Sweet clover honey: beneficial properties, harm, differences, application

What is sweet clover honey? This is one of the most valuable and expensive bee products, which is obtained from various varieties of sweet clover. It is no coincidence that melilotus means “honey flower” in Latin. All varieties of honey have similar characteristics; they are close in their chemical composition and healing effects.

The beneficial properties of sweet clover honey absorb all the benefits of medicinal clover. This plant has been used since ancient times in the treatment of many diseases. You can buy sweet clover honey not only for its medicinal effect, but also to enjoy its truly unique taste. Today, many have rightfully appreciated the unusual taste and aroma of this type of honey. Many beekeepers consider sweet clover honey to be first-class.

In order to obtain this honey, many people specially transport hives with bee families to fields planted with sweet clover. According to its physical properties, this variety belongs to the light varieties of honey. It comes in several shades: from light brown to beige, which depends on the type of sweet clover from which it was collected (white or yellow), as well as what other meadow or field herbs and flowers got into the honey along with the sweet clover nectar. After all, it is not possible to control the flight of a bee, and 100% monofloral honey does not exist in nature. Honey collected by a beekeeper from one apiary, but from different hives will always be different..

Description of sweet clover honey

Sweet clover honey has an interesting taste and wonderful aroma. The color of the product changes significantly during storage and this is not considered spoilage.

What does sweet clover honey look like?

Fresh, just collected sweet clover honey has a beautiful, golden color. It resembles light amber or straw, and can sometimes be almost pearly. The saturation of the shades depends entirely on the type of sweet clover from which the nectar is collected.

We recommend reading: Honey: beneficial and medicinal properties, contraindications

The product not only tastes great, but is also very healthy

What is sweet clover honey made from?

Sweet clover honey is obtained from nectar that bees collect from medicinal plants of the same name - yellow and white clover (Melilotus). The herbaceous perennial belongs to the Legume family. Found abundantly in meadows, wastelands, abandoned fields, and along roads. The leaves have a three-petal shape, and small flowers are collected in loose oblong racemes up to 7 cm long. The homeland of sweet clover is the middle and southern latitudes of the European part of the continent. As a valuable honey plant and fodder plant, it is successfully cultivated all over the world.

This honey plant is valued for its long flowering period. Throughout the summer, until September, small white and yellow flowers with a rich, sweet-powdery, coumarin aroma bloom on lush bushes growing up to 80-200 cm. By autumn, sweet clover remains practically the only flowering wild plant suitable for collecting nectar.

Comment! Cultivated sweet clover plants produce more nectar than their wild counterparts.

If the apiary is installed in meadows overgrown with sweet clover, a bountiful harvest is guaranteed

Where is sweet clover honey collected?

Yellow and white clover is distributed throughout the European part of the Russian Federation, except for the northeastern regions, in Altai and the Caucasus, Western Siberia, the Far East, the Urals, and Central Asia. It grows as a weed in wastelands, dry meadows and along the edges of ravines, and can often be seen along country roads.

Flowering begins in July and continues until September, with abundant nectar production. The highest yield occurs in July-August. By the end of October, the harvest begins to thicken and crystallize. The process is completed by December, when the nectar becomes a soft white, creamy color with a coarse texture.

Important! From one hectare of yellow sweet clover, bees collect up to 300 kg of valuable product, white honey plant produces up to 500 kg.

The beneficial substances contained in sweet clover are fully transferred into nectar.

The taste of sweet clover honey

The taste of sweet clover nectar from different types of plants is noticeably different:

white produces a very delicate, vanilla-butter product with a long pleasant aftertaste and a rich floral-vanilla aroma;
the yellow is more intense, bittersweet, very bright, without cloying, the smell is very light, almost unnoticeable.

Comment! Sweet clover nectar is often confused with rapeseed nectar; they are very similar in color and appearance, but it is less useful and cheaper. The only difference is the taste and aroma.

Useful properties and characteristics of sweet clover honey

The beneficial properties of sweet clover honey are determined by its composition, which, as mentioned above, many beekeepers and fans of apitherapy consider the standard. The fact is that, unlike many other varieties, sweet clover honey boasts a predominance of fructose in its composition.

This easily digestible sugar, depending on the time and place of collection, occupies about 35-45% of the total composition of honey.

The calorie content of this beekeeping product is only 309 kcal per 100 g. That is why sweet clover honey is secretly called “the best honey for diabetics,” and they also say that sweet clover honey does not cause allergies. Both of these statements are controversial, but we will talk about this later, but for now we propose to understand in detail the composition of sweet clover honey.

