If you are reading this, then I am 100% sure that you have bought fake honey. What I am also sure about is that bought it without even knowing it.*
What I am not sure about is if you remember the 2001 honey scandal. In that year, the American FTC imposed stiff tariffs on Chinese honey.
The reason is that the honey was contaminated.
Many people are buying cheap honey just to save some money, but this is a big mistake. When you’re buying cheap honey, you’re getting low-quality honey full of impurities that aren’t anything like real, organic honey.
To lower the price of the product, manufacturers subject the honey to numerous alterations. They often use a process called ultra-filtration which leaves the honey without its properties and healthy nutrients.
A recent study has shown that up to 76% of the honey types on the American market have been subjected to the process. “The manufacturers say that this process is needed in order to prevent “crystallizing and to prolong the shelf life of the product.”
Little do the consumers know that pollen is extremely important and beneficial to our bodies,” says a scientist who worked on the research.
Why they use ultra-filtration?
The main reason for ultra-filtration is to prevent the honey from being traced back to its geographical origin. Most of the fake honey comes from China. “Chinese honey is one such example.
It is often contaminated with illegal antibiotics and some metals, since producers process honey in this way in order to import it, and its origin is unknown,” the scientists say.
Here are a few brands sold in American markets which that contain no pollen and should be avoided:
- “Winnie The Pooh” brand sold at Walmart;
- Honey packages from KFC and McDonald’s;
- 77% of the honey sold at Sam’s Club, Costco, and Target;
- Honey sold at Walgreen’s and CVS Pharmacy.
These honey types are full of glucose and poor quality mead and should be avoided.
How to detect fake honey?
There are big differences between organic and fake honey. Below you can see a few tips and tricks which will help you detect fake honey.
Mix some water and honey in a glass, then add a few drops of ACV. If the honey doesn’t foam, it contains plaster and it’s fake. Another trick includes iodine drops – add some honey in a glass of water, then add a couple of iodine drops too. If the honey turns blue, it’s adulterated.
If the honey doesn’t crystallize over time (especially during the winter), it is not organic and pure. Pure honey also ignites when lit with a match, so make sure to try the trick to see if the honey you bought is organic.
If your honey doesn’t dissolve when added to a glass of water, it is organic and pure.
Finally, make sure to always check the label of the honey you buy – if it contains glucose or high fructose corn syrup, don’t buy it.
Via: http://www.weeklyhealthylife.com/