The information that honey should not be heated appeared relatively recently, and immediately attracted attention. The main argument in favor of banning honey heating was that this product becomes carcinogenic when heated. However, there is only a grain of truth in this statement and, in order not to go to extremes, it is worth considering this issue in more detail.

What happens if you heat honey?

When heated, the following properties of honey manifest themselves:

1. As the temperature of honey rises, its nutritional and medicinal properties decrease. The more honey is heated, the more it loses its bactericidal and immune-modeling properties. Therefore, adding honey to a hot drink does not make the drink more healthful.
2. Heating honey to a temperature of 45 ° C leads to the loss of valuable enzymes and. Glucose and fructose, which are useful for the body, also decompose at the temperature above. From this follows the answer to the question to what temperature honey can be heated. It is best to try to consume honey at room temperature, and if you want to add it to tea, you should wait until the drink cools down to a temperature of 45 ° C.
3. You can find a huge number of sources that say that heating honey above 60 ° C makes the product carcinogenic. The main evidence of why honey should not be heated is the fact that hot honey contains such a poisonous substance as oxymethylfurfural. This substance is really harmful to the body and is almost not excreted from it. However, it should be borne in mind that this poison appears in honey in negligible quantities and therefore it is not capable of harming human health. For comparison, we can cite products such as carbonated sugary drinks and roasted coffee, in which oxymethylfurfural is contained in an amount ten times higher than that in hot honey.

For many centuries, honey has been considered one of the most beneficial biological products for health. All over the world, only this sweet has no expiration date and the substance that archaeologists sometimes find in ancient ceramic dishes during excavation of settlements is still edible. And yet honey can be harmful, or at least useless as a healing substance, precisely because people very often put it in hot tea.

Loses all useful properties

There are more than a dozen types of honey, its shades range from light amber to burning brown. The aroma and color of the product depends on the plants from which honeybees collect nectar. But the true, medicinal value and benefits of honey are determined by the so-called diastase number - the amount of amylase enzymes in one unit of volume. Diastasis is measured in conventional Gothe units, named after the French researcher, who back in 1914 proposed a method for determining the naturalness and quality of honey by its diastatic activity. In Soviet times, GOST was adopted, which establishes a quantitative indicator of the diastatic number of honey produced in different regions of the USSR. Honey with a level of 3 to 50 Gothe units was considered natural and corresponding to GOST. And, of course, the one with the highest scores was the most useful product.

Honorary Beekeeper of Ukraine and Editor-in-Chief of the Bdzholyarskiy Krug magazine V. A. Solomka in his book A Word about Honey. Technologies. Properties ”, published in 2012 in Kiev, tells about how the diastase number of honey changes under the influence of hot water. It is based on the results of studies by famous Soviet scientists and indicates that honey, getting into water, the temperature of which is about 30 ° C, loses the amount of diastase in exactly half in 200 days. In water at a temperature of 60 ° C, the number of diastase units is also reduced by half, but in 1 day. At a temperature of 80 ° C and above, that is, in boiling water, which people usually use to make tea, the amount of diastase also decreases by exactly 50%, but within an hour. That is, no matter how useful honey is, in a glass of hot liquid it loses half of its healing properties, and that's not all. The same V. A. Solomka notes that in water at 45 ° C in honey is destroyed invertase - the catalization of the breakdown of sucrose into glucose and fructose. At 50 ° C, diastasis begins to collapse, at 60 ° C, the destruction of proteins, vitamins, enzymes, enzymes and other biologically active substances occurs, and at 70 ° C there is an intense loss of aromatic substances of the product. In other words, heating honey to a temperature of 90-100 ° C in 20 minutes almost completely deprives it of its bactericidal activity. What, in the end, remains in a cup of boiling water after a spoonful of honey has been put and stirred in it? There you can find only a specific taste of sugar and nothing else.

Turns into a carcinogen

Several years ago, German researchers from the Ruprecht and Karl University of Heidelberg became interested in the problems of the destruction of the structure of honey under the influence of high temperature. Honey is very often used in the cooking of this country for the preparation of pies, creams, sweets and other dishes and products. Scientists conducted a series of tests with this substance, heating it to 95 ° C. They definitely found out that the sugar contained in honey begins to change. They are not only inverted and caramelized, but also undergo the Maillard reaction - melanoidin formation.

