Whether it's to treat a sore throat or just out of habit, many people sweeten their tea with a spoonful of honey. Known for its many anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory virtues, honey is a true natural medicine in addition to being better for your health than white sugar. There is every reason to use it whenever you can.
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On the other hand, we all make the same mistake by adding this miraculous elixir into our teas. We'll explain why!
Honey in hot water, a big mistake
As you may have guessed, it is the contact between boiling water and honey that is the problem. Honey contains a small organism which gives it its antibacterial and antiseptic properties:
- Low acidity
- A high sugar level
- Little water
- Defence enzymes transmitted by the bee
As soon as boiling water is added to all these elements, they automatically lose their powers. Since honey is a product sensitive to oxidation and heat, when the temperature exceeds 42°C, the honey’s properties are no longer effective. Imagine the disaster when you pour water heated to 90°C onto it!
But then, how can you enjoy the benefits of honey?
Add honey, but at the right time
First of all, don't worry, you can still add honey directly into the hot water to sweeten your tea.
But if you do this in order to relieve a sore throat, you'll just have to change the order of the steps. The main thing is not to dilute the honey with water or milk so as not to alter its acidity.
To benefit from the healing and soothing virtues of honey, you should drink tea whose heat will facilitate the absorption of the honey. Once you have drunk the tea, you should then have a spoonful of honey. The important thing is not to mix the two in order to preserve its effectiveness.
