The colour of a good honey

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Extract from the article: White, straw yellow, ochre, brown or even black... honey comes in different colours. How do you explain this? Simple: each flower foraged by a bee leaves its own identity card in the honey it produces: its taste, aromas and colour. So if the nectar o

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White, straw yellow, ochre, brown or even black... honey comes in different colours. How do you explain this? Simple: each flower foraged by a bee leaves its own identity card in the honey it produces: its taste, aromas and colour. So if the nectar or honeydew has no pigment, the liquid honeys produced will be colourless and turn white once crystallised. If, on the other hand, the nectar is coloured, the honey will borrow its pigments. The colour of honey therefore varies according to geographical location, climate and the flowers foraged. Over time, the crystallisation of honey can also change its colour. This is a natural process that modifies the texture of honey while preserving its properties. For example, a honey that is initially creamy may take on opalescent hues, changing its original colour.

There are two (2) main families of honey: monofloral and polyfloral. Single-flower honeys are made from a single variety of flower. The taste, aroma and colour of monofloral honeys vary according to the area of origin and the type of flower harvested.The best-known single-flower honey is acacia honey.Conversely, there are honeys made from different types of flowers: these are polyfloral honeys.The colour of these honeys depends on the flowers used to make them.These honeys therefore come in a wide range of colours.

The natural pigments present in the nectar of the flowers mix with the enzyme produced by the bees to create a palette of colours. Flowers such as acacia give honey a pale yellow colour. Honey from sunflowers or dandelions will be a deep yellow, while honey from heather flowers will be brown.

The influence of honey sources

The flowers foraged by bees play a key role in the colour of honey.Each floral source contributes to the specific colour of the honey.The natural pigments present in the nectar of the flowers mix with the enzyme produced by the bees to create a palette of colours.Flowers such as acacia give honey a pale yellow colour.Honey from sunflowers or dandelions will be a deep yellow, while honey from heather flowers will be brown.

The role of sugar

Sugar also influences the colour of honey. Sugar is made from nectar, the main source of pollen.Nectar contains between 20% and 80% sugars (glucose, fructose or sucrose).The sugar composition of nectar influences the speed at which honey crystallises, which in turn influences its colour!Similarly, variations in certain elements present in honey, such as pollen grains and their pigments, play a direct role in colour.

The colours of honey in Togo

The honeys produced in Togo come in a variety of colours and flavours, thanks to the country's floral diversity.Bees gather nectar from different flowers, which influences the colour, flavour and properties of the honey.Here are some of the types of honey we find, although availability may vary according to region and season:

Acacia honey: Acacia honey is often characterised by its light colour, ranging from pale golden to almost colourless.It has a delicate, sweet flavour with floral notes.

Forest honey: Togo has many forests. Honey from these forests is dark in colour, ranging from light to dark brown.This honey can have robust and complex notes, reflecting the diversity of plants in the forest.

Shea honey: Bees sometimes gather nectar from shea flowers, producing a honey that can have a darker hue and rich, earthy flavours.

Sunflower honey: Togo's sunflower fields can produce honey with golden hues.It generally has a sweet, slightly fruity flavour.

Which honey to choose?

All types of honey have beneficial effects on health.However, it is recommended that you choose forest honey, which is often considered to be naturally rich in nutrients.The bees that produce forest honey gather a variety of flowers from forest vegetation. This floral diversity gives the honey a wider range of nutrients, minerals and bioactive compounds.Darker honeys, such as forest honey, also tend to have higher levels of antioxidant compounds. These antioxidants can help neutralise free radicals in the body, helping to protect cells from oxidative damage.Finally, forest honey is often appreciated for its complex flavours, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects and even benefits for the immune system.Notes from different floral sources give this honey a range of tastes, from woody to slightly herbaceous.

Several cooperatives produce forest honey in Togo. In the central region, three cooperatives stand out and were recently awarded prizes in the best honey competition, 2024 edition.These are the KPELOUWEDEOU, AVENIR and ABEILLE D'ABORD beekeeping cooperatives.

To contact these beekeeping cooperatives, please contact :

COOPERATIVE KPELOUWEDEOU: 93 05 94 23

COOPERATIVE AVENIR: 90 73 45 80

COOPERATIVE ABEILLE D'ABORD: 91 71 87 08