Consistencies of honey

Honey has different consistencies. Why is this ? 

When honeys are just produced by bees, they are all liquid. However, most of them have the vocation to crystallize. This change of natural state will take place after 2 or 3 days, a few weeks or even several months depending on their composition and their environment. The composition of honey has an influence on its texture.

Honey is composed of multiple sugars of which the 2 main ones are glucose and fructose. The more a honey is rich in glucose, the faster it crystallizes. This proportion of fructose/glucose varies according to the flowers foraged. For example, an acacia honey, which contains on average more than 40% fructose and less than 28% glucose will naturally keep its fluid texture for more than a year. On the other hand, honeys such as clover, sunflower… with a high glucose content will spontaneously have a thick, more or less regular consistency.

Some honeys, with a glucose content of around 35%, such as orange tree honey, may be liquid or creamy. The presence of micro particles (pollen grains, air bubbles…) also tends to favor the natural crystallization of honey.

So, creamy honey or liquid honey ?

> The creamy honey, ideal in sandwich will have, with time, a tendency to harden.

> The liquid honey, ideal in doser to sweeten your yoghurts, fruits, herbal teas, pancakes, vinaigrettes, dishes… risks in time, to crystallize more or less quickly.