LIGHT VS DARK HONEY

If you have ever seen different varieties of honey next to each other, you’d have seen that there is a significant difference in colour between some of them. Have you ever wondered why honey exists in different colours and shades? Is lighter honey colour better than darker? Understanding the meaning behind honey colour can help you choose the honey to your taste preference.

Honey comes in many colours, ranging from transparent and “white” to dark amber. The question that arises is, why is there such diversity and how does honey get its colour?

To answer this question, we need to look at the source of nectar. The taste, colour and aroma of honey vary depending on the floral source or the type of flower from which the nectar comes. Bees worldwide visit many flowering plants to collect the nectar needed to produce honey for their hives. Some honeys are produced only in specific regions, depending on the location of the floral source. For example, Manuka is made only in New Zealand and Australia.

Minerals such as sulphur, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, copper, iron and manganese, found in the flower source can impact the colour of honey as well.

Honey colour can change with storage time and exposure to heat. With time, stored honey may crystallize, and the crystal size will then determine the colour of honey. Finer crystals have lighter colour, and that is why creamed honey mostly appears opaque and light. Honey stored at higher temperatures may turn dark. For example, if light honey is exposed to an elevated temperature, it will gradually get a darker shade. That is why honey should be stored in a cool, dry area.

The colour of honey is also related to the season in which it is harvested. For example, honey harvested in the spring, such as spring, acacia, and clover honey, is light and transparent. In summer, harvested honey has a cheerful yellow colour with fruity flavours. Summer honey is produced during chestnut, linden, ash, wild blackberry, and other forest honey flowering plants. Honey harvested in autumn is usually darker and sharper in taste.

The colour of honey is graded on a scale called the Pfund scale. A Pfund colour grader is just a standard, amber-coloured glass wedge with a colour gradient going from light to dark. The honey colour is determined by placing the honey in a wedge-shaped container and comparing it to the scale. The place where scale colour matches honey colour is measured from one end of the wedge. As a result of such measurement, we get honey colour expressed as a length ranging from 0 to 140 mm.

Another way to measure honey colour is by using Lovibond visual comparator. In this measurement, a beam of light is passed through the honey and its colour is compared to a standard. The same system is used to determine the colour of beer.

The colour of honey significantly affects the quality and especially the taste of honey. In general, light honeys have a soft, delicate taste, while darker ones have a stronger flavour. Although the honey will darken over time and the taste will change, it will still be safe to eat.

Besides the taste, the colour of honey can also determine the number of antioxidants in the honey. Darker coloured honey usually has a higher concentration of antioxidants, while lighter has a lower concentration.

No matter the type, honey is an excellent dietary supplement, one of the best substitutes for sugar and a quality remedy for many disorders.

If you are in search of honey, you have a wide range of possibilities. Lighter honey can be great as a sweetener in pancakes and cakes because of its light flavour. Darker honey has a stronger flavour, but in the right combination, it can complement the flavours in your meals. As with many things, which honey you will choose is just a matter of preference.

Regardless of honey’s colour, no type of honey is the wrong choice. Every honey has healing properties, so it is better to take any honey than not to take it at all. Consume honey every day to improve your health and sweeten your day! It is a special gift from nature.