The truth about Honey Crystallization #debunkingmyths

Growing up, my Grandpa always raised bees. My granny used the honey for baking and cooking and we loved eating those. My parents even sold honey to friends and family. 

My Grandpa did all the work when it came to the actual bees, but when it came to harvesting the raw honey, it was a family project. I have some fun and not so fun memories spent in the kitchen harvesting honey.

The not so fun part was the hours of hand cranking the extractor that spun the honey out. And you know what? I can't forget the cleanup. The sticky mess all over the kitchen, my poor mom and granny, must have spent hours getting their kitchen back to normal. 

But it was so worth it, there is nothing quite like fresh honey, or chewing on a honeycomb and enjoying the sweet stickiness that comes out.

There is nothing quite like looking at a shelf full of honey jars that will last throughout  the year. It was in my pipeline to share all my experience and thoughts about this wonder honey with you all.

For Some reason there is a perception that honey that crystallizes has ‘gone bad’ or is it a sign of contamination. No! It's actually a sign of high quality honey. Before you do anything impulsive, don’t throw it out! Your honey is not bad; it’s just changing. It’s crystallized honey, and it’s totally natural.

We take pleasure in watching seasons change. Every autumn, we enjoy the vibrant hues of darkening leaves and the evolving temperatures that come with them. Even though the leaves eventually fall, we know nature is going through healthy changes. Honey has a similar natural process that we can enjoy watching – Crystallization. Those little lumps or white flecks you see are a sign that your honey is as close to natural as possible!

Here are facts to help you navigate the world of crystallized honey.

The Quality:

When honey crystallizes, it is still as nutritious and sweet as ever! In fact, the crystals prove that your honey is high quality and hasn’t been processed. It means that nutritious pollen hasn’t been filtered out and important enzymes haven’t been damaged by pasteurization. Jivika Natural’s Natural Forest Honey is more likely to crystallize, because we do not heat our honey at high temperatures (or pasteurize). During those cold winter months, the honey in your shelf might begin to crystallize because of the lower temperatures. You might see white flecks not only out your window but in your bottle of honey, too. But for those of us who like to keep our honey slippery smooth, fill a bowl with warm water and let your bottle rest until the crystals dissipate. Be sure not to microwave your honey, because the heat will destroy many of your favorite enzymes and vitamins.

The Two Close Friends - Glucose and Fructose:

These two best friends play a key role in crystallization. When bees hop from flower to flower, they’re collecting rich nectar. That nectar is made up of two sugars: glucose and fructose. After collection, the bees will drop off the nectar at their hive where it becomes honey. Different flower nectars have different ratios, and the crystals in your honey will reflect those different ratios. Honey from sunflowers and clovers crystallize quicker, while maple and eucalyptus honey changes slower. 

Who knew, right!? 

The Pollen:

The final factor is pollen. While bees collect nectar, they can rub their fuzzy little bodies on the flower’s pollen, and it can find its way into the honey. Not only is pollen healthy, it’s important to keep pollen in your honey to test where it came from. Pollen also ensures that your honey hasn’t been processed. With pollen in honey, the little particles provide a base for crystallization to begin.

Whether you like to spread your honey crystals over toast or let your honey slip into your Earl Grey, know that your crystallized honey is undergoing a natural process.

When it comes to crystallization, let Mother Nature do her thing and know that your Jivika Natural’s Natural Forest Raw and Unfiltered Honey embodies her wonders. 

Embrace the changes!

Rahul Patel

Co-Founder