Honey loses some beneficial properties when heated. However, there is a common belief that honey becomes toxic and dangerous to health after heating. Is this true? In an interview with Sputnik Radio, nutrition and nutritional genetics expert Dr. Andrei Zolotarev stated, "There is a belief that honey becomes toxic and hazardous to health after being heated."
He added, "Honey contains over 600 beneficial properties, and people often enjoy it in its liquid state. However, when it loses its liquidity, many are forced to heat it. The heating process alters the crystalline structure and molecular composition of honey, making it liquid again. There is a lot of information suggesting that honey acquires toxic properties after being heated, which is far from the truth. In reality, honey loses a number of its beneficial properties due to the heating process, such as some enzymes and heat-sensitive vitamins, but it never acquires toxic properties."
The expert advises on how to properly heat honey to preserve its beneficial properties as much as possible. He says, "Honey should not be heated in the microwave, but rather in a water bath. The traditional incorrect method is to place a container with water on the stove and place the container of honey in this water. The correct method is to pour boiling water into a container and wait for it to cool down to 80 degrees Celsius, then place the closed honey container in this water. After half an hour, the water temperature drops, requiring the pouring out of some of it and adding hot water. This method allows for the highest retention of honey's beneficial properties."
