Natural sweet clover honey is a real work of art. Outwardly, it does not even look like the sweet product that bees produce. It is a thick, white-creamy mass that has magical healing and taste qualities. To understand and fully appreciate the taste of melilot honey, you need to look at the plant from which it is extracted at least once in your life.

Typically, the honey variety gets its name from the flower or tree from which it was harvested. Linden - from linden, buckwheat - from buckwheat, and sweet clover - from the color of sweet clover. Today we dedicate our article to this beautiful, aromatic variety. And we will tell you about what melilot honey is.

Stories and legends about sweet clover

Surprisingly, the sweet clover plant spreads in nature like a weed. For example, in America it is planted along the roadside, in the steppe and forest zones. The fact is that practical Americans do not want to plant fields with ineffective crops: why plant something for the sake of bees? But the yellow and white sweet clover planted in such places still attracts insects. It is this plant that has been providing the American continent with a sweet treat for over 10 years. In our country, sweet clover is sown as a silage additive or to improve the condition of the soil.

Be that as it may, but sweet clover is an excellent honey plant. The plant has a long flowering period, for two whole months yellow (medicinal) or white flowers cover the ground with a dense layer. This picture is observed by beekeepers from July to September. During this period, clover and alfalfa no longer bloom. These indicators became the reason that many farmers in Canada (in this part of the world also revered melilot honey) changed the form of animal husbandry from dairy to meat. In September, the flowers of the sweet clover are mowed, and it blooms again. The second flowering of the plant lasts until the very frost.

That is why honey from sweet clover is considered one of the most useful, and the plant is included in the list of the best honey plants. Let's take an example. 1 hectare of sunflower brings 50 kg of honey, the same amount of buckwheat will give up to 90 kg of delicacies. But from the wild sweet clover, they collect up to 200 kg of fragrant, delicious honey. Cultivated crops of this plant bring up to 300 kg, and in good weather and favorable conditions the figure reaches 600 kg.

The melilot plant is not only a honey plant. It is used in many areas:

1. Cosmetology and perfumery production.
2. Essential oils and soap fragrances that lock in the scent.
3. Flavoring for alcoholic beverages.
4. A wonderful seasoning is obtained from melilot, which is used for cheeses, fish, seafood. In places where sweet clover grows massively, the plant is collected and a decoction is prepared from it, with which the barrels are washed. Vegetables are salted in these barrels.
5. Application in medicine, both folk and traditional.

How weed plant sweet clover is unpretentious. It grows up to 1 meter in height, scattering juicy leaves and bright inflorescences of flowers.

Melilot honey and its vitamin complex

Melilot honey can be yellow or cream-white. The shade depends on the plant from which the sweet clover honey was collected. Honey differs from different colors taste and smell.

You will recognize yellow melilot honey by its soft, pleasant aroma and no less mild taste. But honey from white sweet clover is a little bitter, and its taste is very sharp. The aroma resembles vanilla shades, it cannot be called unpleasant.

The composition of sweet clover honey is dominated by fructose up to 40%, and glucose - almost 36%. Therefore, honey from melilot slowly crystallizes, after a while it becomes very viscous, resembling condensed milk.

But this calorie content is a plus to the beneficial properties of honey. Doctors recommend giving melilot honey to maintain strength, recover from serious illnesses or accidents. Also honey promotes relaxation. nervous system as a result, improved sleep. But we will talk about useful properties a little later. Now let's consider what vitamins and minerals honey contains:

• Vitamins of groups B, A, C, PP, E.
• Zinc.
• Iron.
• Calcium.
• Folic acid.
• Chromium.
• Organic acids.

It should be noted that sweet clover honey contains 50 times more vitamin A than fresh beef.

This sweet delicacy is very fond of children and adults. It has a lot more vitamins than regular sugar and sweetness. The product will add a light, floral aroma to a cup of tea or a glass of juice. It has been noticed that sweet clover treats increase appetite. And we all know that little kids really don't like to eat. And if your little one does not want to have a full breakfast or dinner, give him a sweet drink several times. You will find that the child will show more interest in food.

Do not put the product in milk, this composition can cause upset and bloating, flatulence and diarrhea.

Useful properties of honey from the sweet clover plant

Each type of honey has its own beneficial features... Linden will help cure coughs and colds, buckwheat will give strength, but sweet clover honey is useful for nursing mothers.

It has been observed that the consumption of this type of sweet product by a woman before feeding increases the amount of milk. Also, experienced midwives advise to eat honey from sweet clover after childbirth, so that the milk comes on time and there is no need to feed the baby with a mixture.

Besides medicinal properties sweet clover spread to diseases of the cardiovascular system, kidneys, bladder, it is indispensable during the treatment of gout.

