Sunflower honey: composition, benefits and harm, use

There are many varieties of honey. The most well-known types are such as linden and buckwheat. But there is also sunflower honey. He also has a special taste, flavor and with proper use will not only bring benefits to the body, but also help to cope with certain diseases.

Characteristics and distinctive features

Sunflower honey, like any other honey, has its own certain characteristics. First of all, it has a low cost, unlike other varieties. This is due to the fact that sunflowers are grown in large enough volumes. Many people do not use sunflower honey because it crystallizes quickly. But despite this, it has many useful properties. Also a distinctive feature of the product is the absence of stickiness.

Color

When honey is first pumped out of the hive, it has a light color. As it crystallizes, its hue becomes darker and as a result acquires a yellow, mustard tone.

There is a white coating on the surface of the honey. This is a release of glucose.

Aroma

The honey aroma of the product is not as pronounced as in other varieties. Notes of apricot, hay and flower pollen are distinguished.

Many people say that the aroma of fried potatoes is felt. A feature of honey is also that the aroma is more pronounced before crystallization than after it.

Flavor qualities

The taste of sunflower honey is not pungent, quite pleasant, sweet. A slight bitterness is defined. After the use in the throat begins a slight peppery feeling.

Crystallization

Sunflower honey is known for crystallizing quite quickly and changing its color to a darker color. It thickens after three weeks, but most often its consistency changes as early as 14-16 days after collection. In the honeycomb, the crystallization process occurs later.

The consistency after the appearance of yellow crystals is similar to that of lard. The solid particles quickly melt in the mouth. After crystallization the product shrinks and hardens.

The rapid change in consistency is due to a significant amount of glucose. It contains almost one and a half times more than, for example, in linden or buckwheat.

Composition and calories

Sunflower honey is known for its rich composition. But it depends not only on the weather conditions in which the flower grows, the time of collection and the species. The main components of the product are:

1. Iodine. It is required by the thyroid gland and other organs of the endocrine system for proper functioning. Lack of the micronutrient leads to the development of certain diseases, such as nodular goiter, hypothyroidism and others.
2. Magnesium. The substance plays a major role in the work of the heart muscle, and also helps to strengthen muscle tissue. If the element is lacking, heart rhythm disorders and leg muscle cramps occur periodically.
3. Sodium. It helps to carry glucose, amino acids and other substances, as well as maintain normal osmotic pressure, water-salt balance.
4. Potassium. Participates in the process of regulating the number of contractions of the heart muscle. That is why its lack increases the risk of diseases such as tachycardia and arrhythmia.
5. Nicotinic acid. This is a vitamin PP. It is required to maintain a normal amount of cholesterol in the blood. This substance can be dangerous for the body. This is because cholesterol accumulates on the walls of blood vessels and impairs blood circulation. This increases the risk of developing a stroke or heart attack.
6. Ascorbic acid. Vitamin C, which is needed in large quantities. It helps maintain immunity, improves the body's resistance. With its lack of a person begins to often get colds, increasing the likelihood of complications.
7. Carotene. This substance is quite important for the body, because it helps to fight free radicals. It is these substances, according to recent studies, and are the trigger of cancer.
8. B vitamins. This is quite a large group, which includes several elements. They control the nervous system, have a positive effect on the general state, help to cope with stress, support immunity, the quality of hearing, vision, have a positive effect on many biochemical processes.

Sunflower honey also contains substances such as biotin, organic and fatty acids, choline, phosphatase, amino acids and other elements. All of them are required by the body in certain amounts. If they are lacking, certain symptoms can occur, the risk of certain diseases, including colds, flu, abnormalities of the heart muscle and nervous system increases.

The caloric value of sunflower honey is quite large and is 320 kcal per 100 g. But it is consumed in small quantities, which has almost no effect on the figure.

