Heather honey: beneficial properties and contraindications. Heather honey

Heather honey is the precursor to much controversy. After all, it is this variety that most illustrates the saying: “How many people, so many opinions.” Since this bee product is usually the most controversial. Some experts consider it a second-rate delicacy, but even they agree with the statement that it has a fairly impressive number of undeniable advantages.

Scottish "honey" mythology

In the Scottish epic there is a legend about heather honey, which says that the Picts were defeated in a war with the Scots. And the king of the victorious power decided to find out from the two surviving captives the secret composition of the magic drink. Based on the fact that only the old man and his son remained alive, the old man asked to kill the child, saying that he was ashamed to be a traitor in his eyes. And after the boy was thrown into the sea, the old man announced that he could be tortured as much as he wanted, but he still would not give up the secret, while the boy, unable to withstand the painful tests, could tell what the invaders demanded of him.

In any myth there is almost always a hint of real events. The secret of heather ale was indeed considered lost for a long time. But in 1986, an old family record of ale brewing was found. Reviving the brewing tradition turned out to be quite a labor-intensive task, but with the beginning of the new millennium, heather ale began to be made at a brewery located near Glasgow.

Illustration for a Scottish legend

Origin

Origin of heather honey, whose beneficial features There is absolutely no doubt that it originates from an evergreen plant called heather. It usually grows in North Africa and mid-latitudes. But most of this plant is found in Scotland. Although it is worth noting that heather also grows in other countries. Usually its habitat is pine forests, burnt areas, peat bogs and sand.

Flowering time is in July and August. It is impossible to confuse honey from the nectar of this plant with any other variety of this product. After all, it is famous for its dark red or brown color and memorable bitter taste. As its shelf life increases, its taste only improves.

Characteristics and composition of the product

Attention! In order to understand whether the product in front of you is a natural product or a mixture, you need to put the jar of honey on its side and see how long it does not flow out. If the jar managed to hold out in this state for at least two minutes, then there is no doubt that this is indeed a honeyed sweet made from heather.

Useful properties of the product

Despite the reduced popularity of this honey product among beekeepers, even the most demanding of them recognize its benefits. Typically the following are noted as beneficial properties:

• Strengthening the immune system and improving appetite;
• Effective relief for gout and rheumatism;
• Use as a medicine for indigestion;
• Cleansing of wounds, as well as their increased healing.

It is also worth keeping in mind that this product helps well with pulmonary diseases and copes well with nervous disorders and prolonged lack of sleep. As a rule, such a unique sweetness is usually used as a component for various cosmetic masks. In addition, the effectiveness of this type of honey can be improved if you start using it with other bee products, such as pollen, bee bread and royal jelly.

How to use and in what quantities

Adults who do not have health problems and lead an active lifestyle can consume this delicacy every day. Those who are watching their figure are not recommended to take more than four tablespoons per day.

For teenagers, the daily dose is usually reduced to two tablespoons. It is also worth considering the fact that if you use this product when preparing any dishes or drinks, then at forty degrees most of the beneficial properties “evaporate” from it.

Attention! This type of honey product goes well with dried fruits and various types nuts, it can be added not only to butter, but also used as a filler for yogurt. And what’s also great is that this delicacy works well not only with black, but also with green tea.

How is heather honey collected?

Contraindications for use

Based on the fact that this honey contains allergens, then, accordingly, limiting factors are observed when consuming it. The beneficial properties and contraindications of this product actually coexist, so if we take into account the fact that this type of honey product is certainly useful, but not for everyone. This must first be remembered by those people who have a tendency to allergic reactions. Children should introduce such sweetness into their diet only after consultation with a pediatrician.

Quality and authenticity of honey

Based on the fact that this bee product is highly individualistic, using its characteristic features it will not be difficult to distinguish this type of honey product from others. If you delve a little deeper into the composition of the product, it is worth remembering that the above-mentioned sweetness is a storehouse of salts and proteins. They are the ones who do not allow honey to absorb moisture well. Also, these substances contribute to its viscous, viscous consistency.