The medicinal variety effectively copes with the restoration of the nervous system. It is recommended as an aid for nervous breakdowns, chronic fatigue, overwork, depression. For people who have experienced severe emotional stress, honey from sweet clover will also come to the rescue. For women who have reached menopause, the product must be taken in order to calm the raging hormones in order to avoid sudden tantrums and nervous breakdowns.

The beneficial properties of melilot honey extend to the immune system. During or after seasonal illness, take a few tablespoons or teaspoons of sweet clover honey daily to support a weakened body.

But the medicinal properties of melilot honey are enough to cope with coughs, improve sputum output, and soften a sore throat. It is used to treat bronchitis, and is taken for pneumonia and tuberculosis.

Melilot varieties are also used for skin diseases, purulent or inflamed wounds, apply compresses, make lotions and smear them on the chest to warm up the respiratory system. In case of inflammation of the mammary glands or stagnation of milk in a nursing mother, the beneficial properties of melilot honey help quickly and, most importantly, painlessly cope with an unpleasant situation.

Cosmetology: homemade recipes

Women use the sweet clover product to make homemade grooming products. So, for example, they dilute it in water and wash the hair, rub it into the skin of the hands in half with cream, and then put on gloves so as not to stain everything around with a sticky composition. Many people note that the condition of the skin improves, it becomes softer, the hair stops breaking and drying out, and even pigmentation spots disappear, which lose their pronounced color. And there are legends about "crow's feet" and mimic wrinkles that become invisible. Girls share recipes with each other, post their photos on blogs before and after. Be sure to review them and make sure it's true.

But do not get carried away with self-medication and home care. Any remedy is good in moderation, and especially honey, which is a pure allergen.

Contraindications and benefits

The useful properties and contraindications of the product are divided by a fine line. To begin with, excessive consumption can cause an allergic reaction. A rash or spots on the skin, itching, irritation, swelling and redness of the mucous membranes is an unpleasant picture. To avoid this, eat a little bit of the sweet treat. And if you give little child for the first time, dose the amount: a little into tea or milk, gradually increasing the grams of the product. Out of habit, the baby may develop diathesis.

Due to the high calorie content and the same high sucrose content, the product is strictly prohibited for people suffering from diabetes mellitus, with a weak pancreas, and being treated for obesity.

Melilot honey has a diuretic effect, it cannot be taken together with drugs of the same action. When dieting, it is also better to forget about this product, a high calorie content can bring a few extra pounds. The calorie content of honey is equal to the calorie content of sugar - 314 kcal. Therefore, take honey carefully, even without special contraindications.

Melilot variety is rare, even very rare. You will not meet him by chance in a store, and not every apiary can find him. They buy a treat at specialized fairs, via the Internet or from friends. Therefore, fakes are often passed off as an elite product. Cheaper rapeseed honey is converted into melilot honey with the help of flavors and dyes. The result is a sweet and completely useless mixture that can be poisoned.

When purchasing this variety, ask the seller for a certificate. Take a closer look at the sweet substance and smell it. The natural product has a mild vanilla tint, the fake smells like perfume with the appropriate flavor. Rub the mixture between your fingers: if it is absorbed, this is natural honey, if not, it is a crude fake.

Melilot honey is a natural medicine collected by hardworking bees. It does not kill the microflora of the stomach, but, on the contrary, heals all the weak points in our body. Take sweet food gently and you will be healthy!

One of the bees' favorite nectars is sweet clover, in biology it is called Melilotus, which means honey flower. White sweet clover has medicinal useful properties. Also, bees prefer to collect nectar from yellow or medicinal sweet clover. Two species differ in their color, the first has small and white flowers, while the other variety has them yellow color and large size.

Features of sweet clover nectar

Previously, sweet clover was popular in Europe, America, Asia. The French believe that the benefit of sweet clover is not only that this plant is the best nectar, it is effective medicine from many diseases.

The plant is popularly called sweet clover, burkun, bottom grass. Belongs to the legume family, is a two-year-old species. The flowers of the sweet clover are moth-shaped, yellow or white, have a wonderful aroma, can elongate and collect in a brush.

Sweet clover honey is very sweet, transparent in color, and has a pungent hay odor. Bees prefer sweet clover nectar because it is easy to get. Sweet clover fruits are small beans that are egg-shaped. The plant contains up to 20,000 seeds.

You can meet sweet clover in the steppe, forests, sometimes it forms a large number of thickets and hides in them, also grows on a slope, near roads, among other shrubs. White sweet clover is especially appreciated; it is sown with a special one, because it is believed that it improves the condition of the soil. In America, they think that it is not necessary to specially plant this type of plant due to the fact that bees love it, it takes up a large amount of space, therefore they plant it in ditches, near roads, in a ravine. In the United States, white sweet clover is one of the main sources of honey. Canada has also noticed that bees are bringing a large amount of collected nectar from this plant species, therefore increasing the area for beekeeping.

