Honey in your kitchen: what it actually does, and what it does not
Most kitchens have a jar of honey that is half crystallised and a little embarrassing. Let’s give that jar a fair hearing: what it is good for at the stove, what the health claims really amount to, and when to keep it away from the table entirely.
The one safety rule
Never give honey to a baby under 12 months. Honey can carry spores of the bacterium that causes infant botulism, and a baby’s gut cannot yet deal with them. Health Canada and most national health agencies say the same thing. For older children and adults the risk is not a concern. If you host dinners, remember this when a guest arrives with a toddler: honey-glazed carrots are fine for a three-year-old, honey on a baby’s dummy is not.
What the health claims can bear
Honey has a long reputation as medicine, and part of it is earned.
- Coughs. For children over one year old, a spoonful of honey at bedtime has been shown in several trials to ease night-time coughing a little, and reviews have found it at least as good as common over-the-counter cough medicines, which carry their own risks for small children. It is a comfort, not a cure.
- Wounds. Clinicians use medical-grade honey in dressings. That is sterilised, standardised honey. Spreading the jar from your cupboard on a cut is a different thing, and not a good idea.
- Sugar. Honey is sugar with some water, trace minerals and plant compounds. It is not a health food. A tablespoon is about 60 calories and your body treats it much like other sugars. Using it is a flavour decision, not a medical one.
Be suspicious of any page that promises honey will fix allergies, diabetes or fatigue. The evidence for those claims is weak or absent.
Choosing a jar
- Single-origin or “raw” honey keeps more of its character. Clover tastes mild and sweet, buckwheat is dark and malty, wildflower changes with the season. A beekeeper at a farmers’ market can tell you what the bees were feeding on.
- Blends from the supermarket are pasteurised and filtered. They stay runny and are perfectly good for baking and sauces.
- Check the label. If a jar says nothing about where it came from, you are buying sweetness, not flavour.
Using it at the stove
- Glazes. Brush honey on roast carrots, parsnips or chicken in the last 10 minutes. Honey burns faster than plain sugar, so keep the oven moderate.
- Dressings. A teaspoon rounds off a sharp vinaigrette: one part honey, one part mustard, three parts oil, one part lemon juice.
- Baking. Honey attracts water, so it keeps cakes moist longer. Reduce other liquid slightly and lower the oven by about 15 degrees C, because honey browns faster.
- Cheese board. A drizzle over salty blue cheese or a young goat’s cheese is the easiest dessert in the world.
- Measuring. Oil the spoon first and the honey slides off.
Storage and the crystals
Honey does not go off in the usual sense, but it does crystallise. That is natural and not a sign of spoilage. Warm the jar in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for ten minutes, stirring now and then. Keep it at room temperature with a tight lid; the fridge makes it set faster.
A host’s note
If a dinner you plan has honey in it, say so on the menu. Some guests avoid it for dietary reasons (vegans, for example), and it is easier to know before you glaze everything.
This article is general cooking and food-safety information, not medical advice. If you have a health concern, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.