Also, when heating this product, it is worth keeping an eye on the following things: if small air bubbles formed during pumping begin to rise and then completely burst, then we have before us the original honey product. But if, on the contrary, there are no bubbles, then it is likely that the product is not of very high quality and is only a poor copy.

How to store heather honey product

When storing this product, avoid excess moisture. It is best to keep it poured into glass jars. It is not recommended to store it in containers made of iron, copper and tin. Honey is usually stored at a temperature of ten degrees Celsius. At elevated temperatures, there is a danger of getting fermented honey. Although it will not deteriorate, its beneficial qualities will significantly decrease.

It is also worth noting that the type of room itself does not play a special role. Honey can be stored both on the balcony and in the basement. The main thing to remember is that this type of honey product should not be kept in the refrigerator, nor should you try to reheat it.

Honey plant

This is the name of the variety of wild heather shrub. Two thirds of this plant is found in Scotland. Although in the larger heather family there are more than 500 species. The honey plant usually blooms in July. It withstands all the violence of bad weather quite steadfastly. But nectar capacity is still determined by such factors as humidity and weather and climatic conditions.

Different types of heather produce different amounts of nectar. For example, swamp heather in this sense is more productive than mountain heather, since it is located on soil characterized by high humidity. Although if it rains quite often during the year, then mountain heather can not only catch up with marsh heather in terms of indicators, but also become a leader.

heather field

Healthy recipes from heather

Based on the fact that heather has many useful qualities, it is not so rarely used in various healing tinctures. For example, if you suffer from gout or are plagued by gastrointestinal diseases, you can use the following recipe for treatment.

Three teaspoons of dry heather are poured into two glasses of boiling water, and then left to infuse for two hours. Once the drink has passed the filtering stage, you can start drinking it according to the following scheme: four times a day, one hundred milliliters.

A powder consisting of crushed heather flowers is used externally to treat eczema, burns and wounds. Tea with the addition of this plant is both a sedative and a diuretic that promotes phlegm production.

In folk treatment, a decoction of flowering honey plant branches is used for colds, nervous diseases, rheumatism, and dysentery. They also make baths with it for swelling of the legs. In addition, the boiled herb is applied to bruises, tumors, and fracture sites.

Homemade Scotch Ale Recipe

Five hundred or one hundred milliliters of cream should be whipped with oatmeal(two to four tablespoons) until creamy, and then leave the mixture to thicken for a while. Then you need to add one or two tablespoons of honey and two hundred milliliters of whiskey to the resulting mass.

Please note that cream can be replaced with water if necessary. Then the flakes will need to be poured with boiling water and left for sixty minutes. After this, the resulting pulp must be strained and squeezed. The flakes do not take part in the further process. The further technology for preparing ale is similar to the first.

No matter how many opposing opinions there are regarding the occupancy of a certain place of this product in the honey hierarchy, some even call it the king of honey. Whether this sweetness corresponds to such a title or not - everyone will decide for themselves, but it’s definitely worth trying.

Heather honey tasting

Heather honey is a drink “sweeter than honey” and “more drunk than wine,” as the legend by R.L. Stevenson, known to the Russian reader in the translation by S.Ya. Marshak. It is formed from nectar collected by bees on the flowers of an evergreen shrub called “common heather”, has a specific bitter taste and does not crystallize for a long time. It is difficult to obtain, which is why (among other things) it is considered a low-grade product among professional beekeepers. Many are put off by the bitterness and rather heavy aftertaste, but true connoisseurs extol the beneficial properties of this product literally to the skies.

Qualities glorified in legend

Heather honey contains components useful for the human body:

Like heather itself, honey from it retains the most valuable healing properties:

• disinfectant, cleanser and anti-inflammatory;
• wound healing;
• soothing;
• diaphoretic and diuretic;
• expectorant and astringent;
• anti-acid and antioxidant.

And all this is in addition to the amazing aroma and taste, which evokes either sincere delight, or no less sincere, without undertones or shades, rejection.

Excellent help in treatment

In traditional and folk medicine, the beneficial properties of heather honey are widely used. This remedy, which, as legend says, brings eternal youth, preserving beauty and health, is used in the treatment of a number of diseases.

