Since ancient times, honey, a natural sweetener, has been used as potent nectar extracted from the honeycomb. It's been used for centuries because of its enriching medicinal properties and a healthier alternative to sugar. This translucent golden-coloured liquid has been considered the food of the gods, and with good reason. Harvested from beehives, honey consumption in India has skyrocketed over the years, with the market for honey touching USD 17.9 billion in 2020.
Now, times are constantly changing, and a break from monotony is increasingly being sought. While plain honey remains a favourite amongst consumers, preferences and expectations evolve as consumers seek new flavours to add a twist to their meals. But they don’t just look for a change in taste. Instead, today’s consumers are looking for exciting honey flavours that are high-quality and beneficial. That said, Mr Raunak Khosla, Founder at Bee My Boo, shares some new honey flavours that are healthy and tasty and spruce up your meal.
Coriander Honey
- As the name suggests, coriander honey comes from the nectar of the coriander flower. It is a rare type because of the less cultivation of its plant. But quality over quantity anytime. Before hopping into the benefits, we all know, coriander is an essential herb and part of everyone's kitchen. Now, have you ever heard of coriander honey? Sounds unique.
- Coriander Honey has a slightly alkaline Ph level, making it an ideal gastric dressing and treating hyperacid gastritis, ulcers, and constipation. In addition, the consumption of coriander honey activates blood circulation, aids digestion, and helps protect the liver. Imparting some of the natural properties of coriander herb to coriander honey, it offers antioxidant compounds and fights inflammation in the body. Moreover, it also regulates insulin levels and, most importantly, boosts immunity, which is much-needed given the current scenario.
Raw Mustard Cream Honey
- The other new, delightful flavour of honey, raw mustard cream honey, comes from pure pollen and nectar of mustard flowers. Considered one of the best natural sweeteners with tons of benefits, plain mustard cream honey is thick and creamy in texture, making it perfect for a spread on bread or croissants for a healthy, flavorful breakfast or during tea time.
- Remember when our mothers fed us a spoon of honey or mixed it in warm water when we cough or experience a sore throat? Raw mustard cream honey can help treat cough, cold, and even fever while providing us with an energy boost. This sweet nectar also aids in digestion, weight reduction and facilitates the maintenance of glycogen levels in the body.
Besides, raw mustard cream honey is also used as a raw material in the food processing industry.
Coffee Honey
A universally loved beverage, the smell and taste of fresh coffee may be the elixir of life for coffee lovers worldwide. But, while coffee is a staple for many, it’s time to spruce things up a little with coffee honey.
- Delicately extracted from the fine coffee plantations as the bees are naturally attracted to the caffeine in the nectar of coffee flowers, coffee honey has a delicious taste that can make your meal even more flavoursome. However, this honey is not easy to harvest instead of other kinds of honey because flowers of coffee are open for a brief period for pollination. But that doesn’t curb the abundant benefits it offers.
- High in antioxidants, coffee honey regulates cold and cough and keeps you energized throughout the day. In addition, studies have shown that caffeine helps improve the memory of honey bees and enables them to return to the same flower till they collect all the nectar. The dark honey with a tinge of sweetness has a rich aroma and taste, and we bet coffee lovers reading this are already planning to add it to their shopping list.
These new flavours of honey are certainly worth trying as they not only enhance your meals but also come with benefits. So, what are you waiting for?