The healing composition and use of sweet clover

The plant contains a large amount of resinous, tannins, dicumarol - they have an excellent effect on the state of the blood, do not allow it to coagulate. Also, sweet clover contains a lot of vitamins of group E, C, choline. Flowers are rich in glycosides, flavonoids, they also contain others useful material... Due to the fact that the herb contains a large amount of coumarin and some essential oils, it has a pleasant aroma that attracts bees.

White sweet clover constantly pleases bees with abundant nectar, it can bloom for more than two months, it begins in the middle of summer, ends in early autumn, when clover and alfalfa have already bloomed. After mowing, it can still bloom until severe frosts appear. Beekeepers, comparing white melilot with other plant species, came to the conclusion that from 1 hectare of a sown plant, you can get from 200 to 600 kg of honey. Some call it honey clover, white sweet clover is not afraid of drought, but it is very important to periodically moisten the soil, so the nectar will increase.

Sweet clover is actively used in food, alcoholic beverage, perfumery purposes. Essential oils are used to make soap, so they fix the smell. Flowers are distinguished by an unusual smell, they are added to liquor, wine, vodka. For culinary purposes, sweet clover is used as a spice for fish and vegetables.

Useful properties of honey from sweet clover

White melilot honey differs in that it has medicinal properties. The color of honey depends on the type of plant, white or yellow. Most often, the product is light and amber, less often pure white. Beekeepers notice that it can have a tint of gold. The scent attracts most of all, it is soft, delicate. The nectar from the yellow variety is similar to that produced by linden. But white sweet clover gives honey with a spicy vanilla specific taste, some consider it bitter.

The beneficial properties of the bee product are varied, because it contains glucose and fructose. Honey from melilot can crystallize for a long time, then it can acquire a yellow, viscous consistency, less often white. Due to the fact that it has medicinal properties, it is appreciated as a high quality product and is referred to as the best kind varieties. Honey contains cane sugar, ash, organic acid, inverted sugar, water, proteins, vitamins.

Treatment of diseases with sweet clover honey

Beekeepers are well versed in the fact that each of the types of honey helps to cure certain diseases. The honey that linden gives will help get rid of colds, SARS, flu; the product collected from acacia is treated for the stomach and intestines; chestnut honey - heart disease. White melilot honey is advised to be used by nursing mothers, so that a sufficient amount of milk is supplied during lactation. So the body is saturated with a large amount of minerals, trace elements.

1. Since ancient times, honey has been used to treat gout, diseases of the abdominal region, with the help of it it was possible to establish metabolism, to stop the inflammatory process in the urinary tract and the renal system.
2. The medicinal properties of honey from sweet clover make it possible to heal nervous diseases person. Therefore, the product is advised to be consumed by those who are constantly nervous, women in position, in childhood, in the elderly, if a person suffers from neuralgia, his sleep is disturbed, and frequent headaches are worried. Women with menopause.
3. The product has expectorant properties, so it can be used to cure cough, bronchitis, laryngitis, pneumonia. Doctors advise honey to treat the stomach, intestines in case of atony, increased gas production in the intestines.
4. Due to the fact that the product has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties, it can be used both internally and externally. Baths and lotions are especially useful for purulent wounds, furunculosis, rheumatism and arthritis of the joints, myositis. The effect will increase if you add honey, which gives linden, and propolis to the product from the melilot.
5. It is appreciated for heart disease, with the help of it you can expand blood vessels, improve blood flow, get rid of cardiac edema, normalize blood pressure and protect against hypertension.
6. Gastroenterologists have proven that this variety is an ideal healing agent for the gastric mucosa, it not only preserves the beneficial microflora, eliminating the pathological, but also helps to get rid of ulcers, gastritis, and treats cancer in the early stages.

Calorie table of honey sweet clover

Thus, sweet clover honey is a product best quality, belongs to the first grade. It is appreciated for its beneficial and medicinal properties. Most often it is light yellow in color, maybe white, pleases with its pleasant aroma and vanilla taste. It is easy to distinguish it from other varieties, for this you need to pay attention to the fact that it is transparent yellow, after crystallizing, it turns into milky white. It is important not to confuse it with what is harvested from rapeseed.

Today on the market you can find different varieties honey: reps, buckwheat, flower, linden and sweet clover. The latter has a wide range of medicinal properties, perfect for baking and the production of certain types of alcoholic beverages.