Proper storage – long-lasting effect

Any type of honey tends to absorb odors, so to store heather product, you must use a container with a hermetically sealed lid. For a year, you can store this product in a dark place, while maintaining room temperature - it will become even darker, with an even more expressive taste, and all the beneficial properties will be fully preserved.

Important: heather honey can provoke allergies, it is harmful when diabetes mellitus, obesity, not indicated for young children. Physician approval is a prerequisite before taking the course.

Drink from heather
Forgotten a long time ago.
And he was sweeter than honey,
Drunker than wine.
It was boiled in cauldrons
And the whole family drank
Baby honey makers
In caves underground.
The Scottish king has come,
Merciless towards enemies
He drove the poor Picts
To the rocky shores.
On a heather field
On the battlefield
Lying alive on the dead
And the dead - on the living.
Summer has arrived in the country
The heather is blooming again,
But there's no one to cook
Heather honey.
In their cramped graves,
In the mountains of my native land
Baby honey makers
We found shelter for ourselves.
The king rides down the slope
Above the sea on horseback,
And seagulls are flying nearby
On par with the road.
The king looks gloomily:
"Again in my land
Honey heather blooms,
But we don’t drink honey!”
But here are his vassals
Noticed two
The last mead makers,
Survivors.
They came out from under the stone,
Squinting at White light, -
Old hunchbacked dwarf
And a boy of fifteen years old.
To the steep seashore
They were brought in for questioning
But none of the prisoners
Didn't say a word.
The Scottish king sat
Without moving, in the saddle.
And the little people
They stood on the ground.
The king said angrily:
- Torture awaits both,
If you don't tell me, devils,
How did you prepare honey?
The son and father were silent,
Standing at the edge of a cliff.
The heather rang above them,
The waves were rolling into the sea.
And suddenly a voice rang out:
- Listen, Scottish king,
Talk to you
Face to face, please!
Old age is afraid of death.
I will buy life with treason,
I'll reveal my treasured secret! -
The dwarf said to the king.
His voice is sparrow-like
It sounded sharp and clear:
- I would have revealed the secret long ago,
If only my son didn’t interfere!
The boy doesn't care about life
He doesn't care about death.
Should I sell my conscience
He will be ashamed to be with him.
Let him be tied tightly
And they will be thrown into the depths of the waters,
And I will teach the Scots
Make ancient honey!
Strong Scottish warrior
The boy was tied tightly
And threw it into the open sea
From the coastal cliffs.
The waves closed over him.
The last cry died down...
And he answered in an echo
From the cliff, the old father.
- I told the truth, Scots,
I expected trouble from my son.
I didn’t believe in the resilience of the young,
Not shaving their beards.
But I'm not afraid of the fire.
Let him die with me
My holy secret -
My heather honey!

Common heather is an evergreen shrub with small flowers of lilac, pink and blue hue. It grows almost throughout the entire territory of the Russian Federation, and is also a typical flora for Scotland and other countries. Opinions about taste qualities ah product of beekeeping - heather honey among experts differ. Some people don’t like the bitter aftertaste and aftertaste, while others consider it refined and valuable for gourmets.

The variety is distinguished by its composition, which contains substances and microelements that are scarce in other varieties. Due to its usefulness, the product is used in medicine and cosmetology. The period of its collection by bees is July, August. Let's look at the details of what heather honey is, the beneficial properties and taste of which are described by legends.

What is heather honey and where does it come from? There are two known varieties of it.

• From common heather (Calluna vulgaris), which has small flowers with pink and purple hues;
• From plants of the heather family, Erica species (an extensive botanical genus).

This is considered to be the first product obtained by bees from heather nectar. It is also called Summer, Autumn or Scottish. Characteristic features are:

• strong odor reminiscent of a flowering plant;
• dark color with yellow, brown, red-brown shades;
• tart taste with noticeable bitterness, which intensifies during storage.

Due to the special structure, crystallization occurs slowly, very poorly. This property is present because the composition is rich in protein. When thickened, the product resembles jelly, becoming liquid again with stirring.