Carbohydrates (mainly fructose - about 40% and glucose - about 20%. Sucrose, maltose, melicitose and other disaccharides are present in small quantities) - approximately 80%.
Water - about 18%
Vitamins, proteins, enzymes, amino acids, dextrins (ascorbic and folic acid, group vitamins B E, K and PP, carotene) - about 3%
macro and microelements (potassium iodine, copper, manganese, sodium, magnesium, calcium, selenium, phosphorus and their compounds) - about 1%.

In addition, sweet clover honey contains the following beneficial substances:

coumarins
coumaric acid
melilotin
tannin
choline
tannins and resins
essential oils.

We have sorted out the peculiarities of the composition of sweet clover honey. Let's try to answer the question of what sweet clover honey looks like.

Sweet clover honey is a thick, viscous, transparent honey of amber color with a characteristic floral-herbal aroma with notes of vanilla, and a pleasant, moderately sweet taste with a spicy bitterness in the aftertaste.

The crystallization period for such honey is several months. When sweet clover honey is candied, it turns into a homogeneous, thick, white mass. This is sweet clover honey, a photo of which, if desired, you can always find on the Internet.

What are the benefits of sweet clover honey?

The beneficial properties of white and medicinal clover honey are largely similar. In addition to the obvious culinary and immunostimulating value, sweet clover nectar has a number of healing qualities that are little known to most modern people:

is able to dilute and remove mucus from the lungs in case of various diseases of the respiratory tract;
has a calming and sedative effect, normalizing the functioning of the central nervous system, providing good sleep, relieving stress;
has a strong antimicrobial effect, reduces inflammatory processes and can be used both externally and internally;
effectively restores strength after prolonged illness, hard work, intense physical training and mental stress;
helps cope with the symptoms of hypertension and varicose veins, gives elasticity to the walls of blood vessels, normalizes blood movement in the body;
serves as an excellent prevention of viral diseases, stimulates the gastrointestinal tract.

Attention! Like any other honey, sweet clover loses its medicinal properties when heated above 40 degrees. Therefore, culinary pastries or hot drinks with honey do not have any healing effect on the body.

Crystallization occurs within 2-3 months, with the color changing to beige-cream or almost white

Harm of sweet clover honey

Sweet clover honey is a high-calorie product, rich in biologically active substances and sugars. When using it, you should observe moderation. In small quantities, nectar brings great benefits, but exceeding recommended doses is fraught with serious negative consequences:

the appearance of severe allergic reactions - rash, swelling;
significant increase in blood sugar;
the appearance of excess weight;
poor blood clotting.

The beekeeping product should not be perceived as an ordinary sweet. It must be remembered that honey is an excellent remedy that has its limitations.

Calorie content of sweet clover honey

The beneficial properties inherent in the product are due to its unique chemical composition. The nectar contains:

carbohydrates, consisting of equal parts of fructose and glucose - 80-82% (a small percentage is sucrose and polysaccharides);
proteins – 0.8-1%;
vitamins – B4, C, tocopherol, phylloquinone;
ash, resins and tannins;
glycosides, flavonoids, organic acids;
minerals - manganese, fluorine, chromium, zinc, copper;
coumarin and essential oil.

Sweet clover nectar is a high-calorie product. 100 g of nectar contains 310-312 kcal.

Attention! Diabetics and overweight people should not overuse sweet clover honey.

How to use sweet clover honey

The use of such sweets as a remedy has its own subtleties:

The maximum dose per day to boost immunity for adults is 25 g; a child can be given up to 10 g. Exceeding this amount will not enhance the therapeutic effect of honey, and negative effects may appear.
You can consume nectar with clean boiled water, juices, compotes, herbal decoctions and fruit drinks at room temperature.
To effectively cure a cough, you can add black radish juice: make a hole in the root vegetable, put 10 g of honey there and wait for the liquid to release.
Do not mix the product with milk - such a mixture can cause diarrhea, bloating, and colic.
For external compresses on ulcers and wounds, nectar should be mixed with flour in equal parts.
For tuberculosis, the daily norm is 50 g for adults.
A glass of slightly warm water and 10 g of the product in the morning on an empty stomach helps get rid of stress, gives strength, and normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract.
Sweet clover nectar in honeycombs is indispensable for low blood pressure - it is one of the few remedies that can effectively combat hypotension.