Useful properties of sunflower honey

General benefits

Honey derived from sunflower pollen, in its composition has many useful substances. When properly consumed, it has a positive effect on the body. The useful properties of the product include:

1. Anti-inflammatory. Honey, like any bee product, helps to relieve inflammation localized in various organs and tissues.
2. Anti-bacterial. Sunflower honey, when consumed internally, can destroy pathogens that cause a number of diseases.
3. Stimulating. Honey activates the body's defenses. As a result, the immune system increases, and a person gets sick less often.
4. Encapsulating. Thanks to its composition, honey envelopes the mucosa of the body, protecting it from the negative effects of various factors.
5. Sedative. The product perfectly helps to cope with stress. It is also used in folk medicine to normalize sleep for insomnia, allows you to cope with stress and nervous tension.
6. Cleansing. It contains substances that help to eliminate harmful substances, thereby reducing the burden on the liver.
7. Restorative. By eliminating toxins normalizes and restores the function of the gallbladder and liver.
8. Stimulating. Honey activates the metabolic process, strengthens the immune system.
9. Strengthening. Product of bee production, derived from sunflower pollen, strengthens the heart, blood vessels, normalizes blood circulation due to the sufficient content of potassium and magnesium.

In addition, sunflower honey is used in folk medicine to treat sore throats, rhinitis. It is used to liquefy and expel phlegm that accumulates in the bronchi. Thus, honey is an excellent remedy for respiratory, cold and viral diseases.

Honey is used to improve the absorption of medicines. This greatly increases their effectiveness, the relief comes much faster. The product is an excellent mood enhancer, improves overall health, as it has a great taste and aroma.

For women

Honey derived from sunflower pollen, when used correctly, can bring benefits to the female body. It has a favorable effect on the skin, helping to eliminate small wrinkles, acne, return the natural complexion and prolong youth.

Honey also contains substances that help maintain the beauty of the hair. The substances in the product make them shiny, smooth and manageable.

In addition, it is known that women are more susceptible to stress and depression than men. Honey will help to cope with them, improve their mood. Only 50-70 g of the product a day is enough.

For men

The male body can also benefit from sunflower honey. Thanks to its composition, it has a positive effect on the cardiovascular system, helping to reduce the risk of stroke and heart attack.

Also honey helps to strengthen the muscle tissue, which is experiencing great stress every day. It is believed that honey helps both increase sexual activity and improve the composition of the seminal fluid.

Pregnancy

During the period when a woman is preparing to become a mother, it is better to refuse to use honey. The reason is that this product of bee production, like all others, is an allergen. It can cause unpleasant symptoms even in the smallest quantities.

If you use honey during pregnancy, especially in large quantities, in the future the baby may develop an intolerance to the product. A woman should consult a specialist about the possibility of using honey.

When breastfeeding

After the birth of the child, when the woman starts breastfeeding, you should also be careful with honey. It should not be introduced into the diet before the baby is a year and a half old.

Any honey, including sunflower honey, can cause allergies. This is manifested by redness, rash on the skin, itching, runny nose, coughing, lacrimation, and other signs.

Before introducing honey into the diet, you should consult your pediatrician. Start using the product with a small amount, no more than half a teaspoon. Then within a day, you need to monitor the reaction of the child. If there are no unpleasant symptoms, the dosage of honey can be increased. But if signs of allergy appear, the product should be removed from the diet for a while. After 3-4 months, you can try it again in the menu.

For children

Honey can be given to children not earlier than two years. The thing is that the product of bee production is quite allergenic.

In the absence of a negative reaction, honey with proper use will also be beneficial. First of all, it helps to increase immunity and cope with colds. In folk medicine, it is used to make various lotions, infusions, which can cope with viral and infectious diseases.

Also, honey in small quantities helps to activate the brain. There is an improvement in memory and concentration, the child becomes more collected.

When losing weight

Honey is not used when following a diet for weight loss. It has a large number of calories and glucose, which contributes to excess weight gain.

When you need to maintain weight, honey is not recommended to eat even in small amounts.

