Your raw honey will eventually crystalize, so before throwing it out thinking it has gone bad, give this a read! Honey is made up of sugar, mainly glucose and fructose, and water. There is naturally more sugar than water which means eventually the sugar that isn’t dissolved by the water will become granulated. Put simply, crystallized honey is the separation of sugar and water creating clumps of sugar throughout your honey.
Some commercialized honey does not crystallize as quickly as Royal Honey because it is filtered, pasteurized and/or diluted. Pasteurizing honey is the process of heating honey to high temperatures. The heat of the pasteurization process kills beneficial enzymes as well as alters the sugar molecules. The filtration process eliminates natural elements such as trace amounts of pollen, propolis and beeswax as well as beneficial antioxidants - all found in our raw honey. With these elements missing, the sugar in honey cannot attach to anything and the crystallization is delayed. Along with pasteurization, some honey bottlers may even use corn syrup to dilute the honey causing a change to the sugar-molecule ratio. This dilution is done to prevent crystallization, get a classic and consistent honey color, and make it go further - all at the cost of changing honey’s natural form, flavor, and sugar content. Unlike most other store-bought honey, Royal Honey is raw, with no additives and no pasteurization which results in the occasional crystallization.
Crystallized honey is still safe to eat but can be harder to serve. To prevent Royal Honey from crystallizing, store it in a dry, room temperature area such as your cupboard or countertop instead of your fridge. Keeping honey in too cold a place will speed up the crystallization process. There are a few methods to return your granulated honey to the smooth texture you bought it at. These methods vary depending on the volume of honey and the amount of crystallization.
Place the capped jar of honey in a bowl. Fill the bowl with warm, not boiling, water. Stir the honey occasionally and replace the warm water when needed. Avoid getting any water in the honey. This process may take up to an hour.
Add water to your slow cooker and set to the lowest setting. Let the water warm and then place your jar of honey in the water but avoid full submersion. Allow to sit for a few hours.
Place your capped jar of honey in your dehydrator (or your air fryer on the dehydrating setting). Set at about 110℉ and allow to sit for a couple hours. Remove carefully as the jar may be warm.
Place your jar of honey on the dash of your car on a warm day. After a few hours, take the jar inside and stir it up.
Overall, the goal is to heat up your honey in a low and slow manner, heating it to the point where the honey crystals are dissolved but the beneficial elements are not destroyed. Avoid using the microwave or overheating your honey as it will destroy beneficial enzymes, alter the taste, and mess with the texture.
We love that our honey crystallizes because it reminds us that our honey is pure, unfiltered, and raw with no pasteurization or dilution. So, the next time your honey crystallizes, think of all the healthy enzymes that make raw honey as great and as sugary sweet as we like it!
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