Melilot honey, or sweet clover, is considered one of the expensive varieties... In some regions, the plant is specially grown to obtain a product that is high in calories and medicinal properties.

In terms of chemical composition, the nectar of the plant is practically no different from other varieties of honey. Its composition can vary from weather conditions, season, soil. The main components are fructose, glucose, minerals, monosaccharides, proteins, amino acids, various vitamins and organic acids.

The sweet clover product differs from other varieties by the presence of coumarin, which has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system. Therefore, the product is often used for colds, inflammations, joint pains.

Vitamin B4, which is part of honey, has a positive effect on the human nervous system.

Appreciate honey in different countries for aromatic substances, essential oils, so it gained great popularity in cosmetology and medicine.

Honey is considered a first-class product that has unusual taste qualities: delicate vanilla scent with pleasant bitterness. The color of the product depends on the variety of sweet clover, the soil on which the plant grew, and weather conditions: it can be rich yellow or light amber.

The beekeeping product remains in liquid form for a long time. During the crystallization process, honey turns into a light viscous mass. The unusual smell and taste are great for baking. Despite the fact that the product is very high in calories, most nutritionists recommend its use.

Useful properties of sweet clover honey

The product of sweet clover is distinguished by its beneficial and medicinal properties, which is why it has gained great popularity in the treatment of many diseases. It has anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, sedative, diuretic, expectorant properties.

Most often, honey is used for severe cough, colds, edema, joint and gynecological diseases, headaches.

Clover honey is recommended to be taken in cases when the human body is weakened. For example, after surgery, in the cold season, when the body suffers from vitamin deficiency. Calorie content allows you to restore strength in a short time, so it is taken in a tablespoon after physical exertion.

Indications for use

The range of application of melilot honey is very wide. This is due to the fact that it contains many useful substances for the body. Traditional medicine is recommended to take honey in the following cases:

• with insomnia;
• with migraine;
• with increased nervous excitability;
• with a strong cough;
• with bronchitis;
• with constipation;
• with flatulence.

A natural beekeeping product without the addition of any impurities has a positive effect on the entire body.

1. To maintain and improve quality breast milk a nursing woman is advised to take one teaspoon of honey daily after meals. The product can be combined with a variety of herbal preparations that promote milk retention and production. Also, a beekeeping product can be taken during pregnancy to supply additional vitamins and minerals to a woman's body.
2. Honey can be taken during severe epidemics of influenza and SARS. The product of white melilot stimulates the immune forces and helps to quickly relieve ailments. To do this, it is enough to eat a tablespoon a day.
3. Honey is often used for severe coughs. It can be diluted with tea or added to medicinal black radish-based decoctions.
4. Pulmonary tuberculosis is a very serious disease. Most experts recommend taking fifty grams of honey for a positive result.
5. In Russia, the grass had a different name - bottom, which means "gout". Therefore, the plant itself and honey are used in the treatment of hemorrhoids. To do this, it is necessary to dilute 20 g of the product in 100 g of water. The resulting sweet solution is used for an enema. For a speedy recovery, it is recommended to steam the sweet clover flowers daily and take a sitz bath.
6. Varicose veins are one of the indications for the use of sweet clover honey. To do this, you need to take it in equal quantities with chopped garlic and put it in a jar, which should stand in a dark place. A week later, the resulting juice is taken in a teaspoon after meals.
7. Compresses are recommended when treating pneumonia. Honey, aloe juice and vodka are mixed and soaked in a napkin, which is placed on the back.
8. For constipation, honey should be added to oatmeal... For a quick result, rub the apples, squeeze a little lemon juice.

To improve the skin of the face, eliminate dryness and fine wrinkles, you can make masks from fresh cucumber and honey or dilute the beekeeping product with water and wipe your face twice a day. Honey compresses are great for healing wounds and abscesses. They are great at fighting blackheads and do not harm the skin of adolescents.

Application rules

There are no special schemes for the use of melilot honey. But most experts recommend not consuming more than one tablespoon per day. It can be eaten in pure form or add to teas, infusions. But do not forget that the product crystallizes in hot water very quickly, so it may not completely dissolve.

For women

For kids

Melilot honey, like other varieties, can cause severe allergic reactions in a child. Therefore, it can be given only in small doses, but it is not recommended for children under three years old to consume bee products.

Do not forget about the intolerance of the body to at least one of the components of honey, otherwise the baby may develop a strong allergic reaction.

How to choose high-quality sweet clover honey

When buying honey, every buyer hopes to get a high-quality and natural product. Almost all varieties of beekeeping products have the same taste and smell, and sellers take advantage of this.

For example, sweet clover honey can be confused with reps honey, which, in turn, costs much less. Or vanilla sugar is added to the sugar syrup, passing it off as sweet clover nectar. How to distinguish a natural product from a fake?

