.

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