Dandelion Honey
What is Dandelion Honey?
While traditional honey is made by bees, dandelion honey is completely different. This is a type of sweet syrup that is made from the dandelion flowers in your garden and sugar through a very simple process you can do right in your kitchen.
Here are some things to know about dandelion honey.
The Basics of What Dandelion Honey
You may want to have a little more information about dandelion honey and what it is exactly. While bees are often responsible for making honey from nectar in other flowers, it rarely occurs with dandelions. These are actually considered a weed, so humans and bees both tend to avoid them. However, what you can do is actually go through a process where you make the honey yourself, which is going to provide you with a lot of different health benefits. Making dandelion honey is essentially another great way to make use of this wonderful medicinal weed and herb.
When you buy or make dandelion honey, it might range in shades of color. This is indicative of how long the honey can be made for. It is typically a bright yellow when it has a high amount of purity, then gradually gets darker as it begins to crystallize. If you buy dandelion honey from a health or holistic herb store that is dark, it is probably not the freshest option.
How to Make Your Own Dandelion Honey
You can definitely make your own dandelion honey if you are interested in going that route. It is best to use dandelion flowers you have picked during the day while they are in full bloom. Grab a bowl of water and soak the flowers in cold water for several minutes. This is going to allow any pests in the flowers to exit into the water.
Remove the flowers from the water, then pull off the petals, throwing away the stem and center of the flowers. You now want to boil the petals along with some water and lemon slices, simmering for about 25-30 minutes. Let it steep for several hours, then strain through a cheesecloth. You should now have dandelion tea! You can add sugar to it to get your dandelion honey.
Health Benefits of Dandelion Honey
There are quite a few health benefits of dandelion honey, from helping with your skin care to improving your bone health. The honey can also help with liver disorders thanks to its antioxidants, improve the side effects of diabetes, and improve your urinary disorders.