Compound

Heather honey is the leader in protein content, of which it contains over 2%, and mineral salts. It is distinguished by its richness in vitamins: B6, riboflavin, thiamine. The product contains calcium, potassium, zinc. 1 tablespoon contains 111 kilocalories nutritionally (approximately 36 grams). A teaspoon (12 grams) is 37 kcal.

Beneficial features

Heather honey, whose beneficial properties and qualities are highly valued in the gastronomic sphere, is often used by cosmetologists.

Masks, scrubs, and useful balms for facial care are made from it. And it serves medicine in terms of the function of healing the body. The following types of impact are noted:

• against inflammation;
• antimicrobial property;
• anti-acid quality;
• antiseptic.

The listed qualities make the product effective means for the following ailments.

• Heartburn, poor appetite, indigestion (diarrhea);
• Cleaning wounds, their good healing;
• Bronchial asthma, assistance in treatment;
• Stomach, intestinal disorders;
• Diseases of the kidneys, bladder;
• Sleep disturbances, stress, nervous disorders with excitability;
• Gout, rheumatism.

When consuming heather honey, the beneficial properties and healing effect can be enhanced by adding other beekeeping products: pollen, bees. And also royal jelly, bee bread. Methods for taking a medicinal product can be different.

• Medicines for sore throat, stomatitis, inflammation of the mucous membrane. Prepare a liquid that is used to rinse your mouth throughout the day. Mix a tablespoon with warm water, 1 cup.
• How is the product useful for nervous ailments and sleep disorders? Such disorders are treated with 1 teaspoon eaten at night.
• The following breakfast dish will improve your appetite: 2 tablespoons of heather honey and 1/2 cup of walnut kernels. This is a strong energy drink that improves your mood.

Contraindications

Some people have a personal intolerance to bee products. Heather honey, whose beneficial properties and special taste are considered very valuable, can also cause allergies.

Therefore, you need to eat it carefully, checking the reaction. It is not recommended to feed it to small children. The product is marked as having both beneficial properties and contraindications.

Recipes

Dishes and drinks made from this product contain health benefits in addition to dessert taste. The following recipe improves digestion:

• Take 200 grams of walnuts (kernels), which must be crushed;
• Mix with 300 grams of raisins, add the same amount of dried apricots;
• Finely chop 2 lemons and add to the mixture.

You can grind all these products using a meat grinder or blender. After receiving the mass, all that remains is to add heather honey, 200 grams. By consuming this vitamin-rich mixture, digestive function can be significantly improved. A useful prescription dose is daily, 3 times before meals, 1 tablespoon.

In Norway, Scotland, and Germany there are many legends and songs about drinks made from delicacies collected by bees. Their gastronomic qualities are unique, as they give people unusual strength. The product is even credited with magical properties with the ability to heal, calling it the nectar of the gods. Now they continue to make heather ale and other similar famous drinks. These include homemade Scottish liqueur, the recipe for which is as follows:

• from 50 to 100 ml of cream;
• from 2 to 4 tablespoons of oatmeal;
• 1 to 2 tablespoons heather honey;
• 1 glass of whiskey.

Beat the cereal and cream until a creamy structure is achieved. You need to wait a little for the mixture to thicken. All that remains is to add honey and whiskey. Second version of the recipe: no cream is used, the flakes are poured hot water. After a little time, you should strain the porridge, using only the liquid. Whiskey and honey are added and the pleasant, nutritious result is enjoyed.

Mentions

Geographically, heather grows in many areas. But the main place is considered to be the marshes of Scotland, where the bush feels good, which cannot be said about all other plants. Farmers feed it to their livestock and also raise bees.

The climatic conditions cannot be called very favorable; often only heather is available for honey plants. Beekeeping has developed here over the centuries. Due to the fact that bush thickets are most common in Scotland, the mention of the delicacy in question is associated specifically with this area.

This unique product is associated with legends, shrouded in mystery. He gave the name to the songs, the musical group. In one of the computer games, black heather honey was prepared in a virtual brewery.

