There are so many types of honey. Why was this one crowned?
Honeydew honey doesn’t come from the nectar of flowers but from tree sap and juice in the form of partially processed secretion of aphids. You may learn more about the formation of this type of honey from the article “Honey - part 1”. The phenomenon is that the nectar from flowers is to some extend sourced every year, while the honeydew production is an unpredictable situation. It requires optimal weather, i.e., when it is neither too dry nor too rainy. Such optimal weather conditions may occur once every few years. That is why this honey is so unique.
Honeydew honey is darker than nectar honey and less sweet (due to lower sugar content than in pollen honey). It also doesn't smell very intense, so we will feel a faint smell of resin, roots or walnut. The taste, smell and colour depend on the type of trees exploited by the bees.
Honey from conifer honeydew has a brownish (sometimes almost black) colour with a greenish or grey-greenish tone. It is characterized by the smell of pine needles and resin. It is milder in taste than leaved honeydew honey. The taste is slightly resinous. Notes of bitterness or sourness may also appear.
Conifer honeydew honey is real black gold. It contains the therapeutic power of coniferous trees: pines, spruces, larches, and in mountainous areas, also firs. "Honeydew honey has four to nine times more bio elements than honey obtained from flower nectar." [1].
Given the high content of resinous substances and essential oils of coniferous trees, first of all, conifer honeydew has a positive effect on the respiratory system. It supports the treatment of all upper and lower respiratory tract infections. It has an antibacterial effect and is a natural antibiotic (much stronger than in the case of nectar honeys). It also has an expectorant effect.
It soothes inflammation in the body. It can help in the treatment of diseases such as: rheumatism, inflammation of the urinary tract, throat, stomach and intestines; asthma, bronchitis and pneumonia.
The resin of coniferous trees has strong antiseptic, antibacterial and antifungal properties. It has been used for centuries to treat wounds, ulcers and burns. Therefore, conifer honeydew honey is also perfect as an element of ointments, masks or used directly on the skin in case of inflammation, the need to regenerate skin subjected to adverse environmental factors, injuries (wounds, cuts, burns, bites) and in case of skin problems.
Conifer honeydew honey helps regulate the functions of the digestive system, supporting the work of the intestines and metabolism. Regular use of honeydew honey may reduce the harmful effects on the body of such stimulants as: coffee, black tea, alcohol or cigarettes.
It also has a beneficial effect on the work of the heart and can support the treatment of cardiovascular ailments (e.g., atherosclerosis).
Regular consumption of honey from coniferous honeydew in the autumn-winter and early spring period will have a positive effect on improving immunity.
Honeydew honey (especially from coniferous honeydew) contains more vitamins and trace elements than nectar honeys. Introducing it permanently to the diet is especially recommended for people who are weak, tired, overly stressed, individuals struggling with the problem of anemia, as well as vitamin and micronutrient deficiency. Therefore, this honey will work as a natural dietary supplement in the case of the need to rebuild the body after a serious illness and pharmacological treatment.
Conifer honeydew honey, like all types of dark honeys, is characterized by a stronger antioxidant effect compared to light honeys.
I am lucky that my small apiary is located on the edge of a coniferous forest and I got black gold 2 years ago. Honey so thick that it was difficult to pick it out of the honey extractor. Mature honey, with a full bouquet, with a slight sour note that appears at the end of the meal.
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The article was based on:
[1] "Honeydew honey: health and healing properties" (org. title „Miód spadziowy: właściwości zdrowotne i lecznicze”), "Gazeta zdrowie", September 29, 2019.
[2] "Secrets of honey" (org. title „Sekrety miodu”) - dr hab. Eng. Ewa Majewska, Piotr Nowotnik Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Faculty of Food Sciences Department of Food Quality Assessment.
[3] Sławomir Trzybiński "Everything about honey and its extraction" (org. „Wszystko o miodzie i jego pozyskiwaniu”).
Own beekeeping and apitherapy practice.