At the same time, many new substances are formed, including those with a very complex, and, as German scientists have found out, a very dangerous chemical structure. As a result of the Maillard reaction, methylglyoxal is released, which today is considered one of the important causes of aging in the body. These substances penetrate into the cells of internal organs, accumulate and cause them to age, and then die at an increased rate. In addition, when natural honey is heated even to a temperature of 60 ° C, fructose, which it contains, turns into oxymethylfurfural. And German doctors unambiguously consider this chemical compound to be a carcinogen. Once in the stomach, it can cause not only heartburn and gastritis, but even cancer. True, in both cases, these substances, formed in honey under the influence of high temperatures, become the most dangerous for health, only in cases of their accumulation in the body for many years. That is, from a one-time misuse of honey, which was heated with boiling water or with the help of another heat treatment, but above 60 ° C, it is unlikely that something will happen to a person. But if you regularly dissolve a bee treat in a glass of tea and drink it, then this is a really big health risk.

If you care about your health, then be sure to try to reduce sugar intake in your diet, or, altogether, eliminate it. And it will be right. But if the body requires carbohydrates, and you hate, which of the healthy foods can help you out? Of course, a bee delicacy! Let's see if honey can be added to hot tea. We think that this question is of interest to many who respect this natural sweetness and strive to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Can honey be added to hot tea? Is it good or bad?

Actually, this question interests us, since there are many rumors and disputes on this topic. Some believe that it is an excellent remedy for many diseases. Others argue that honey does not tolerate high temperatures. Under their influence, it turns from a useful product into an extremely harmful delicacy.

What does science say about this?

When natural honey is heated to a temperature of 60 degrees, fructose, which is contained in the product, turns into a substance that has a very complex name - oxymethylfurfural. This compound has been recognized as a carcinogen by healthcare professionals. It severely damages the human esophagus and stomach. It can cause not only heartburn and gastritis, but even cancer.

The accumulative effect of the substance is of great danger. That is, from a single use of the wrong product, it is unlikely that something will happen. But if you regularly dissolve a bee treat in boiling water and drink it, this is a big health risk. Therefore, now, if someone asks you about whether honey can be added to hot tea, you can describe its harm. And you will even be able to indicate the name of the poisonous substance.

What is the best way to drink tea with honey?

Since we found out that at temperatures above 60 degrees, the waste product of bees converts its fructose into a harmful substance, we should find out the following: how can you then use tea with honey?

Pretty simple. The optimal temperature of the liquid that we drink and at the same time consider it hot is from 40 to 45 degrees. Therefore, we can add our favorite delicacy to tea only after it has had time to cool down to the desired temperature. And for this we do not need to use a thermometer or similar meters. It will be enough just to take a sip of the drink. You will immediately feel that it is drinkable. After that, it will be clear whether honey can be added to hot tea at the existing temperature.

Well, the second option, which nutritionists consider more correct, is that you can use this natural delicacy with a bit of tea. In this case, honey most fully preserves all the beneficial properties that nature has generously endowed it with.

Why is it sometimes a candied draft?

Many consumers don't like candied honey at all. Another thing is when it is viscous, shiny and pours in a beautiful alluring stream. The aesthetic appearance of the product greatly influences our appetite and desire to purchase this product. Agree! However, if you care about your health, and you do not have the necessary chemical laboratory at hand to distinguish a fake from real honey, then consider some simple rules:

1. Unscrupulous sellers may reheat candied honey for a more beneficial and "interesting" appearance that will appeal to buyers. At the same time, during the process, the same oxymethylfurfural will be released into the product in a dangerous amount for human health.
2. When using candied honey with hot tea, you will eat much less of this sweetness, which will have a positive effect on the state of the body. Yes Yes! Despite the fact that honey is a very healthy product, it is a strong allergen. And excess fructose will negatively affect the human endocrine system.

What honey is better to drink with tea?

We all know that there are many For example, May, buckwheat, herb, flower version. There are even such exquisite varieties as sainfoin, white, coniferous and the like. But which one is better to use with tea? Which of these will be the best for health? The answer is: the best option is the one you like the most. We all have our preferences. So choose your favorite tea variety.

You should be aware that in some types of honey (especially in thick delicacies with propolis content), in addition to fructose, amino acids and vitamins are also very important and useful for humans. They collapse and die if they get into temperatures above 42 degrees Celsius. They do not become as harmful as oxymethylfurfural, but they no longer bring any benefits. Draw conclusions.

What diseases are treated with tea with honey?

