Can Crystalized Honey Be Reversed?

Honey is a popular, natural sweetener enjoyed by many, and it has tons of health benefits. Per Healthline, high-quality, raw honey is packed with minerals, vitamins, and antioxidants. Honey may also be useful for soothing a sore throat and cough, as well as encouraging the healing of certain wounds and burns. At some point, most of us have reached into the pantry for a jar of honey and found that it has crystallized. Luckily, this doesn't mean that the honey has spoiled, according to Just Bee Honey.

Honey consists of water and two types of sugar: glucose and fructose. Glucose doesn't stay dissolved as easily as fructose and is more susceptible to crystallizing. Honey is also known as a "supersaturated solution," meaning it contains more sugar than water. Sometimes, the ratio of water to sugar is not large enough to keep the glucose fully dissolved, and that's when crystallization occurs. While crystallized honey is safe to eat, the texture may be undesirable, per Asheville Bee Charmer. To turn your honey into liquid again, all you need is some heat, but if you use too much heat for too long, the raw honey's nutritional benefits will diminish.

The best way to reverse crystallized honey is by spooning the honey into a glass jar or bowl, according to Asheville Bee Charmer. Be sure not to use plastic containers because the plastic can dissolve into the honey from the heat. Next, place the jar of honey into a larger, non-plastic bowl and pour warm water into the bowl. The water should be between 95 and 110 degrees Fahrenheit and should fill the bowl just above where the honey is in the jar. A sous vide machine is another viable option for fixing crystallized honey. Lastly, stir the jar of honey every so often until it's decrystallized. Cold or warm water may need to be added to the bowl to maintain the proper water temperature.

It may take an average of one hour to fully liquefy a jar of crystallized honey, depending on how much honey you're working with. However, because honey is sensitive to high heat, be sure to avoid using a microwave or a pot of boiling water to decrystallize your honey. Furthermore, only warm the portion of the honey that is crystallized, and don't heat the same batch of honey repeatedly. Doing so will further diminish the nutritional benefits and quality of your raw honey, eventually leading to caramelization.