First of all, you need to pay attention to the color of the product. Melilot honey most often has a light yellow hue.

But the color may be more intense depending on the variety of plant from which the nectar was collected. For example, the beekeeping product of the white melilot has a light shade.

Natural honey has a subtle vanilla scent. The product tastes slightly bitter, but this feature does not spoil the taste. Rep honey, in turn, does not have a pronounced vanilla smell, and it tastes sugary sweet.

Melilot honey crystallizes slowly, most often it can be found on the market in liquid form. Therefore, the product is very easy to check for naturalness. For example, fresh honey flows down a spoon in an even trickle, and fake honey drips in drops. If you put it in a jar and twist it, a real product easily winds on it. When honey begins to sugar, it does not ferment, and there should be no foam on it.

You can learn about the beneficial properties of melilot honey from the following video:

Melilot honey is a high quality, reference product. This is not only a delicious treat that can be used for confectionery purposes. V folk medicine honey is prized for its medicinal properties.

In contact with

Beekeeping products are popular. Melilot honey is of particular importance among them. It is not as famous as linden, sunflower or buckwheat, but it is incredibly useful. The value of this product is determined by its amazing composition. However, he also has contraindications, which should not be forgotten.

Donnik - medicinal properties

it unpretentious plant belong to the legume family. It is also called sweet clover. In height, this plant can reach up to 2 m. Melilot grows on the edges, in the forest-steppe zone, in meadows. For medicinal purposes, two varieties are used: white and yellow. They bloom for a long time: from July to September. Thanks to this, sweet clover supplies the bees with a lot of fragrant nectar.

Melilot medicinal medicinal properties have the following:

• has an expectorant effect;
• has a laxative effect;
• reduces pain;
• accelerates the healing process;
• helps to cope with fever;
• relieves inflammation;
• helps to cope with insomnia;
• has an antiseptic effect.

Melilot honey - useful properties and contraindications

This beekeeping product has amazing chemical composition... It is he who influences the properties of melilot honey. This miracle nectar contains the following substances:

• vitamin complex (representatives of groups A, B, C, E, D);
• monosaccharides;
• fructose;
• potassium, manganese, calcium, fluorine and other minerals;
• organic acids;
• glucose;
• enzymes.

Sweet clover honey - useful properties

This miracle nectar owes its healing powers to the plant from which the pollen was collected by the bees - sweet clover. Melilot honey has medicinal properties as follows:

1. Improves the work of the heart muscle and vascular conductivity. Due to this property, sweet clover honey is successfully used in the treatment of hypertension (for its initial stage). In addition, this beekeeping product ensures a proper blood supply to all organs of the human body.
2. Thins the blood- therefore it serves as an excellent prophylactic agent, preventing development.
3. Strengthens protective forces organism- apitherapists recommend to consume it in autumn-winter period(before and during the outbreak of seasonal epidemics).
4. Fights inflammation and eases phlegm waste- for this reason, such "nectar" is effectively used in therapy and tuberculosis.

Sweet clover honey also has beneficial properties in relation to women's health:

• helps to normalize hormonal levels;
• minimizes the risk of nervous disorders;
• used for migraines;
• increases;
• helps to cope with incipient mastitis;
• is an effective hypnotic.

However, what sweet clover honey is useful for is not limited only by its medicinal properties. This beekeeping product is actively used in cosmetology. For example, on its basis, homemade masks and face tonics are prepared, which have a rejuvenating effect. In addition, this honey can be used for hair care. Rinses are prepared on its basis. With regular use, hair becomes thicker and healthier.

Melilot honey - contraindications

Although the list of useful properties is huge, not everyone can afford to feel the benefits of this apiproduct. This is due to the fact that honey from sweet clover has contraindications for use. You will have to abandon its consumption:

• with allergies to beekeeping products and legumes;
• those who are obese and dieting;
• if there are problems in the work of the pancreas.

Also, with extreme caution, it should be consumed by those who suffer from diabetes. Although pregnancy and lactation are not contraindications to the consumption of sweet clover honey, this does not mean that it can be absorbed uncontrollably. On the contrary, women during this period need to be especially careful, remembering that harm can be caused not only to them, but also to crumbs.

Melilot honey - how to distinguish from a fake?

