Fresh honey is a delicious natural product with a long shelf life. All honeys will crystallize over time. This doesn't affect the quality or shelf life of the honey, but it does make the product less usable in this state. Crystallization occurs with the best pure honeys. The saccharification of honey is a natural process that occurs in 100% raw honeys. Has your good jar of honey crystallized and do you want to liquefy it? Below, we've compiled some helpful tips for you.
Prevent crystallized honey
While honey crystallization is harmless, it is unpleasant and preventable. Honey absorbs moisture from the air, which triggers this process. First, always ensure the cap is tightly closed. When air gets into the honey, the moisture content increases. This moisture causes saccharification.
Honey is best stored in a dark, dry place with a constant temperature. For example, be careful with a kitchen cupboard next to the oven. If the honey fluctuates too much in temperature, or if it's left in direct sunlight, it can quickly become saccharified.
How to make honey liquid again?
Do you happen to have a jar of crystallized honey? Don't throw it away! Many people throw away the crystallized variety and buy a new one, but that's a waste of this wonderful product. With the right tips, you can liquefy your crystallized honey!
Place the jar, uncovered, in lukewarm water. Be careful not to use water that's too hot! This allows the honey to gradually warm up and return to its liquid state. This way, you won't lose all the beneficial nutrients in the honey.
If you have more time, you can also place the jar on a radiator without the lid. This gives it a chance to slowly warm up and return to its liquid state. This way, you reduce the risk of heating the honey too quickly and too vigorously.
Don't microwave the crystallized honey jar. It's often recommended on other websites, but you'll easily lose the essential nutrients that make honey healthy. Flower honey is relatively the fastest crystallizing honey. The higher the flower honey content in a particular type of honey, the faster your honey will crystallize. While thyme honey is difficult to crystallize, a high flower honey content also ensures that this honey crystallizes relatively faster.