If we are talking about the benefits of tea with honey, then let's consider the following question: for what diseases do these two components have the maximum benefit and have a healing effect? So, they will positively affect the body if a person has:

• Colds or ARVI. In case of acute respiratory viral infections, an abundant warm drink is always recommended. In our case, it will be tea. Honey, as a component, helps well to strengthen the immune system. The patient has an increased chance of recovering faster.
• Bronchitis. Tea with honey acts as an expectorant.
• Allergy. Many people have a pollen intolerance. Doctors practice treatment of allergies according to the principle of "knocking out a wedge by a wedge". They give the patient honey containing this pollen in small quantities, gradually increasing the dose as the body becomes more resistant to it.
• Weak immunity, especially in children. Regular consumption of warm tea with honey during colds epidemics in kindergartens and schools significantly helps to reduce the child's risk of illness.

conclusions

Let's summarize the following questions: is it possible to add honey to hot tea, in which cases the harm to the body will be the highest? The answers are obvious:

1. At tea temperatures above 60 degrees, add a treat to the drink under no circumstances.
2. In order to preserve the beneficial substances of honey (enzymes, amino acids and vitamins), it should be put in warm tea, the temperature of which is not higher than 42 degrees.
3. If you drink tea with honey in a bite, it maximizes the beneficial properties of a natural delicacy.

We hope that in this article I have most fully disclosed all the necessary information related to this issue. Therefore, if you need to explain to someone in your life whether honey can be added to hot tea, you can give iron arguments. Drink the right tea with honey and be healthy !!!

The bulk of people on earth love honey. Some people prefer to drink tea only with him, but to keep the drink hot. They suggest that hot drinks will relieve them of colds and boost their immune strength. But these are incompatible things! Boiling water will destroy the nutrients that it contains. Then the drink will become useless for humans.

Teas, additives

Scientists suggest adding sugar to tea is an anomaly! After all, people who drink it without sweets are rarely visited by oncology. For green tea, the situation is different. Sugar added to it increases the healing properties of the drink, assimilates the catechins that it contains. Catechins are nature's antioxidants, but they are also found in black tea, but here sugar inhibits their absorption.

Because of this, free radicals are neutralized. It is they who can disrupt the work of cells, which accompanies the development of tumors. And catechins do not allow the formation of diabetic signs in the body, restrain heart failure. If milk is used with tea, the benefits of catechins are reduced.

The harm from tea with honey

Everyone has long known honey is a useful product. Helps with colds. But doctors say that at a temperature of 40 degrees, diastasis is destroyed in honey. This is a valuable enzyme, too high temperature in it can oxidize fructose. It becomes a carcinogen. Then he will provoke the development of a tumor in the gastrointestinal tract. Therefore, doctors forbid putting it in drinks. They consider it to be poison to humans.
To make it useful for the body, you need to eat it with a spoon. Prepare warm water and drink honey for it, but not boiling water. Otherwise, honey will lose its beneficial properties.

You also need to act with lemon. He also loses vitamin C and other useful substances from high temperatures. For lemon to be useful for a person, it must be consumed with cold tea. But as a remedy for the lack of sleep tea, a drink with honey is considered beneficial. Drink it for this purpose after a walk before bedtime. He will be able to help a person to weaken a little, soothe his tense nerves. If a person has perspiration after honey, it means he removes toxins from the body. Then the intake of honey is considered justified.

Why can't honey be put in hot tea?

There are no medicinal properties in hot tea. Vitamins and enzymes are destroyed. When honey is boiled, it remains: water, glucose, sugar. But if the water temperature is less than 40 degrees, its beneficial properties are completely preserved. It is considered useful to eat a spoonful of honey in the morning. For people with low acidity, doctors advise to eat it with cold water. If the human body is exposed to physical or mental stress, then he should eat honey with cold water.

Although our ancestors did the opposite. Honey was used in hot tea to gargle. Numerous old recipes testify to this. They made eye lotions out of it. This was also considered useful, but before that it should be boiled. They also boiled it for sbitney, honey kumis, simple mead.

To use honey in traditional medicine, it must be boiled. In this form, it is beneficial, helps a person to recover from a disease! Women use it for masks, make them in baths, where the temperature is very high. Despite this, women's skin gets younger from time to time and never gets old!

Many have heard, read and saw that honey, allegedly, becomes harmful when heated. Where they heard, from whom, why - it doesn't matter. The main thing is that they say so. And in our country it is customary to take our word for it. I don't like that. Either give me scientific data or I have nothing to spread rumors. I firmly answered all those interested that the harm from heating honey is a myth. But when my dad called me with this question, because in my book there are recipes with honey, and "I read that it cannot be heated", I could not resist ... I hope that after this article, all questions will disappear.