We recommend reading: Black radish: beneficial properties and contraindications, reviews

As a tonic and prevention of colds, it is enough to eat 10-20 g of delicacy daily.

To improve the condition of your facial skin, you can make masks from sweet clover nectar and cucumber.

Benefits of bee products for women

The sweet mass is extremely beneficial for the female body. Honey is especially useful for pregnant women. Doctors advise expectant mothers to consume a teaspoon of the product in the evening to compensate for the loss of vitamins and nutrients.

For nursing women, sweetness plays a special role: it increases the amount of milk. Warm tea with added treats will cause increased milk production. If a woman has problems with milk stagnation or mastitis, a sweet clover product, which must be used as a compress, will also help her.

In women during menopause, the functioning of the hormonal system is disrupted, which this variety combats. It restores the hormonal system, gently normalizing its functioning, defeating nervous disorders and stress.

Other medicinal properties of honey and its uses

It is advisable for people suffering from insomnia to dilute 1 teaspoon of bee product in a glass of warm water and drink the resulting drink before bed. It will calm the nervous system, relieve anxiety, irritability and encourage the body to sleep. You can also add honey to chamomile or lemon balm tea.

In case of intestinal dysfunction or flatulence, you need to eat a treat, as it helps the intestines, eliminating discomfort and cleansing it. Experts recommend giving honey to children who do not eat well. This variety increases appetite and helps digest food. The product has antispasmodic, diuretic, laxative effects. It has a beneficial effect on the condition of the intestines, liver, and kidneys. Recommended for constipation. Relieves symptoms of gout and arthritis. Honey can also be used externally as an ointment, because it has antiseptic properties and is effective for burns and purulent wounds as a compress.

Application in cosmetology

Cosmetologists value the bee product for its rich composition and amazing features that have an effect on the skin and hair. It qualitatively rejuvenates the skin, smoothing out fine wrinkles and fighting the signs of aging. The delicacy nourishes, moisturizes, tones, thanks to which the skin seems to be renewed, becoming velvety, clean and radiant. Sweetness has the ability to reduce age spots. Thin, split hair becomes strong, thick and silky again, thanks to this unique bee product.

The use of sweet clover honey in folk medicine

The benefits of sweet clover honey for the human body are due to the valuable chemicals contained in the nectar collected by bees. Since ancient times in Rus', this healing product was used to treat the “bottom” - the genitourinary system, especially in women, diseases of the pelvis and abdominal cavity, gout, and stimulated lactation during breastfeeding. In modern folk medicine, sweet clover honey is used for the following diseases:

bronchitis, tracheitis, pneumonia, whooping cough, sore throat;
inflammatory processes in the mouth, throat;
increased nervous excitability, regular stress, insomnia, hysteria;
headaches caused by vascular spasms;
gouty arthritis;
intestinal problems - colic, flatulence, constipation;
gastritis with high acidity, peptic ulcer;
cardiospasms, hemorrhoids;
purulent and inflamed wounds, abscesses, ulcers, boils;
phlebeurysm;
low blood pressure, dizziness;
endocrine disorders, for example, hypothyroidism.

Sweet clover honey also effectively fights diseases of the urinary and reproductive systems, and inflammatory processes in the joints.

Useful and healing properties

Honey from sweet clover nectar has found wide application in the food industry and cosmetology. However, its features are most clearly manifested in the treatment of various diseases that cannot be treated with other types of honey.

The presence of glycosides has a resolving effect on benign tumors. It is indispensable for the treatment of men with prostate adenoma.

Phytohormones eliminate menstrual irregularities. During menopause, it relieves fatigue and irritability, improves appetite.

Coumarin is a powerful anticoagulant that prevents blockage of blood flow. Therefore, sweet clover honey is used to treat thrombophlebitis. Also, coumarin in the form of honey lotions or compresses helps with joint inflammation, rheumatism and gout.

The rich enzyme composition restores the intestinal microflora, which normalizes digestion and eliminates flatulence. With the help of sweet clover honey, hemorrhoids are treated and constipation is combated. Having diuretic properties, it is useful for kidney disease.

Regular use in very small doses enhances lactation in nursing mothers.

Sweet clover honey, like all other types of product, has antiseptic and antibacterial properties. It is also a powerful immune system restorer.

