Why experts say you should never microwave honey

Plus, why honey hardens in the first place.

For many of us, honey is a pantry staple, showing up in everything from our morning cup of tea to salad dressings to desserts. If you cook or bake with honey often, you’ve probably had a jar of honey harden due to a natural process known as crystallization. That’s where the microwave comes in, right? Not so fast.

To learn more about microwaving honey, we tapped author and honey sommelier C. Marina Marchese. Here, she explains why you might not want to microwave honey—and how to safely soften it instead.

Why Does Honey Crystallize?

Crystallization is a completely natural process that happens to all varieties of honey. Honey is primarily made of water and two different types of sugar—glucose and fructose—and crystallization happens when the sugars naturally separate from the water over time.

“The chemical composition of honey is primarily water and sugar,” Marchese says. “It’s about 17 to 18% water and about 80% sugar—it’s essentially a lot of sugar mixed in a little bit of water. What happens is the glucose is less soluble in water than fructose, and eventually it starts to separate from the water, and this creates crystallization. The glucose molecule attaches to some kind of air bubble, and then it begins this process of crystallization, where the crystals separate from the water.”

Marchese says there are a few factors that impact how quickly honey will crystallize, including moisture content, temperature, and the botanical source that the nectar was collected from. Honey from certain plants, such as black locust acacia, for instance, is slower to crystallize than other plants.

Is Crystallized Honey Safe to Eat?

If your honey has started to crystallize or harden, there’s no need to be alarmed. All honey will eventually crystallize over time, and crystallized honey is 100% safe to eat. Marchese notes that crystallization is actually a sign of quality, as it indicates that the honey has not been heavily processed.

“It’s the structure of the crystal that determines the quality,” she says. “Imported commercial honey is usually blended and heated so that it’s slow to crystallize, because generally consumers still feel that crystallized honey is old or has gone bad. Those commercial honeys, when they crystallize, if you look at the structure, the crystals are at the bottom and there’s a layer of liquid at the top. Good quality crystallization is when the crystals are even throughout or homogenized, almost like peanut butter.”

Why You Should Never Microwave Honey

While you can certainly eat crystallized honey as is—simply drop a spoonful into a cup of tea or spread it onto toast—there might be times when you prefer to use honey in a more liquid form, such as when mixing it into a salad dressing. And while the microwave might seem like an easy solution to soften honey, it should be avoided at all costs.

Experts advise against heating honey in the microwave, as the high, uneven heat can destroy raw honey’s natural antibacterial and antimicrobial properties and warp its flavor.

“Microwaving honey generally is not a good idea, and that is because heating honey will change the flavor, it will affect some of the natural health benefits, and the chemical composition changes,” Marchese says. “It’s really difficult to control the temperature since every microwave is different.”

The Best Way to Soften Honey

Following proper storage guidelines, such as avoiding moisture and extreme temperature changes, can help slow down crystallization, but all honey will harden over time. When softening honey, be sure to skip the microwave. Instead, Marchese recommends gently heating crystallized honey in a warm water bath, which will preserve its natural enzymes and flavor. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Heat a small pot of water (do not exceed 110°F).
2. Loosen the lid and set the honey container in the water bath, ensuring the water stays below the lid level.
3. Let sit for 15 to 30 minutes, stirring occasionally to distribute heat throughout and melt crystals evenly.
4. Remove from heat.

Related: These Honey Butter Potato Chips Are One of the Best Things I've Ever Eaten

Read the original article on Better Homes & Gardens