THE Honey Honey is now widely considered the most commercialized, most sold and most used natural product from the hive. It is rare to find a house that does not have honey in one of the kitchen locations and increasingly frequently in the bathroom… And for good reason, the benefits of honey – sometimes unsuspected – are numerous and make it the main ally for our health!
How is honey made?
How is it obtained? Honey, this bee gold, the main product of the hive and used in all its forms, since the beginning of Antiquity? If the tireless work of bees throughout the year represents a large part of the production of honey, the road is in reality still long before the precious liquid ends up in jars and on your table to enhance your breakfasts and your savory as well as sweet recipes.
Consumed throughout France, the Honey is also in the rest of the world. If it is made above all by the force of nature, its harvest also supposes a path traveled by two and an encounter between the bee, on one side, and the beekeeper on the other. Here is their story, retracing the main stages of the production of Honey :
Honey production by bees
At the heart of all production of this sweet substance is the intimate connection between the flower and the bee. And the thread that binds them together is nectar. Indeed, in order to attract pollinating insects (pollen carriers), the nectaries of flowers secrete a special juice. Composed of water and sugars, the nature of which varies depending on the plant, nectar is the sap that gives rise to the Honey.
This is where the dialogue with the bees begins: the foraging bee plays a key role because it is in charge of collecting the nectar present in the heart of the type of flower that is called melliferous, that is to say producing a good quantity of nectar and quality pollen. Thanks to its crop, or "honey stomach", the bee is then able to transport the nectar from the flower to the hive, without digesting it during the journey. Once its journey is over and back among its peers, it regurgitates the nectar into the crop of the receiving bee.
From this point on, a real team effort begins: the receiver is in turn responsible for regurgitating the contents of her crop into other worker crops, which will continue the chemical process in question: this is the trophallaxis phase. These successive transactions endow the initial drop of nectar with an ever-increasing quantity of invertase enzyme, present in the salivary glands of bees. The initial substance is then transformed: the nectar becomes concentrated, the plant sugars give way to honey sugars (fructose and glucose). The process ends when the last worker in the hive regurgitates and deposits the drop in an alveolus.
Once in the alveoli, the concentrated nectar continues its transformation, thanks to the intervention of a second enzyme: glucose oxidase. Transforming part of the glucose obtained, this enzyme makes it possible to obtain hydrogen peroxide and gluconic acid. The first has a function of conservation of the quality of the honey during its maturation in the cells of the hives. The second has a function of protection honey against fungi and bacteria, thanks to its high acidity.
Beekeeping: the know-how of honey harvesting
Once the honey is made, the bees cover the cappings with wax. This is where the role of this friend of the bees comes in, which will allow the harvesting of the Honey product. When the honey flows occur, the beekeeper places a super made up of frames in the upper part of his hives, in which the bees make cells to deposit their precious substance. Once full and covered with wax, the frames are removed. A series of steps then follow, and here we enter the fascinating world of beekeeping:
- Extraction: Once all the cells have been closed by the bees, the beekeeper, taking the frames, must uncap them. Once the cells are open, the goal is to extract the HoneyThe extractor is the large centrifuge that collects the famous substance.
- Filtration: it is then necessary to clean the Honey of all the impurities that were extracted at the same time, such as wax for example. A sieve provided for this purpose is used by beekeepers to purify the honey.
- Maturation: the last step before bottling consists of letting the honey rest for several days (ideally a week), at a room temperature of around 20°C, in order to maintain a liquid texture. No bacteria can develop even at this moderately high temperature. Finally, the barrels of Honey, that is to say, to remove the white-colored and white-looking scum that has formed on the surface during the maturation period.
- Potting: ready to be consumed, the Honey is put into jars, generally 500 grams or 1 kilogram, depending on the intended use or for future marketing, in France or elsewhere in the world. Many honeys can be considered "organic" when the bees forage in natural areas and are free from farms or vineyards using pesticides.
The bottom of the jar may sometimes tend to solidify, but this is a natural phenomenon that is not harmful: crystallization. It is not a deterioration in the quality of the honey but a decrease in its fructose concentration that is at the origin of this change in appearance.
One last element should, however, attract the attention of beekeepers: if small air bubbles escape when opening a jar, there is a good chance that the Honey has fermented, that is to say that its water content is too high. It is then imperative to control and measure the humidity of the Honey because once fermented, it is no longer marketable. Legislation on the humidity level of Honey exists today and provides that the humidity level should be below 20%. However, above 18.5%, the honey becomes too liquid and the risk of fermentation increases significantly.
Finally, it is important to know that since 2001 in France, there has been a code of good conduct for honey houses, which sets out the hygiene conditions for honey extraction and/or packaging premises. Beekeepers must then refer to this current code in order to obtain a Honey healthy, that is, not contaminated by harmful germs, of good quality and natural.
The special feature of mountain honey
Depending on the flowers that the bees of the same colony mainly forage for (thyme, lavender, rosemary, daffodils), there are different types of Honey which are then created. When the hives are located in a place that enjoys a wide variety of mountain flowers, the Honey which results is called a thousand flowers. Rather than a single dominant note, the Honey is then very subtle and balanced in taste.
In the mountainous or mid-mountain regions of France, where the predominant flora includes a majority of fir trees, the most produced honeys are called "mountain honey" or, when the latter contains a sufficient quantity, "fir honey". Stronger in taste, intense in flavor and of a more amber color than most honeys from other, sweeter plants or flowers, these very special and very rare products, with a strong character, are coveted. The particularity of fir honeys is that they are very rich in honeydew. Honeydew is a substance that bees produce thanks to small sweet drops left by tiny hexapods present on the needles of the trees, on which they feed. This is what gives their particular taste to forest honeys such as fir honey.