How to distinguish sweet clover honey from fake

Quite often, unscrupulous sellers replace real sweet clover honey with counterfeits made from sugar, molasses, or cheaper analogues. In order not to make a mistake when purchasing a valuable medicinal product, it is important to know these aspects:

Real sweet clover honey has a soft vanilla aroma or a faint coumarin aroma if it is a product taken from yellow sweet clover. Rich smells with a caramel aftertaste indicate a counterfeit vanilla-flavored product.
The texture should be uniform, viscous for fresh honey, and coarse-grained for candied honey. Delamination, the presence of lumps or foreign impurities indicate a low-quality product.
Fresh sweet clover honey is transparent, the color ranges from golden and light amber to almost white. Sugared nectar has a uniform matte beige, cream or yellowish-white, pearl color. If sweet clover honey retains transparency and a viscous consistency 3 months after collection, then most likely it is sugar syrup.
The cost of an elite variety cannot be low. If a seller offers sweet clover honey at the price of regular flower honey, you should be wary.

When choosing sweet clover honey, you should inquire about the availability of documents for the consignment of goods. It’s even better to contact the manufacturer of the elite variety directly or purchase honey in a region where there are apiaries and melilot fields.

Real sweet clover honey in combs can be purchased at apiaries in the fall, when it is fully ripe

Features of this variety

The characteristics of honey depend on the characteristics of the honey plant. A distinctive feature of sweet clover is its light, pleasant vanilla aroma. This fact makes honey a valuable ingredient in various confectionery products and baked goods. It preserves other tastes and aromas, only gently complementing and enhancing the taste sensations. The product is white. Sometimes it can be pale yellow. Its taste is rich, rich, sweet. A person who has tasted a sweet clover product feels the taste of vanilla in his mouth.

This variety is especially popular in the USA. In this country, 70% of the bee sweetness sold by beekeepers comes from white sweet clover honey. The sweet mass crystallizes rapidly, which is the reason it is impossible to purchase this type of honey in a liquid state. Many lovers of the beekeeping product confuse sweet clover honey with rapeseed honey, which does not have a delicate vanilla aroma and has a pronounced sweet taste. If the nectar was collected by bees from yellow flowers, the taste of the honey will be slightly different. It will contain a slight bitterness. Nectar from yellow flowers, according to beekeepers, is the most beneficial for human health. The honey from it is considered first-class and resembles linden honey.

Contraindications to sweet clover honey

Sweet clover honey has a number of restrictions for consumption. The product should be excluded from the diet in the following cases:

with a severe allergic reaction, especially to pollen and legumes;
in case of individual intolerance to components;
children up to two years of age.

Use with caution in small portions:

in children under 5 years of age;
for diabetes mellitus;
in the presence of obesity;
during pregnancy and lactation;
with low blood clotting and bone marrow diseases.

Advice! If negative symptoms or chronic diseases included in the list appear, it is better not to self-medicate and consult a doctor.

Folk recipes

There are many recipes for treatment with sweet clover honey. But you should not self-medicate. In case of chronic illness, be sure to consult your doctor.

As a supplement, the treat can be used as:

General strengthening agent. Take a tablespoon and place it under your tongue overnight. Wait until the medicine dissolves. Do not drink tea, water or milk.
Remedy for constipation. Mix 1 tablespoon with the same amount of oatmeal and drinking water. Drink the resulting mixture in one gulp, without chewing for a long time.
A cure for problems with the nervous system. Add 1 tablespoon of sweet clover and the juice of 1 squeezed lemon to a glass of pure mineral water. Drink in the morning, on an empty stomach. The course of treatment is about 2 weeks.
Method of cleansing the body. Grind and mix 400 g prunes, 200 g dried apricots, dates, figs and sweets. Take 1 spoon of this treat before bed.
Warm compress for bronchitis. Mix 2 tablespoons of sweet clover and vodka, add 1 tablespoon of aloe juice. Apply the mixture to a gauze cloth. You can leave it overnight. The course of treatment is 3 days.

Storage periods and methods

Sweet clover honey is one of those few products that, subject to storage conditions, does not spoil for years. Nectar must be stored in glass, ceramic or wooden containers, tightly sealed, out of direct sunlight, for 2 years. The ambient temperature should be from +12 to +18 degrees.

You cannot use metal spoons; it is better to purchase special wooden spindles. Avoid getting moisture or water into the container. It is dangerous to store in metal, galvanized containers or plastic containers.

Important! Honey should not be frozen, heated or exposed to sunlight.

Sweet clover honey should not be stored in the refrigerator; it is better to place it in the pantry or closet.