Honey Information
Honey Facts
Honey is "manufactured" in one of the world's most efficient
factories, the beehive. Bees may travel as far as 55,000 miles and visit
more than two million flowers to gather enough nectar to make just a
pound of honey.
The color and flavor of honey differ depending on the bees' nectar
source (the blossoms). In fact, there are more than 300 unique kinds
of honey in the United States, originating from such diverse floral
sources as clover, eucalyptus and orange blossom. In general, lighter
colored honeys are mild in flavor; while darker honeys are usually more
robust in flavor.
Honey is primarily composed of fructose, glucose and water. It also
contains other sugars as well trace enzymes, minerals, vitamins and
amino acids.
The Honey Bees' Second Shift
In addition to gathering nectar to produce honey, honey bees perform
a vital second function--pollination. About one-third of the human diet
is derived from insect-pollinated plants, and honey bees are responsible
for 80 percent of this pollination.
Pollination is the fertilization of a flowering plant. It occurs when
pollen is transferred from the anthers of a flower to the ovules of
that or another flower. Honey bees are responsible for pollinating a
variety of fruits, vegetables, legumes and more.
The Delicious Forms of Honey
Most of us know honey as a sweet, golden liquid. But, in fact, honey
can be found in a variety of forms.
Liquid Honey
Free of visible crystals, liquid honey is extracted from the honey
comb by centrifugal force, gravity or straining. Because liquid honey
mixes easily into a variety of foods, it's especially convenient for
cooking and baking. Most of the honey produced in the United States
is sold in the liquid form.
Whipped (or cremed) Honey
While all honey will crystallize in time, whipped honey (also known
as cremed honey, sugared honey or spun honey) is brought to market in
a crystallized state. The crystallization is controlled so that, at
room temperature, the honey can be spread like butter. In many countries
around the world, whipped honey is preferred to the liquid form.
Comb Honey
Comb honey is honey that comes as it was produced--in the honey bees'
wax comb. The comb, as well as the honey, is edible!
Cut Comb
Cut comb honey is honey that has been packaged with chunks of the honey
comb.
Honey Floral Varietals
The color and flavor of honeys differ depending on the nectar source
(the blossoms) visited by the honey bees. The color ranges from nearly
colorless to dark brown, and the flavor varies from delectably mild
to distinctively bold, depending on where the honey bees "buzzed."
In fact, there are more than 300 unique types of honey available in
the United States, each originating from a different floral source.
As a general rule, the flavor of lighter colored honeys is milder, and
the flavor of darker colored honeys is stronger. See a table of honey
varietals and where they are produced or read about some of the most
common varieties of honey in the United States below:
Alfalfa Honey - Alfalfa is a legume with blue flowers. It blooms throughout
the summer and is ranked as the most important honey plant in Utah,
Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and most of the western states. Alfalfa honey
is white or extra light amber in color with a fine flavor. The honey
also has good body, which makes it a perfect table honey.
Avocado Honey - Avocado honey is gathered from California avocado blossoms.
Avocado honey is dark in color, with a rich, buttery taste.
Basswood Honey - This tree is distributed from Southern Canada, to
Alabama, to Texas. Basswood honey is often characterized by its distinctive
biting flavor. The flowers are cream-colored and they bloom in late
June and July. The honey is water-white with a strong flavor.
Blueberry Honey - Taken from the tiny white flowers of the blueberry
bush, the nectar makes a honey which is typically light amber in color
and with a full, well-rounded flavor. Blueberry honey is produced in
New England and in Michigan.
Buckwheat Honey - Buckwheat plants grow best in cool, moist climates.
The buckwheat plant prefers light and well-drained soils, although it
can thrive in highly acid, low fertility soils as well. Buckwheat is
usually planted in the spring. It blooms quite early and it yields a
dark brown honey of strong, distinct flavor.
Clover Honey - Clovers are the most popular honey plants in the United
States. White clover, alsike clover, and the white and yellow sweet
clover plants are the most important for honey production. Depending
on location and source, clover honey varies in color from water-white
to extra light amber and has a mild, delicate flavor.
Eucalyptus Honey -Eucalyptus is one of the larger plant genera with
over 500 distinct species and many hybrids. Eucalyptus honey varies
greatly in color and flavor, but in general, it tends to be a bold-flavored
honey with a slightly medicinal aftertaste.
Fireweed Honey - Fireweed honey is light in color and comes from a
perennial herb that affords wonderful bee pasture in the Northern and
Pacific states and Canada. Fireweed grows in the open woods, reaching
a height of three to five feet and spikes attractive pinkish flowers.
Lehua Honey - Nectar gathered from Ohia trees (which flourish on Hawaiian
lava flows) produces a water-white honey with a buttery flavor. Lehua
crystallizes quickly, making it naturally creamy and spreadable
Orange Blossom Honey - Orange blossom honey is often a combination
of citrus floral sources. Orange is a leading honey source in southern
Florida, Texas, Arizona and California. Orange trees bloom in March
and April and produce a white to extra light amber honey with a distinctive
flavor and the aroma of orange blossoms.
Sage Honey - Sage honey can come from different species of the plant.
Sage shrubs usually grow along the California coast and in the Sierra
Nevada mountains. Sage honey has a mild, delicate flavor. It is generally
white or water-white in color.
Tulip Poplar Honey -The tulip poplar is a tall tree with large greenish-yellow
flowers. It generally blooms in the month of May. Tulip poplar honey
is produced from southern New England to southern Michigan and south
to the Gulf states east of the Mississippi. The honey is dark amber
in color, however, its flavor is not as strong as one would expect from
a dark honey.
Tupelo Honey - Tupelo honey is produced in the southeastern United
States. Tupelo trees have clusters of greenish flowers, which later
develop into soft, berrylike fruits. In southern Georgia and northwestern
Florida, tupelo is a leading honey plant, producing tons of white or
extra light amber honey in April and May. The honey has a mild, pleasant
flavor and will not granulate. Learn more about tupelo honey.
Information provided by the National Honey Board www.honey.com
