Since honey is a 100% natural product produced by bees from the nectar of flowers, the composition of the product varies. It all depends on what kind of flowers the sweet juice was collected from. Among the hundreds of popular varieties, velvet honey stands out. It has an unusual name and appearance. It is difficult to assume at first that the cream, whitish with a pearlescent tint, is honey. The taste is also unusual, soft, with a long fruity aftertaste.

Amur velvet honey

The healing properties of this variety are due to the composition. First of all, it should be noted that velvet honey acquires the consistency of a white cream after the crystallization process is completed. Before that, it looks like a translucent, amber-colored, viscous liquid. The product is appreciated for its unsurpassed taste, as well as unique medicinal properties.

Composition

If the seller says that the royal velvet honey is collected from some rare flowers, then this is not true. In fact, bees need to be able to collect nectar from a whole group of medicinal plants. Only then will the finished product acquire its unique shade, aroma and taste.

Amur velvet

It is believed that the most valuable components in the composition of royal honey are pollen collected from acacia, clover and linden. The taste of these flowers is felt the most. In addition, traditionally the composition includes the nectar of such plants as:

  • sage;
  • Melissa;
  • fireweed;
  • thyme;
  • oregano;
  • golden rod.

But the main and extremely rare component is the nectar of Amur velvet, a deciduous tree up to 25 m high. This relict plant has survived in our country only on the banks of the Amur in the Khabarovsk Territory. It blooms in the 20th year of life, and in total it can live up to 300 years - a real long-liver. Blooms once a year for only 10 days, depending on the weather in late June - early July. It happens that for a year the bees do not manage to collect nectar from these trees. If the weather is rainy, this does not prevent the trees from blooming, but bees cannot fly.

Thanks to such a rich composition (over 400 biologically active components), royal honey is easily absorbed and benefits the entire body. It is rich in sucrose, fructose and glucose, vitamins, as well as magnesium, manganese, selenium and other valuable substances.

Appearance and taste

This variety is considered one of the most expensive. Not surprisingly, there are a lot of fakes on it. The product should be purchased only at certified retail outlets where there is a guarantee of authenticity. A specialist will always distinguish real royal honey from any other, but an ordinary buyer can focus only on well-known signs.

Honey

The fragrance should be woven from a variety of floral notes, and the taste has a distinct creamy shade. The consistency is creamy, without coarse grains, as is often the case with May and sunflower honey. It is simply impossible not to notice such an original product among other varieties. Before crystallization occurs (21-30 days after rolling), the color of the product is very light with an amber undertone, sometimes slightly greenish. When candied, it becomes whitish-creamy, pearlescent. It happens that a lot of nectar from limes, which can bloom simultaneously with Amur velvet, gets into the collection, then the crystallization period increases.

Important: The beneficial qualities of honey are not lost after sugaring.

It is also noteworthy that on the tongue, honey velvet leaves not at all a warming effect (like other varieties), but a cooling one. Its caloric content is not high - only 310 kcal / 100 g. According to GOST, a quality product has the following characteristics:

  • Humidity - 20%;
  • Sugar content - 75-87%;
  • Sucrose content - 5-10%;
  • Acidity - 4%.

Secrets of the beneficial properties of Amur honey

It is worth including such honey in the diet of children and adults because it effectively helps with the following disorders:

  • Avitaminosis, including after severe illnesses, operations.
  • Malfunctions of the endocrine system.
  • Hematomas, injuries, bruises, sprains, burns.
  • Disorders in the liver and gallbladder.
  • Stress and nervous system disorders.
  • Diseases of an infectious nature (acute respiratory infections, flu, tonsillitis, bronchitis).

In the early stages of the disease, the benefits of using royal honey are maximal. It has antibacterial properties, which allows you to fight various infections, normalize the functioning of the digestive tract.

On a note! The positive effect of the product on the blood composition was noted.

Doctors recommend eating honey for atherosclerosis and the need to cleanse the body of toxins accumulated during the use of various medications.

Useful and medicinal properties of velvet honey, its characteristics

The royal velvet honey is highly appreciated in cosmetology. It is useful to include it in skin and hair care products. Due to the composition rich in vitamins and microelements, the product literally saturates the epidermis and hair follicles with those substances that are lacking in food. Unpleasant cosmetic defects such as peeling, inflammation, rashes, dandruff, acne are eliminated.

Useful and medicinal properties of velvet honey

In folk medicine, honey has been used for many centuries to treat anemia, lung diseases, and cancer. Regular use helps to normalize the nervous system, get rid of the effects of stress. Application during colds helps to get rid of fever, soften a sore throat, and overcome pain.

On the basis of velvet honey, tinctures and liqueurs are prepared. The inclusion of honey fraction instead of sugar in their composition increases efficiency many times over. The cost of the final product increases, but the result is worth it.

Contraindications to use

Amur honey has no specific contraindications, only those that are inherent in all other varieties:

  • It should not be given to children under 3 years of age. The saturated composition can provoke the appearance of allergic reactions.
  • In the presence of allergies, the use of honey can provoke a relapse of the disease.
  • Individual intolerance is rare.
  • Honey is categorically contraindicated in diabetes mellitus due to its high glucose content.
  • With obesity, honey can be included in the diet only for therapeutic indications.
  • During pregnancy and breastfeeding, honey is removed from the mother's diet due to the risk of negative effects on the baby's health.

First of all, royal honey is a medicine, which is why it is consumed in small portions. An adult who does not have any contraindications can consume up to 3 tablespoons of a healthy treat per day. But a child can only eat 2 teaspoons.

Storage conditions for royal velvet honey

For long-term storage, choose shelves in a closet where direct sunlight does not fall on the cans. It is desirable that the temperature in this place during the day is maintained even - without any drops. Glass jars and wooden trays are ideal for packaging. In them, honey is not threatened with oxidation.

Important! Scoop up the product only with wooden spoons. This rule should be followed strictly. Even the best and high-quality metal is certainly oxidized under the influence of honey, which deteriorates its taste several times and takes away its benefits.

The standard shelf life is 1 year, until the next roll.You can store it for longer, but it is not necessary, since the most valuable components are destroyed during this time.

In no case should you heat the honey of the velvet tree above 40 ° C. If there is a desire to mix it into any drink, they do it only with liquids at room temperature.