The health benefits of honey
THE Honey is a high-quality product of natural origin resulting from the daily work of bees, known and used since Antiquity for its therapeutic virtues. Already in the customs of the oldest civilizations that have come down to us, in Egypt, Mesopotamia or Ancient Greece, the symbolism of the bee and honey itself occupy a place of choice in the beauty rituals of individuals as much as in their medical preparations, with curative aims. Its exceptional properties have even led it to be at the heart of a medical practice in its own right today, called apitherapy and which consists of a treatment with hive products, aimed at better overall health of the body. It is therefore not only to treat a simple cough that we use it, far from it!
Most honeys are renowned for their natural active ingredients that help maintain skin balance and are highly effective at preventing the growth of bacteria in the body, thus helping to maintain its optimal function. Key allies for good health, they also promote the rapid regeneration of the immune system.
Acting both deep within the skin and on the surface, its soothing and purifying properties help prevent infections and relieve existing ones, whether superficial or not. Most other skin problems can also find effective relief in honey.
Unlike other bee products such as royal jelly or propolis, children and adults alike appreciate the Honey for its delicate aroma and sweet effect in the mouth. Therefore, its consumption is usually done directly, by ingesting one or more teaspoons. These can be pure or diluted in drinkable preparations, hot or cold depending on the season and the age of the user. Indeed, children often appreciate it as is on toast or pure, thus easily giving them their necessary daily dose of glucose and fructose. Adults, on the other hand, may prefer to take it in another form. It is most often recommended to add it to herbal teas and infusions of various plants and flowers, in order to soften the harshness of certain plant active ingredients such as tarragon or thyme. These preparations can be made at home, making it very easy to access and use for everyone.
It is in this form that honey is most effective in combating minor health problems such as sore throats or persistent coughs. Two or three regular doses over several days provide a boost to the body, which feels stronger to fight the disease, whether it is caused by bacteria or a virus. Its freeze-dried form in tablets or capsules also allows a simple and effective intake of a small dose of honey in the event of a bothersome cough.
Moreover, naturally sweet, it is often appreciated and characterized as being the best natural substitute for synthetic sugars. When consumed sparingly and in balance, it is perfectly suited to combine usefulness and pleasure, therapeutic virtues and culinary art. Replacing the sugar that we generally use in cooking, in our sweet or savory preparations with honey, also allows for better absorption of carbohydrates. Composed of 80% of sugars – mainly glucose and fructose easily assimilated by the body – the Honey is considered a “good” sugar, although excessive consumption remains harmful.
Honey to heal and moisturize your skin naturally
Besides its therapeutic virtues, the other main properties of it make it Honey Our skin's best friend. It acts on several time scales: in the short term, its hydrating power is remarkable. Humectant, that is, capable of absorbing water and retaining excess moisture, it has the dual role of maintaining an optimal hydration level, while also preventing dehydration of skin tissue. Usually used in creams and applied to the face, it can also be suitable for application that covers the entire body.
In the long term, its antioxidant action is also very interesting since it allows slow down the aging process by preventing the formation of free radicals that are responsible for it. This is one of its most appreciated benefits by consumers of cosmetic creams that contain it in large quantities.
Rich in antioxidants as well as amino acids, vitamins B and C, as well as minerals, it promotes the elimination of toxins often present under the superficial layer of the skin barrier. The texture of the skin is also changed since it thus retains all its suppleness and radiance.
But the benefits of honey, when it is used for aesthetic, cosmetic or therapeutic purposes, are actually condensed in a small part of the bees' production, namely royal jelly. Difficult to extract, this elixir has the particularity of concentrating in a single drop, the best virtues of honey. It is a superfood not to be neglected in any kind of use. Being both moisturizer, feeding, comforting and responsible forantioxidants, this substitute presents itself as a particularly valuable asset in all respects. Its high content of vitamins, trace elements, and minerals places royal jelly at the top of the list of precious natural products for the body and its vitality.
The Capricious Queen uses the Honey rare of its black bees as an ingredient natural to make its own beauty care, such as the Pro-Age Cellular Face Cream which will allow you to care for and moisturize your skin.
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Honey, a highly prized treasure
Its exceptional properties, with remarkable effects, make it a natural element with high-quality and highly sought-after active ingredients. Honey is today recognized as the most widespread but also the most precious element of the hive. Resulting from the cooperative work of thousands of bees, the precious golden-colored treasure that escapes from the hives originally comes from the nectar of flowers. Its composition then depends on the place in which the bees of the same hive have decided to go to forage. If they linger in a lavender field, the resulting liquid will have the same taste. If the domain they travel during their celestial dance is made up, on the contrary, of a majority of chestnut trees, acacia, thyme or manuka, among other plants, the resulting finished product will also take this name.
Les Ruches de La Reine Capricieuse is an association of beekeepers from the Vosges Natural Park, in the northeast of France, which produces Honey fromblack bees, a particular and prestigious species. Because chestnut, lavender, acacia or even manuka honeys, rather characteristic of a mild and dry environment, are made in the vast majority on the lands of the south of France where this kind of flowers proliferate. On the contrary, our mid-mountain region, enjoying a moderate and humid climate, rich in water in all its forms, shelters a specific ecological system thanks to a diverse fauna and flora and nevertheless united around a dominant and royal element: the fir trees. The honey that we produce and that we use in our treatments, is composed of the nectar that the bees collect from wild flowers and fir trees. The forests that surround the area in which our hives are installed give the precious liquid a very particular taste, a very amber color, and a distinctive character, which makes it unique and rare.