Folk medicine recipes with sunflower honey

Honey is widely used in folk medicine not only to treat colds. It has long been used as a complementary therapy in the presence of other diseases that are characterized by an inflammatory process or arise as a result of penetration into the body of viruses, bacteria, infection.

From cracked heels

Cracks on the heels appear as a result of excessive dryness of the skin. They often hurt and bleed. To cope with such a problem will help the following recipe. Require 2 tablespoons of flour and a tablespoon of sunflower honey. Everything is thoroughly kneaded so that it turns out a dough. It is divided into two equal parts and rolled into tortillas.

Feet steamed before going to bed, so that the skin becomes soft. Then the resulting pellets attached to the heels, fix a bandage, put on warm socks and leave for the night.

After a week of procedures, the heels will become much softer, and the skin will heal, unpleasant symptoms will disappear.

For anemia

Sunflower honey, like any other honey, contains enough iron. This allows it to be used for anemia when low hemoglobin is detected.

To normalize the blood composition for one month should be consumed honey in an amount of 100 grams daily. It can be added to tea, coffee. For the entire course, you need to eat 3 kg of the product. When using it in its pure form, it is recommended to wash it down with milk or kefir.

When wounds or burns.

One of the properties of honey is to accelerate tissue regeneration. Due to the content of various microelements, it helps to heal faster the sun or thermal burns, wounds and cuts. There are several recipes, the most popular are these:

1. Ointment. To prepare it, you will need Xeroform powder in an amount of 3 g, 80 g of honey and 20 g of fat. All components are thoroughly mixed. The ointment is used up to 3 times a day. Then a gauze bandage is applied to the wound.
2. Lotions. They are used in the presence of wounds and ulcers that do not heal for a long time. The solution is prepared as follows. First, 50 g of eucalyptus is poured into a saucepan and 500 ml of hot water. Within 15 minutes everything is kept on a water bath, allow to cool and strain. After that, add 2 tablespoons of honey, stir. Lotions are made by pre-moistening a gauze bandage in the solution. It is applied to the wound and fixed with a bandage, changing as it dries.

These recipes will help to quickly get rid of wounds, burns, ulcers in a short time.

If you have excessive gas.

In cases where excessive gas is a concern, you can use the following recipe. For its preparation, you will need a glass of boiling water and a tablespoon of honey. All you need to mix in a separate pot and boil over low heat for 15 minutes. Take during the day up to 10 times 2 tablespoons.

It is also recommended to add a tablespoon each of honey and wormwood in a glass of boiling water. Then boil everything on low heat, strain and allow to cool. Take the solution by a tablespoon before breakfast. You can store it for no more than two days.

If you have joint pain

Honey also helps with pain of varying intensity in the joints. To prepare a therapeutic agent, you will need a tablespoon each of honey and aloe juice, 2 tablespoons of vodka. All mixed and put on the sore spot. Compresses will help with arthritis, osteochondrosis, arthritis, rheumatism or radiculitis.

To restore strength

The product can restore strength after mental or physical exertion, prolonged illness, with general weakness.

For preparation, you will need to take 500 g each of honey and walnuts, which must be crushed, 200 ml of aloe juice. The leaves of the plant should be kept for a week in the refrigerator before use.

Mix all the ingredients. Take a tablespoon for a month. Keep the mixture in the refrigerator. The course can be repeated after a break of 10 days.

To strengthen the heart

The heart is an important organ, which experiences tremendous stress every day. It is important not only to support it, but also to strengthen it. To do this, you can use one of the recipes of folk medicine. Take a tablespoon of dried or fresh berries, 2 cups of boiling water. All boil for 10 minutes, then insist for half an hour, strain. Then add a tablespoon of honey. The solution to take half a glass 3 times a day for a month.

There are many folk recipes based on honey. All remedies should be prepared and taken in strict accordance with the instructions. Before using it, make sure that there is no allergy to sunflower honey.

