Flower honey is a variety of honey, which, as its name suggests, is made from the nectar of flowers.
Here we explain everything you need to know about this variety of honey. At Maes Honey, we have different varieties of honey, so that you can always find the one that best suits you.
What is flower honey?
Flower honey is a type of honey that follows the most common honey production processes. The bees collect the nectar and pollen during the foraging season and transport it to the hive. There they process them into the final honey.
Nectar and pollen come from bee flowers, which provide such substances for the bees to use. The bees carry out their work on flowers that are close to the hive. A distinction is therefore made according to the type of flowers.
Some beekeepers choose to harvest honey from particular types of flowers. To do this, they study the areas and locate the hives where only one type of flower grows. The resulting honey is known as monofloral honey, while honey made from a variety of flowers is called flower honey.
Differences with monofloral honey
As we have already mentioned, the main difference between these two varieties lies in the variety of flowers from which they are made. Monofloral honey is made from a single type of flower, while flower honey is made from several flowers at the same time.
Although there are many differences between the two varieties, the main one is their origin. In addition, as far as taste is concerned, we can also appreciate that the taste of flower honey is usually much milder and more subtle than the majority of monofloral honeys.
This is due to the fact that its flavour is the result of multiple aromas from different flowers; there are as many honeys as there are beekeepers, as each one seeks a different result in their combinations and harvests.
The colour of monofloral honey usually depends on the flower of origin. The colours vary from light to dark, even greenish or yellowish tones. Honey from different types of flowers tends to have a light amber colour.
It should be noted that although flower honey is bee honey, not all bee honeys are flower honeys. Bees are responsible for making honey in different ways and not necessarily from floral substances. However, it is true that this type of honey tends to be the most common of all bee honeys.
Health benefits
Flower honey has the typical benefits of this food, such as its astringent or balsamic capacity; it also helps with gastrointestinal problems. In addition, its multifloral origin gives it some extra benefits.
The sugar it contains is easily digested and is a powerful source of energy. In addition to the natural proteins of conventional honey, flower honey is rich in vitamins and minerals from the flowers. These include phosphorus, calcium, magnesium and vitamin B6, among others.
How to recognise a good flower honey?
The main and most important thing if we want to be sure that the honey is of quality is the origin. If the geographical area is indicated on the honey jar, we can be confident that it is not a fraud. Due to the wide diversity of flowers, it is important to know the origin.
On the other hand, if we are expert honey tasters, the variance of the flowers can make a difference to the taste. Each consumer – just like the beekeeper – has different tastes in terms of flavour, texture and aroma. Each flower offers a different nuance to the honey, which is appreciated by the most demanding palates.
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