Since such an apiproduct is very useful, there is a great demand for it. For this reason, some unscrupulous beekeepers sell low-quality "nectar" or fake. There is practically no benefit from such a product. For this reason, it is important to know how to distinguish real melilot honey from a fake one. A number of techniques will help with this:

1. Checking an apiproduct for viscosity- for this, a small amount of "nectar" needs to be warmed up to 20 ° С, stirring it all this time. Then the spoon should be pulled out and rotated slightly. If the honey is natural, it will roll on cutlery rather than drain.
2. Chalk check- mix a spoonful of "nectar" with several tablespoons of warm water. Then a couple of drops of vinegar essence are added to this solution. If the mixture sizzles, it means that a low-quality product containing chalk was sold.
3. Checking for sugar- honey-water solution (1: 2) is heated to 40 ° C. Silver nitrate is dripped into it. If the mixture begins to cloudy, this indicates that sugar is present in the "honey".

What color is sweet clover honey?

This "nectar" is somewhat reminiscent of rapeseed in its shade. Its color can range from light amber to pinkish. The look of sweet clover honey is influenced by the fact from which plant the pollen was taken. If from white, then "nectar" is whitish, if from yellow - then pale yellow. In addition, over time, the apiproduct crystallizes. As a result, it takes on a completely different tone: from cream to pinkish.

Melilot honey taste

A distinctive feature of this "nectar" is that there are delicate notes of vanilla in its aroma. However, this smell is unobtrusive. If melilot white honey smells strongly of vanilla, it is better to refuse to buy it. Most likely, they are trying to sell flavored sugar syrup. In addition, the flower honey sweet clover itself is sweet, but it is not cloying. There is a slightly perceptible bitterness in the aftertaste.

Melilot honey - use in traditional medicine

Before treatment, it is advisable to consult with an apitherapist. This specialist knows what are the beneficial properties and characteristics of melilot honey. It is important to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations.

Melilot honey is considered an elite variety among beekeepers. Bees collect this type of honey from white or yellow sweet clover, which grows almost everywhere. Sometimes beekeepers plant plants near the apiary to obtain melilot honey. In Canada, breeders even specially bred an annual honey plant variety to obtain more healthy nectar.

In Russia, sweet clover or, as it is otherwise called, sweet clover or bottom grass, is known as a wonderful honey plant, from the pollen of which nectar is obtained with a very delicate smell of vanilla.

Since time immemorial, the flowers and leaves of the plant have been used as a disinfectant that can heal even purulent wounds. The beneficial properties of sweet clover honey have found application in folk and traditional medicine in the treatment of many diseases associated with joint problems, headaches, colds and gynecological diseases.

The nectar collected from the melilot has absorbed all the healing properties of the honey plant, and the bees have enriched it when processing pollen with saliva with useful enzymes. Due to its good nutritional and medicinal qualities, this type of honey is always in great demand.

Sweet clover honey is considered not only the most valuable, but also practically the most expensive nectar. The price for this type of honey is several times higher than, for example, for or, therefore, it is more often than other varieties of bee products subject to falsification and when buying it, a more thorough check on the naturalness of the product is necessary.

How to distinguish melilot honey from a fake? The easiest way is to purchase the product directly from the apiary or from trusted suppliers. It is very difficult for people who have never seen or tasted this nectar to recognize a high-quality product or a "fake", therefore it is best to enlist the recommendations of a specialist when choosing a beekeeping product.

Main characteristics

The main characteristics of any kind of nectar are its chemical composition and physical properties.

Chemical composition

The chemical composition of the nectar collected from sweet clover does not differ much from that of other types of honey. Its composition varies depending on the plant from which the bees collect it, on the weather conditions, the quality of the soil, and the period for collecting honey from the honeycomb. The main elements that make up nectar are:

• fructose;
• glucose;
• monosaccharides;
• minerals (potassium, calcium, manganese, fluorine, zinc, etc.);
• nitrogenous substances (proteins, amines, amides);
• vitamins (C, A, E, D, group B);
• organic acids and enzymes.

The chemical composition of the bee product also includes alkaloids, hormones, lipids.

A distinctive feature of melilot nectar is its constituent substance, coumarin, which has a beneficial effect on the circulatory system. Thanks to this element, nectar has excellent anti-inflammatory effects, therefore sweet clover honey is effective in inflammatory processes in joints with pain.

The composition of the sweet clover nectar contains choline (vitamin B4), which has a positive effect on the nervous system and is effective in treating nervous disorders and insomnia.

Sweet clover honey is valuable for its aromatic substances and essential oils, thanks to which sweet clover honey is widely used in perfumery, alcoholic and Food Industry.

In the manufacture of soap, it is used to fix odors. In the food industry, it is used in the manufacture of cheeses, in the salting of vegetables and in the processing of fish - here honey sweet clover acts as a spice. In the production of alcoholic bee products, the beekeeping product acts as a flavoring agent, thanks to which wines, liqueurs and certain brands of vodka acquire a pleasant aroma.