Cosmetic applications

Honey is an excellent remedy that helps restore beauty and prolong youth. It is also used in cosmetology. It is used to create many different masks, creams, shampoos. There are also several recipes for remedies with honey, which you can make yourself.

The most popular are face masks. They help to smooth wrinkles, eliminate the first signs of aging, prolong youthfulness.

For face

With egg
Such a tool is used when the skin of the face is quite dry. It helps to moisturize the skin.

To prepare a mask is simple enough. To do this, you need to mix one egg and a tablespoon of honey. You can also add a small amount of heavy cream. Mass apply to the face and leave for 20 minutes, then rinse with warm water.

With aspirin
The mask is excellent for women who have begun to show the first signs of aging. The remedy will prolong the youthfulness of the skin. To prepare the mixture you will need a tablet of aspirin, which should be dissolved in 2 tablespoons of warm water. Then add a big spoonful of honey.

The mask should be applied once a week for 10 minutes. It can also be used in the presence of acne, pimples, acne. The effect will be noticeable after the first procedure.

With lemon
According to many, this mask is the most effective for oily skin. It will help to eliminate shine, narrow pores, stop small inflammations, which are the cause of acne. Mask based on honey and lemon perfectly fights acne. The remedy also eliminates pigmentation and freckles, which bother many people.

But before using such a mask, it is important to know that lemon dries the skin. That is why it is mixed with honey. The ingredients are taken in equal proportions of 2 tablespoons each. When the mask is supposed to be used as a bleaching agent, the bee product should be added in cold form. If the product is used to eliminate greasiness, honey should be slightly heated.

After mixing the components, you need to apply the mask to the face, leave it for 15 minutes and then wash off. Use no more than 3 times a week.

For the hair

Honey can also be used to maintain the beauty of the hair. It helps to restore their structure, return shine and strength. The most popular remedies are:

1. Conditioner. It is used as a moisturizer. To prepare it, you will need to mix an egg yolk and honey in equal quantities. The mixture is applied to the entire length of the hair, leave it for half an hour and wash off.
2. Brightener. Such a remedy is suitable for women who have blond hair. To prepare it, you will need to mix 2.5 tablespoons each of cinnamon, honey, olive oil, hair conditioner. The resulting mixture is applied to the hair, wrap it in plastic wrap and heat with a hair dryer. Hold the mask for 4 hours, then rinse with water.

Thus, honey is an excellent remedy that will help maintain a woman's natural beauty, without resorting to the use of expensive creams, ointments.

Harm and contraindications

As you know, any honey, including sunflower honey, can not always be used to treat diseases, prepare cosmetics and use internally. Contraindications include:

1. Allergies. Flower pollen, including sunflower, is an allergen. It can cause a number of unpleasant symptoms, such as sneezing, coughing, runny nose, rash, redness of the mucous eyes and skin, itching. Honey should not be consumed by people who are allergic to flower pollen. The presence of intolerance of the product can be determined independently. To do this, apply a small amount of honey to the wrist and leave it for a while. If after 24 hours there is no redness or itching, then there is no allergy.
2. The period of pregnancy and breastfeeding. It is not recommended to eat honey for women who are pregnant or breastfeeding. An allergen can enter the baby's body, which will cause the appearance of unpleasant symptoms.
3. Diathesis. In children and adults with excessive consumption of sweets, the skin on the face becomes red and flaky. In the presence of diathesis, you should not eat honey.
4. Diabetes mellitus of any type. In the presence of this disease, it is strictly forbidden to use honey. It contains a large amount of glucose, which can lead to an increase in blood sugar.
5. Overweight. Honey contains a large amount of carbohydrates, which contribute to gaining excess weight. It is contraindicated for people suffering from obesity to consume bee products, including sunflower honey.

In the absence of contraindications and proper use of honey will bring only benefits for the body. He will help to cope with various diseases, strengthen the immune system, support youthfulness of the skin, but it should be introduced into the diet with caution.