In literature

The wonderful properties of the heather delicacy were celebrated in a ballad by Scottish poet R. L. Stevenson, written in 1880, first published in 1890. The poem “Heather Ale” tells the story of how the king of Scotland exterminated the people of the Pictish tribe, a small people who inhabited the area.

According to the plot, only two representatives remained: father and son, who had to discover the secret of making heather honey beer under the threat of torture. As a result, the son was drowned in the sea, and the father refused to give up the secret, agreeing to die at the stake. The author reflected the story not entirely accurately. After all, the Picts were not completely destroyed, about which the poet personally wrote a note. The ballad was translated into Russian twice: by N. Chukovsky and S. Ya. Marshak.

To the cinema

R. L. Stevenson's ballad was adapted into films. This is the film by V. Bordzilovsky in 1963 “Heather Honey”, a cartoon by the Kyiv Film Studio in 1974 with the same name. The 1976 feature film “Timur and His Team” contains an episode: the hero reads this poem, translated by S. Ya. Marshak.

Conclusion

Heather honey, the beneficial properties and characteristics of which are widely used by residents of the countries and areas where it is mainly mined, has a somewhat piquant taste. The bitterness is very appropriate for a variety of dishes; it goes well with poultry, lamb, and ham. This is a good addition to coffee; it is served with yogurt, ice cream, and cheese. The gingerbread recipe also includes this product, which is growing in popularity.

Distinctive qualities of Heather honey

There are two different types honey heather. One type is the true heather, Ling Heather (Calluna vulgaris), and the other type is the plant of any kind of Erica, Erica vulgaris.

Ling Heather's Heather Honey is considered a true Heather Honey, and is very different from Erica's honey, and indeed all other types of honey. Heather, unlike Erica, is a low-growing evergreen native to Europe that is sympathetic to dry plants. Heather is considered a symbol of Scotland and is one of the national flowers of Norway.

Honey taken from Ling Heather heather has unique sensory qualities: it has gelatinous properties called thixotopism. Typically, heather honey is gel-like and hard. It becomes temporarily liquid when it is stirred or mixed with anything.

Ling Heather Honey - Thixotropic (jelly-like) honey

Knowing about these properties of heather honey, one can judge its purity. Do a general test for heather honey - place an open jar of honey on its side to see how quickly it drains. Ling Heather's Pure Honey will stay in place for a few minutes. The longer it stays in place without leaking, the purer the honey. Another sign of cleanliness is the presence of small air bubbles in it. Trapped in the gel-like honey, air bubbles add color. Heather honey has a vibrant color: reddish/orange to dark amber.

Its taste is slightly bitter, pungent, slightly sweet and smoky. Heather honey has a strong distinctive feature: it has a woody, warm, floral aroma, reminiscent of heather flowers.

The rate of crystallization of heather honey is quite slow. In the early stages it cannot crystallize at all. Some beekeepers believe that bees take the purest Heather Honey from high swamps.

Another unusual characteristic of heather honey is that it typically has a high moisture content due to fermentation. Humidity sometimes reaches 25%, but is usually 19-23%. This is due to the gel-like consistency, which makes it difficult for the moisture to evaporate from honey. For most honeys, the moisture level is usually 20%. An exception is made for heather honey, since this is its natural state and is more resistant to fermentation than. It is believed that water gets trapped in a gel-like structure, which slows down fermentation.

Heather blooms at the end of July and blooms until mid-August. During this period, other nectar-producing plants also bloom. It is quite difficult to obtain pure honey from heather. More often you can get honey by mixing it with other nectars, such as rose, willow, blackberry or.

Heather grows over moors in, on the uplands of Britain and. These areas account for approximately 75% of open moorland, the majority of which is in Scotland and the remainder in Western Europe. Heather grows in marshes or dry heaths, on well-drained shallow peat less than 0.5 m deep.

Wastes are actually artificial landscapes. They were cleared from the forest for use in agriculture for grazing livestock. The name "Calluna vulgaris" comes from the fact that brooms were made from heather. Calluna is the ancient Greek word for "sweeping", a vulgarism meaning "common". Wastes were cleared of bushes and forests by burning. This practice continued for a thousand years, and as a result... In addition, young heather produces more nectar and therefore more honey.