Physical properties

Thanks to their individual physical properties nectar collected from sweet clover is difficult to confuse with other types of honey.

Melilot honey is one of the first-class varieties, it is distinguished by its high taste. The taste of this type of bee product contains soft vanilla notes with a pleasant bitterness.

The color of melilot honey depends on factors such as: the type of plant (white or yellow sweet clover) from which the nectar was collected, the type of soil and weather conditions. The color of the beekeeping product can range from rich yellow to white or light amber.

A feature of honey from melilot is its ability not to undergo crystallization for a long time.

It remains liquid for a long time. When sugared, the nectar turns into a white, very viscous mass, which is mainly used for winter feeding of bees.

Qualitative characteristics

Consumer demand for honey from sweet clover is constantly increasing, despite the fact that honey of this variety is not cheap. How can you avoid getting “linden” when purchasing a natural product?

The most proven way to avoid buying a "fake" is to enlist the support of a specialist, to purchase from bona fide sellers.

Some cunning traders may offer rapeseed under the guise of melilot honey, which, according to outward appearance looks like elite nectar. Of course, nothing bad will happen, you will get natural honey, only of lower quality and much cheaper than sweet clover. The main difference from sweet clover is the sweet taste and the absence of vanilla nuance in the aromatic bouquet.

First, when purchasing melilot nectar, you need to pay attention to its external physical signs:

• color - nectar without impurities has a yellow or amber tint, after crystallization it becomes white;
• the consistency of a fresh beekeeping product is liquid, the nectar of this variety does not undergo sugaring for a long time, so you always need to ask when the honey was collected;
• the aroma of sweet clover honey has delicate notes of vanilla;
• natural product does not foam and is not subject to fermentation;
• the maturity of the nectar can be determined by its consistency, in mature honey it is thick and viscous, if the crystallized honey remains transparent and with yellowish tints, then this is the first sign of a fake.

At home, you can conduct some simple experiments to determine the naturalness of melilot honey.

A home laboratory can only determine the presence of impurities in a natural beekeeping product, a more thorough chemical analysis can only be carried out in special laboratories.

It is possible to determine the quality of a beekeeping product and whether impurities are present in its composition using elementary experiments on your own at home:

• for the presence of starch and flour. A small amount of iodine is dripped into the prepared solution of honey and distilled water. Blue color the solution indicates that the nectar is natural;
• on the presence of sugar in the bee product. A mixture of honey and water is heated and silver nitrate is dripped into it, if the honey-water solution darkens around a drop of silver, then the beekeeping product contains a large amount of sugar;
• for the presence of molasses. One part of the nectar is diluted with three parts of water and four parts of alcohol. The resulting mixture is thoroughly shaken - a milky solution with a transparent and sticky precipitate should be obtained. A cloudy sediment indicates the presence of molasses in the honey.

All these simple methods will help you avoid buying "lime" sweet clover honey.

Energy value

The calorie content of melilot honey is quite high and amounts to 314 Kcal per 100 grams of natural product. Which is 15% of the daily value healthy person leading an active lifestyle. The nectar contains proteins - 0.8 g, carbohydrates - 81.5 g, there are no fats.

Despite the fact that sweet clover nectar is a high-calorie product, it is recommended to be taken by those who follow their figure. It is especially useful when following a diet, as it has diuretic and laxative properties, perfectly cleanses the intestines without disturbing its microflora.

• one teaspoon (12 g) - 37.08;
• this tablespoon (35 g) - 108.15;
• one glass (360 g) - 112.4;
• one tea mug (380 g) - 1174.2.

You should not get carried away with a beekeeping product, and not only because it is a high-calorie food product, we must not forget that honey is, albeit very tasty and sweet, but still a medicine.

Useful and healing properties

Melilot honey owes its medicinal and useful properties to the plant from which the pollen was collected - sweet clover. Sweet clover has a unique healing effect, which the plant transferred to the nectar in full.

Melilot honey has many medicinal properties:

• calming;
• expectorant;
• laxative and diuretic;
• pain reliever;
• anti-inflammatory and antibacterial;
• fortifying.

The effectiveness of using honey from melilot in the treatment of diseases of the bladder and kidneys, metabolic disorders, diseases of the lower abdominal cavity, is recognized even by traditional medicine.

Applying nectar

How is sweet clover honey useful? - of course, with its healing effects on the body. The beneficial properties of melilot nectar are actively used in the treatment and prevention of many diseases.

This reference variety of honey has medicinal effects both internally and externally.

