Have you ever looked in that gold jar and thought how long does honey last precisely? If so, you’re in the right place – I solved that mystery for you.
How Long Does Honey Last?
Having intelligent, observant children is indeed a privilege. But that also means you’ll have to respond to interminable inquiries. The second is that you will need to be an expert in everything—I do mean everything—after they utter their first word.
I handled impossible questions pretty quickly because of my ingenuity, although occasionally I was dumbfounded. My kids found it intolerable that I didn’t know whether honey actually lasts forever, so I had to, of course, find out.
When I shared my problems with my pals, I learned that many individuals don’t realize how long honey lasts. Let’s unravel that riddle now that I’ve done my research.
Honey – The cure for the soul and bliss for taste buds!
Can you imagine something healthier and more pure than honey? Over centuries, the benefits of “the heavenly nectar” are widely used, from medicine to cooking. Although it is impossible to list every use of honey, I will highlight the most important ones:
1. Medicine
- If you look for nutritive values of honey, probably you’ll be worried about how something without proteins and vitamins can be a nutrient.
- But honey can boost your health in many ways. Honey is filled with antioxidants, so it reduces heart attack risks, can boost athletic performance, and ease digestive problems.
- It is an essential ingredient of many homemade remedies because it can curb your cough, and heal burns, wounds, and other skin conditions.
2. Cooking
- If you want a healthier way of eating but you have a sweet tooth, honey will be your best friend. You can replace sugar with honey in almost any recipe. It goes well in both chocolate and fruit-based cakes and desserts.
- The use of honey doesn’t stop at sweets; it is also a vital ingredient of savory dishes. You can marinate meat in it, especially venison meat – honey will soften the meat and give it a more delicate taste.
- Keeping honey on hand is sure to be a good idea, no matter what type of cuisine you’re cooking. Add it to your salads, glaze roast with it or bake it in a loaf of bread.
- Honey gives your dishes another dimension in taste, giving them a rich and warm flavor. If you are worried about that sweet-salty combination, have in mind that honey works with almost everything: goat cheese, meat, vegetables, and a lot of spices ( cumin, cinnamon, turmeric, etc.), and it is a heavenly match when you mix it with mustard.
- Because of these benefits and many others, it is vital to save your natural gold as long as you can. But to store it properly, you’ll have to know how long honey lasts.
3. Cosmetics and skincare
- If you are tired of chemical cosmetics, honey is your first and the right choice. Its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties will nurture the skin, especially if you have a sensitive one.
- Honey has a very low Ph, so a lot of bacteria cannot survive in that environment. The antibacterial effect of honey is strong enough to cure acne.
- The sunny season is close, so it’s good to know that this natural sweetener is also suitable for sunburns – you can use it to heal them or as prevention.
- From cleaning your pores to reducing wrinkles, honey is a real blessing. Using it daily will hydrate your skin and give it a natural glow.
How long does honey last?
The shelf life of honey, regardless of such things as the sell-by date or use-by date, is very long but does it go bad?
Honey has high sugar and low moisture content. It’s acidic and contains an antibacterial substance. These are the reason that honey lasts for long. Although the look of your product will change somewhat over time, it will never actually spoil.
However, some circumstances can cause honey to be a danger to your health, such as:
- Contaminated Honey – Due to a large number of microorganisms, honey can be secondarily contaminated during processing from humans, containers, animals, water, etc., and it is risky, especially for babies.
- It may contain toxic compounds – When bees collect nectar from certain types of flowers, plant toxins can be transferred into the honey. If you buy locally, ask for the origin of honey.
- It can be diluted – Producing honey means a lot of time, and it cost a lot, so it is not a surprise that it has been the target of dilution for many years. Additionally, it can be collected before it’s time, resulting in a much higher water percentage (up to 25%!), which means that it is more likely to go bad.
- Crystallization – Even when stored correctly, it’s quite normal for honey to crystallize because it contains more sugar than can be dissolved. This does not mean your honey has gone bad – but it will lose some of its taste and aroma.
- Inadequate storage – When it is improperly sealed, honey may lose some of its antimicrobial properties and become contaminated.
Important tip: If honey crystallizes, you can return it to liquid form by gently warming and stirring it. Don’t boil it because it will lose its color and flavor.
To be sure your honey is stored correctly, follow these simple rules:
- Store it in an airtight container – Glass jars and stainless-steel containers with airtight lids are suitable but try to use the original packaging.
- Keep in a cool, dry area (storing honey in the fridge may crystallize honey faster)
- Avoid contamination – always use clean utensils and never return excess (if you take out more than you need) honey in the same jar.
It is most necessary to limit the amount of moisture that can get into the container as higher water content raises the risk of fermentation.
Conclusion
Answering kids’ questions isn’t an easy task, but I’m grateful for their curious little minds. Without them, I wouldn’t be able to convey the wisdom of honey to you!
Next time someone calls you honey, it means you are divine for their souls and hearts. 🙂
If you need more advice and tips about honey, I’ll be more than happy to answer!