Why You Should Never Heat Honey
Honey is a delicious, natural sweetener that has been used for centuries. It’s also a versatile ingredient that can be used in many different recipes.
Outside of cooking, honey has a number of uses in traditional medicine, and works well as an anti-inflammatory and antibacterial agent.
There are several reasons why you might consider heating honey. Perhaps you want to liquefy it so that it’s easier to pour or measure. Or maybe you’re looking for a way to make raw honey more palatable.
While heating honey may make it more liquid or change its flavor, it also destroys many of the beneficial properties that make honey so special. Let’s take a more in-depth look at some of the reasons why heating this tasty substance is not a good idea.
4 Reasons why you shouldn’t heat honey
1. Heating honey destroys enzymes
One of the main reasons to avoid heating honey is that doing so destroys enzymes.
Enzymes are proteins that act as catalysts in chemical reactions. They’re found in all living things and play a role in everything from digestion to metabolism.
Honey contains a number of enzymes, including amylase and invertase. These enzymes are responsible for breaking down carbohydrates and sugars.
When honey is heated, the enzymes are denatured, meaning they lose their three-dimensional shape. This changes the way they interact with other molecules, rendering them useless.
2. Heating honey decreases its antioxidant content
Honey is a rich source of antioxidants, which are molecules that protect your cells from damage.
Antioxidants scavenge harmful substances called free radicals. Free radicals are unstable molecules that can damage cells, leading to inflammation.
Inflammation is a normal immune response that helps you heal. However, chronic inflammation can contribute to several diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.
Studies show that the higher the temperature, the more antioxidants are destroyed.
3. Heating honey may produce harmful compounds
When honey is heated, it can produce small amounts of harmful compounds like hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) and acrolein.
Is HMF in honey toxic?
HMF is a compound that forms when sugars are heated. It’s been shown to be toxic in high doses and may contribute to cancer development.
4. Heating honey makes it less effective as a medicinal agent
Honey has a long history of being used as a medicinal agent. It’s been shown to be effective in treating wounds and burns, as well as infections.
The antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties of honey are due to the presence of phytonutrients. These are compounds that occur naturally in plants and have a number of health-promoting effects, including working as anti-fungal, anti-viral, and anti-bacterial agents.
When honey is heated, the phytonutrients are destroyed, reducing the medicinal activity.
The bottom line
You can’t treat honey the way you would other sugar-based ingredients. Honey’s a complex substance with a unique nutrient profile.
When you heat honey, you’ll simply be destroying all of the things that make it good. So if you want to enjoy the benefits of Earth’s natural sweetener, be sure to consume it in its raw, unheated form.