Drink Winter Honey in Winter
Winter honey, as the name implies, refers to honey harvested in winter. Honey is a natural mixture produced by bees collecting plant nectar and pollen, undergoing thorough fermentation. It primarily contains fructose, glucose, organic acids, vitamins, trace elements, amino acids, and various enzymes. Most importantly, it contains taurine, crucial for human growth and development. Due to its low moisture content, high concentration, and rich fragrance, winter honey is particularly suitable for health maintenance, medicinal use, and long-term storage. Li Shizhen’s *Compendium of Materia Medica* records: “Honey tonifies the middle energizer, benefits qi, cures all diseases, and harmonizes all medicines. Long-term consumption strengthens memory, lightens the body, prevents hunger and aging, and extends life.” Therefore, regular consumption of winter honey in winter greatly benefits health.
Winter weather is cold and dry, making people prone to flu, sore throats, dry skin, and persistent itching. Consuming honey during this season significantly enhances resistance and physical strength.
There are many ways to consume honey in winter: the simplest is direct dissolution—twice daily, 30–50ml each time. Mixing with chrysanthemum, honeysuckle, or eggflower tea (clearing heat, detoxifying, removing dampness) is especially effective for preventing flu. Long-term consumption of red or green tea mixed with honey aids chronic pharyngitis. Elderly and frail individuals who drink honey regularly in winter experience fewer illnesses. Additionally, due to dryness causing intense itching in middle-aged and elderly people, adding 50ml winter honey to warm bathwater can instantly relieve itching—worth trying.
Consumers must choose pure honey to achieve desired health benefits. Otherwise, it may do harm rather than good.
Currently, counterfeit honey products are widespread. According to inspections by relevant authorities, up to 70% of bottled honey failed quality standards. How can one purchase genuine, unadulterated honey?
Investigations reveal two main methods used to fake honey: 1) mixing syrup with a small amount of real honey; 2) converting granulated sugar using acid or enzymes, then adding flavorings and colorants. These fake honeys contain over 99% sucrose or invert sugar, lacking essential nutrients like vitamins, trace elements, and amino acids. They also fail to meet hygiene and quality standards. Consuming such inferior honey brings only harm, no benefit. Genuine honey carries the distinct floral scent of its source plants—for example, Ixora honey has a pleasant, unique fragrance; osmanthus honey has its well-known sweet aroma; lychee honey emits a delicate lychee scent; eucalyptus honey bears a distinctive eucalyptus smell. Fake honey lacks these scents or has very faint ones. Furthermore, honey made directly from sugar syrup has a characteristic sugary smell and low viscosity—when shaken, syrup adheres poorly to the bottle walls and appears extremely clear. For honey made via sugar conversion, chemical testing is required to confirm authenticity.
Lastly, consumers should note: any product labeled “honey beverage” sold in drink markets is not pure honey. Beware unscrupulous merchants who cleverly mislead customers—such as printing “honey” in large, bold letters while making “beverage” small, faint, or blurry. Only products clearly labeled as complying with GH/T1001 GB14963 standards are genuine honey.