Have you ever wondered how many types of honey there are? For example, there are 300 types of honey in the United States alone , each with a different look, taste, texture, and smell. A popular type of honey is the so-called clover honey. It is known for its sweet, floral aroma and pleasantly mild flavor. But what’s the difference between clover and regular honey? Let’s find out
The main difference between clover and regular honey is the flower source of the bees. Bees need flower sources to extract nectar to produce honey. The main source of nectar for clover honey is the clover flower, as you can guess from the name.
As you can see, the main difference between clover honey and regular honey is its floral origin. Surprisingly, nectar collected from different types of flowers plays an important role in the final product honey.
Want to learn more about the difference between clover honey and regular honey? You should be familiar with the following. After reading this article, you should be able to recognize the two at a glance.
Is Clover Honey The Same As Regular Honey?
I’ll tell you right away that clover honey is not the same as regular honey. The nectar used to make this honey comes entirely from clover. As a result, you will notice differences in color, aroma, taste, aftertaste and texture. Although its properties are slightly different, it still has nearly the same nutritional value.
To better illustrate the difference between clover and regular honey, let’s first describe what they are.
What Is Clover Honey?
Clover honey is a special type of honey made by bees. Because nectar comes from flowers, it is called clover honey. As you can see, this flower is called a shamrock. With the exception of Southeast Asia and Australia, these plants are commonly found in most subtropical regions of the world. Due to the number of places where clover flowers are grown, clover honey can be found in most grocery stores around the world.
What Is Regular Honey?
Regular honey is what you think it is, it’s just regular honey. But what is that? Pure or pasteurized honey is the most common type of honey you can find worldwide. Pasteurization is used by beekeepers or honey manufacturers to make honey look more attractive, extend its shelf life, kill yeast cells, and improve the overall flavor of honey.
However, many of the valuable antioxidants and nutrients found in honey begin to disappear due to the pasteurization process. This is why honey is so beneficial to our body, and reducing the levels of these nutrients does not provide us with these benefits. Therefore, consuming clover honey is healthier than consuming regular honey.
How Much Does A Bee Weigh And Size of the Bee?
What Are The Differences Between Clover And Regular Honey?
Now that you understand the definitions of clover and regular honey, it’s time to look at the different properties of these two types of honey. If you know them, you should be able to tell them apart without thinking.
The First Difference Is In The Color
The first and most obvious difference is the appearance that each honey brings. While you can tell by the color whether it is regular honey or clover honey. Many honeys such as alfalfa, basswood, sage, and even some weed honeys are similar to clover honey. Here’s how to tell the difference between clover and regular honey.
Clover honey – If you look at Clover honey, you’ll notice it’s a medium yellow color that retains some of the clarity of honey.
Regular Honey – Regular honey is more of a dark orange color.
As you can see, the difference in color between clover and regular honey is that clover is yellow while regular honey is orange. This color change is due to the type of nectar, the process used and the way it is contained.
The Next Difference Is The “Aroma Of Honey”
Another characteristic that you can distinguish between clover and regular honey is the aroma. While this can be a bit difficult to identify unless you know the two scents, it can still rip either of these honeys apart. Here’s what you need to know:
Clover Honey – Amora imparts a slightly more floral aroma to Shamrock honey than other honeys. This is mainly due to the clover flower, as it has a rather strong natural aroma compared to other flowers of its kind.
Regular Honey – When you smell regular honey, it usually has a fairly traditional smell. Because of pasteurization, honey has been modified to look, smell, and taste different. As a result, regular honey usually smells slightly sweet.
If you haven’t smelled the two honeys before, it can be difficult to tell them apart. However, once your honey nose becomes more accustomed to smelling different types of honey, you will surely find this a useful strategy.
These Two Honeys Have A Different Taste
Apart from the above, each of them has very different tastes. For most people, this is the preferred method of identifying different types of honey. As a rule of thumb, the darker the honey, the stronger the flavor. Knowing the color of these honeys, we can speculate that clover honey is much milder than regular honey.
Clover Honey – You can expect a light and mild flavor from this honey. It has a subtle taste and looks sweet.
Regular Honey – Usually, regular honey is stronger and sweeter to your taste buds. It’s a stronger flavor and you can taste more of the natural sugar.
Tasting honey is like tasting wine. Some people are good at it, some people are not good at it. Needless to say, this is another great way to tell the difference between clover and regular honey.