I will not even say that many peoples have been using heated honey for centuries and, nothing, somehow survived. These are meads, sbitni, tea with honey, and honey gingerbread, etc. Many Japanese and Chinese dishes are prepared using honey.

All the fuss began, no one knows when and where, but it boils down to the fact that when honey is heated, the poisonous substance oxymethylfurfural is formed in it.

Here are excerpts from articles by A. Faramazyan, Interregional Public Organization of Beekeepers and E. Yu. Balashov, member of the International Commission on Honey, director of the analytical center "Apis".

Oxymethylfurfural in honey and harm to the body

Oxymethylfurfural is formed by heating carbohydrate compounds in an acidic environment. In honey, fructose is the main source of oxymethylfurfural. The current standard limits the permissible content of oxymethylfurfural in 1 kg of honey to 25 mg.
Very often we hear warnings from "experts" about the particular danger of exceeding the permissible content of oxymethylfurfural in honey for human health. Allegedly, such honey is almost poisonous. Is it so?
Let us turn to the materials of the Bremen Institute for Honey Research: “Confectionery and jams contain oxymethylfurfural in quantities, tens of times, and in many cases much more, exceeding the allowable standard for honey. So far, no harm to the human body has been identified from this. "

Professor Chepurnoy puts it this way: “Is oxymethylfurfural, contained in honey, so dangerous for human health? Of course not. There are food products in which its content is ten times higher, but in them it is not even determined. For example, in roasted coffee, the content of oxymethylfurfural can be up to 2000 mg / kg. In drinks, 100 mg / l is allowed, and in Coca-Cola and Pepsi-Cola, the content of oxymethylfurfural can reach 300-350 mg / l ... ".

In 1975, studies were carried out at the Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, which showed that the daily intake of oxymethylfurfural into the body with food in the amount of 2 mg per 1 kg of weight does not pose any danger to humans.

In the EU standards and the UN Food Code, the limit for the content of oxymethylfurfural in honey is 40 mg / kg, with the proviso that for honey produced in hot countries, this value rises to 80 mg / kg. This content of oxymethylfurfural, natural for such countries, and honey from this does not become less useful.

The limiting value of the content of oxymethylfurfural was introduced into the standards not in order to protect people from a "harmful" product, but in order to control the observance of temperature regimes during honey processing. In world practice, this indicator is mainly used by honey processors when purchasing lots of honey and helps to determine whether a given lot of honey has been overheated during pre-sale processing, as well as the "age" of honey.

"Warm honey is no longer honey"

It depends on how you warm it. The issue of heat treatment of honey has been studied by the most serious scientific teams in almost all countries. Heating honey is a mandatory procedure when packing it. In order to pack honey using filling machines, it must be converted from a crystalline state to a liquid one. In addition, before bottling, honey must be cleaned of mechanical impurities, the presence of which is prohibited by GOST. Filtration of honey can only be carried out in a liquid state.

As mentioned earlier, the GOST includes indicators "diastase number" and "content of oxymethylfurfural in 1 kg of honey", which are particularly sensitive to temperature changes. Numerous studies, including in Russia, have proven that a sharp increase in the content of oxymethylfurfural and a decrease in the diastasis number occurs when the temperature of honey is heated above 50 ° C. Changes in these indicators in honey kept at a temperature not exceeding 50 ° C during the day are so insignificant that they do not affect the quality of honey. The lower the heating temperature, the longer the possible holding time and vice versa. Even a quick heating to 80 ° C, holding at this temperature for 2 minutes, followed by rapid cooling does not lead to a deterioration in the quality of honey. Thus, it is absolutely illiterate to conclude that honey is of poor quality just because it is liquid. The answer to the question about the quality of honey is given by laboratory tests and an expert opinion.

"Artificial honey does not crystallize"

Taking the chicken as an example, it is equally fair to say that all birds do not fly. Only very coarse fakes do not crystallize, which are easy to detect organoleptically or by analyzes described in GOST. As a rule, the opposite is more common: artificial honey crystallizes faster than natural honey. It is known that the tendency of honey to crystallize strongly depends on the quantitative ratios of fructose to glucose and glucose to water. Honey that remains in a liquid state for a long time has these ratios, respectively, more than 1.2 and less than 1.8. In the production of artificial honey by biological or chemical methods, the inversion of sucrose leads to the formation of almost equal amounts of glucose and fructose. Consequently, their ratio will be close to 1, which indicates a significant tendency of honey to crystallize. Even the high humidity of artificial honey does not allow it to remain liquid for a long time.