Indications for internal use:

• disorders of the nervous system. It is recommended to take nectar for fatigue, insomnia, migraines, depression and neurasthenia;
• glitches digestive system... Melilot honey, due to its rich content of enzymes, normalizes the functioning of the digestive system, eliminates constipation, spasms and flatulence;
• hypertension. The bee product has a vasodilating effect, its intake leads to the normalization of blood pressure;
• respiratory diseases. Nectar promotes the removal of excess mucus, relieves inflammation, makes breathing easier;
• inflammation of the urinary system. Nectar is taken as a diuretic, anti-inflammatory and decongestant for kidney and bladder diseases;
• varicose veins, varicose veins, thrombophlebitis. Coumarin, which is part of the beekeeping product, prevents the formation of blood clots and increased blood clotting;
• benign tumors. The anti-inflammatory and absorbing properties of melilot nectar are widely used in folk medicine for benign tumors.

The positive effect of the natural product in men with prostate adenoma, in women with inflammation of the organs of the genitourinary system and gynecological diseases was unambiguously noted.

For women, taking sweet clover honey is recommended during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The vitamins and nutrients contained in the nectar will strengthen the immunity of the expectant mother and make up for the loss of essential vitamins and elements for the normal development of the fetus. When breastfeeding a baby, tea with fragrant honey will increase the amount of milk, since sweet nectar has a lactogonic effect.

For women of mature age, the beneficial properties of melilot nectar will help to cope with hormonal changes in the body during menopause. Taking it in small quantities helps relieve nervous irritation, fatigue, improve appetite and digestion, and alleviate the condition of a woman during menopause.

Experts recommend taking 1 tablespoon daily on an empty stomach to improve the health of the body, increase immunity. You can drink nectar with tea that is not too hot. The beneficial and healing properties of the bee product are destroyed at temperatures above 50 degrees.

Indications for external use

In folk medicine, even in ancient times, sweet clover honey was used in the form of lotions for various skin injuries: cuts, purulent wounds. Compresses based on a beekeeping product were used for burns.

Melilot nectar is added to douche water to improve the condition of skin prone to boils and acne. For children, you can prepare a healing bath by dissolving a small amount of bee products in warm water. Such honey baths are also useful for people suffering from rheumatism, joint diseases, varicose veins.

The most wide application sweet clover honey has found useful properties in cosmetology, thanks to the anti-inflammatory and disinfecting effects of nectar. On its basis, masks, creams, lotions are prepared, which disinfect, cleanse and, at the same time, nourish and moisturize the skin.

Simple warm water with the addition of a spoonful of nectar will help in adolescence to get rid of youthful acne, dry oily skin, remove oily sheen.

In adulthood, with more serious skin problems, cosmetic masks and lotions based on a natural product are recommended to be done regularly in order to cope with problems such as: acne, boils, acne, high oil content.

Methods of treatment with sweet clover honey have their own characteristics. Just like a medicine, it requires adherence to the dosage. For example, to increase immunity during an illness, an adult daily dose will be 25 g, a child's - 10 g. You can, of course, drink more of it, only the benefits will not be added.

Contraindications

Like any other food product, sweet clover honey has both beneficial properties and contraindications. It is not recommended to use it for people with individual intolerance to bee products and legumes, since sweet clover belongs to the legume family. Taking even a small amount of nectar from a sweet clover can cause indigestion and increased flatulence in the intestines in such people.

The main contraindications for drinking nectar:

• allergy;
• low blood pressure;
• diseases of the pancreas;
• diabetes.

Patients with tuberculosis, bronchial asthma, heart failure, increased blood clotting and internal bleeding should begin treatment with sweet clover honey with a consultation with a doctor who can determine the appropriateness of such treatment, prescribe the dosage and course of nectar intake.

Melilot honey, like any other beekeeping product, is primarily a medicine - this should always be remembered. The use of nectar should be started with a test for the body's susceptibility to nectar - for this it is enough to eat a small amount of honey, and if no reaction occurs or does not appear during the day side effects then the natural product can be used for treatment.

Since sweet clover nectar has laxative and diuretic properties, when taking it, you need to replenish your body with water in order to avoid dehydration.

Storage

The rules for storing melilot honey do not differ significantly from the storage of other varieties of nectar. It is advisable to store a natural product in a glass or ceramic container with a tight-fitting lid when room temperature... If you follow the storage rules, nectar retains its taste and healing properties for much longer - it can be stored for up to two years. At a lower temperature, honey becomes sugar much faster, although during crystallization it does not lose its basic qualities.

Methods and methods of treatment with tasty and aromatic nectar have their own characteristics, therefore, before starting a preventive or therapeutic course, it is necessary to take into account all the medicinal properties and contraindications that sweet clover honey can have on the body.

Melilot honey, the harm and benefits of which are not comparable, will bring much more health benefit, if, as in drug treatment, follow the recommendations of experts, observe the recipe and dosage.