Light Honey Vs Dark Honey: Differences, Uses, Appearance, Taste
Aftertaste
Looking further down, this is the aftertaste. As you can imagine, you can expect a unique aftertaste due to the different flavors of the two honeys. How to identify clover and regular honey by aftertaste.
Clover Honey – We know that Shamrock honey is light and has a mild honey flavor. After the first consumption, an aftertaste reminiscent of fresh hay lingers. It sounds very disgusting, but it’s delicious.
Regular Honey – Regular honey has a stronger flavor. So you can expect more floral aftertaste. In particular, this varies from honey to honey, depending on the amount of pollen in it.
As you can see, the two honeys have different aftertastes, which may be another way to accurately identify clover honey from regular honey.
Texture Of Honey
The last difference we want to discuss is the overall texture of clover and regular honey. Now that you are familiar with the above, it is appropriate to add this section to make a significant difference in honey identification. Here’s the texture of clover and regular honey:
Clover Honey – Compared to other types of honey, Shamrock honey stands out in terms of texture. This is because clover honey crystallizes very quickly due to its increased glucose content. You might be surprised that this doesn’t mean you can’t consume it, as clover honey is recommended to be kept until it reaches this state. As a rule of thumb, if honey can crystallize, it is a clear indication that it is natural honey.
Regular Honey – Unlike the above, regular honey does not crystallize from pasteurization. It goes through this process to make honey similar to the honey we know today. This includes changing texture, color, smell and even taste. Because of this, it loses the only benefit you get from honey, like you usually get from clover honey. With regular honey, you will find it has an exceptionally smooth texture.
After reading the above, you will undoubtedly be able to tell the difference between clover and ordinary honey. Once you know the facts, it’s hard to forget them. This is perfect if you need to identify both in the future.
Now you know more about the difference between clover honey and regular honey. Let’s take the topic of clover honey further.
Is Clover Honey 100% Natural Honey?
Clover honey is 100% natural if the bees collect nectar from pastures that have not been treated with pesticides and other chemical products.
Therefore, it is always good to know who you are buying honey from, as well as the location of the apiaries of that beekeeper.
Clover grows in many subtropical climates and is one of the most widely harvested honeys in the United States.
Health Benefits Of Clover Honey
As you can see, clover honey is 100% honey. Additionally, clover honey may provide you with many different health benefits. Generally speaking, honey, especially clover honey, is rich in various vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. For this reason, you can reap some significant health benefits by consuming clover honey regularly as part of a balanced diet. The benefits are very different. If you want to familiarize yourself with these, please read the following:
#1 Reduces Blood Pressure
The first and most important benefit that clover honey can provide you is lowering blood pressure. Clover honey is known to be rich in flavanols and antioxidants. It helps support blood flow throughout the body, ultimately lowering blood pressure. By lowering your blood pressure, you can protect your heart and be healthier than ever.
#2 Lowers Bad Cholesterol
Including the above, also reduces the likelihood of high cholesterol. High cholesterol can cause you a whole bunch of problems that you should avoid at all costs. The most obvious problem may be coronary artery disease or coronary heart disease. Therefore, lowering cholesterol levels is very important. The macronutrients, minerals, antioxidants, and flavanols found in clover honey can prevent this from becoming a problem.
#3 It Reduces The Chance Of Some Disease
After reading the above, I believe you are starting to understand the real benefits of honey for our body and diet. This is huge, but it can also reduce more diseases than the ones mentioned above. These include:
- Heart disease,
- Diabetes,
- Cancer,
- Alzheimer’s disease,
- Parkinson’s disease.
#4 It Can Help Kill Various Bacteria
Honey is widely used in various medicines for its antibacterial properties. For example, clover honey is used in cough suppressants because it is ideal for soothing sore throats and irritation. Clover honey kills bacteria and eliminates coughs.
#5 Keep Your Brain Healthy
After all, it keeps your brain very healthy and young. In clover honey, it is high in phenolic acids. It is known to protect the brain from the following brain disorders:
- Frustrated,
- Epilepsy,
- Brain Injury,
- Parkinson’s Disease,
- Huntington’s Disease,
As you can see, consuming clover honey on a regular basis with a balanced diet can provide you with some notable benefits. Some are more important than others, but all offer you the extreme health benefits.
In conclusion
After reading the above, you can now tell the difference between clover honey and regular honey. All in all, with some big differences, clover honey is a healthier honey.
Now that you get it, would you use clover honey instead of regular honey?
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