Honey, sugar, and milk are some of the essential ingredients that we use to make a cup of tea.
We have all grown up on such beverages and have a special attachment to at least one of them.
But have you ever felt that your honey is going hard? You may have noticed that when you open the jar of honey, it may have crystalized.
This can be a disappointment when you are craving for a quick fix of honey in your tea.
But do you know why does honey go hard?.
1. It isn’t really honey
I think I’ve been getting fake honey all this time.
I always buy the little plastic bear, and lately it’s been going hard and crystalizing.
Is this normal?.
When I was a kid, I remember my mom buying this big jar of honey from the store.
It was always soft and runny, and it tasted really good.
I don’t remember what brand it was, but I do remember that it was a lot cheaper than the little plastic bears.
I don’t know if it’s just me, but I think the little plastic bears are getting harder and harder to find.
I went to three different stores the other day and none of them had any.
I don’t know if they’re being discontinued or if they’re just not selling very well.
But I’m starting to get worried that I’m not going to be able to find any more.
2. Honey can take on moisture from the air
The natural honey found in the supermarket is usually not pasteurized.
This is the honey that has the highest probability of getting crystallized.
You may have noticed that it often happens when the weather is cold.
This is because honey can take on moisture from the air.
It then goes through a process called nucleation.
The water molecules start to form crystals and these crystals are very tiny.
Once they start forming, they continue to grow and eventually turn into a solid mass.
The reason why this happens is that the water molecules are trying to escape from the honey and they do so by forming these crystals.
The crystals are like a “shell” around the water molecules, which helps to protect them from the surrounding air.
In conclusion, honey can go hard because it takes on moisture from the air and this causes the water molecules to form crystals.
These crystals continue to grow and eventually turn into a solid mass.
3. Honey has been left uncovered
Honey can go hard for a few reasons:
1. Honey can go hard if it is left uncovered.
When honey is exposed to air, it can oxidize and become hard.
2. Honey can also go hard if it is contaminated with crystals.
This usually happens when honey is not properly filtered or processed.
3. Honey can also go hard if it is not pure honey.
Sometimes, honey may be mixed with other ingredients, such as corn syrup or sugar, which can make it hard.
4. Honey can also go hard if it is old.
Honey has a natural tendency to crystallize over time, which can make it hard.
5. Honey can go hard for other reasons, such as high levels of glucose, low levels of fructose, and the type of flowers that the bees used to make the honey.
4. Honey was not stored properly
The most important thing to remember when storing honey is to keep it away from direct sunlight.
Honey naturally has a low water content, and when it’s exposed to sunlight, the water molecules in it can start to evaporate.
This causes the honey to thicken and turn into a solid block.
Honey stored in the refrigerator may also begin to crystallize.
While this is not an issue with the quality of the honey, it can be a bit of a hassle to have to continually re-liquefy honey.
One way to prevent honey from crystallizing is to store it in a cool, dark place.
A cupboard or pantry is ideal, as long as it’s not located near a window or other light source.
Another important thing to remember when storing honey is to keep it tightly sealed.
An airtight container is best, as it will prevent any moisture from seeping into the honey.
This is especially important if you’re storing honey for a long period of time.
5. Honey was frozen
If honey is exposed to low temperatures, it can freeze and become hard.
This is because honey has a low freezing point, around 40°F (5°C).
When it freezes, honey can become cloudy and granular in appearance, and may even turn into a solid block.
Freezing honey is not a desirable outcome, as it affects the texture and taste of the honey.
It can also make it harder to use honey in recipes and other dishes.
If you notice that your honey is starting to freeze, you can try to keep it in a warmer environment, or you can gently reheat it to soften it back up.
Key Points
As you can see, honey isn’t always what it seems.
Sometimes it’s not even honey at all! It can be tough to know what you’re getting when you buy honey from the store, so make sure to always buy from a reputable source.
If you want to make sure you’re getting the real deal, check the label for the words “pure honey.
” That means it’s 100% honey and hasn’t been cut with any additives or sugars.
You can also look for the phrase “raw honey” on the label, which means that it has been minimally processed and hasn’t been heated or filtered.
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