How to choose and store

Select sunflower honey should be chosen correctly, so as not to make a mistake and not to buy a fake. You should buy the product only from proven sellers, in the markets, fairs.

As a result of the fact that sunflower honey crystallizes quickly, it is difficult to pack, which should be taken into account when buying. Such honey is rarely passed off as other honey, as it is the cheapest. It is quite thick and has a yellowish color. The aroma is faint but quite pleasant, with honey, mustard and oak notes.

Quite often at fairs, vendors give you a taste of their product. Sunflower honey has many small particles that quickly melt in the mouth. The product has a delicate texture. After drinking honey, a slight tickle appears in the throat.

Honey should not be too liquid. This consistency should alert you. It should also not have a caramel taste or sourness. A white coating may appear on the surface, which is not a sign of poor quality product, but is formed as a result of high glucose content. Often bees are fed sugar. Honey in this case will not have flavor.

Store the product of bee production, which is derived from sunflower pollen, should be in a dark place where sunlight does not penetrate. The optimal temperature is +4 to +20 degrees. When it goes higher, the honey loses its useful vitamins and minerals. The humidity should not exceed 75%.

Honey should be stored in a container that has been rinsed well in advance. Usually glass containers are used for this purpose. Also porcelain or clay will do. The product of bee production is not recommended to store in iron containers, because they oxidize honey. As a result, it becomes harmful to health.

When storing it is important to keep in mind that honey is good at absorbing odors. Therefore, it should not be stored in close proximity to paints, gasoline and other substances that have a pungent smell.

How to distinguish from fakes

Sunflower honey is not always found in the store, as it crystallizes quickly. It is best to buy the product from mid to late July only from proven sellers.

You can distinguish natural honey from fake with iodine. To do this, dissolve a small amount of the product in water and add a few drops of iodine. If the solution turns blue, then there is starch in the honey. If it hasn't changed, the honey is natural and made only from nectar.

Interesting facts about sunflowers

1. The Guinness Book of Records has a record that the largest sunflower was 82 centimeters in diameter. It was growing in Canada. The tallest flower that ever existed was grown in the Netherlands. Its height was about 7 meters.
2. Sunflowers are planted in large areas. This allows you to get not only a large crop of seeds, which are quite useful for the body, but also honey. From one hectare you can get up to 50 kg of useful product.
3. Not many gardeners know that sunflowers should also be planted in a special way. They are sown before or after sunrise. According to the belief, this way you can get a fairly large crop, which will not harm birds.
4. Sunflower seeds are known for their beneficial qualities and amazing taste. They belong to a rare class of products. Their composition is completely free of cholesterol and cholesterol. Thus, the flower seeds will benefit the whole body, including the cardiovascular system.
5. The seeds contain a large amount of fiber, minerals such as selenium, calcium, iron, zinc, a lot of vitamins B and E, phytosterols. These substances increase the body's resistance to various diseases, reduce the risk of cancer, stroke and heart attack by regulating blood cholesterol.
6. As you know, sunflowers are always turned toward the sun. But not everyone knows that even in cloudy weather the plant is an excellent landmark, as its basket is always turned towards the sun, even when it is hidden behind clouds.
7. The flower is believed to be native to North America. According to legend, the sunflower was a gift from the gods to the Indians. It is a symbol of the sun and was considered sacred to the Indians.
8. The flower was brought to Europe in the 16th century by the Spaniards.

The sunflower is an amazing plant. It is used in folk medicine for preparing healing infusions, solutions and decoctions. But healers are popular with honey, which is obtained from the pollen of the flower.

The product of bee production helps to cope with a number of diseases, including colds. Because of its properties, honey has a negative effect on viruses and pathogens, eliminating symptoms and inflammation. He found its application in cosmetology. On its basis, created a lot of means for face and hair. Creams and masks can also be prepared at home. Thus, sunflower honey should be used not only to improve your mood, but also to raise immunity. If used correctly, the product will not harm the body, but will only have a beneficial effect.

Photo of sunflower honey