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mantuan honey, honey. Typical products
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Homepage > Farm products > Honey
Mantuan honey
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Amongst the typical products of Mantua we must not forget to mention honey. There are very few commercial beehives, and beekeepers are mostly people who keep hives as a hobby. From the point of view of quantity, therefore, honey is of secondary importance in the Mantua area. However, if we consider quality, honey has a primary role. In fact Mantuan honey is natural and wholesome, and is produced with total respect for tradition, the bees and the product itself.
Honey is a complex, biologically active and living substance, as it does not undergo any preservation treatment and because it contains fundamental elements of nourishment. In fact, it is formed by simple sugars, aminoacids, vitamins and mineral salts, all of which can be absorbed and directly metabolised by the organism. As it is made up mainly of simple sugars (glucose and fructose) it is easily digestible, and is therefore prescribed for gastric troubles as a substitute for sugar. It is the ideal nourishment for sportsmen, children and elderly people. It also has slightly laxative properties, reduces throat irritation and has high sweetening power, superior to that of saccharose. There are different varieties of honey, each with its own therapeutic characteristics. The main varieties of honey produced in the province of Mantua are described below.
Taraxacum honey
Taraxacum is a typical local flower, which in spring colours the meadows with yellow. Taraxacum honey is light amber or bright yellow, and has an intense scent and a strong taste. It crystallises very rapidly, usually with extremely fine crystals. Like the plant from which it derives, this honey is good for the liver.
Honeydew honey
Metcalfa pruinosa is a parasite which sticks to several plants, both wild and cultivated, and which produces an abundant honeydew, a sugary substance collected from the bees, which obtain a very distinctive honey from it. Honeydew honey is darker, in colour, its aroma is more intense, its taste is less sweet, more full-bodied and caramel-like than that of the nectar honeys and it reminds us of cooked vegetables and green tomato jam. There is practically no crystallisation.
It contains many mineral salts and it is particularly suitable for growing children, for the elderly and for treating osteoporosis.
Millefiori honey
The appearance, smell and flavour of this honey vary according to the season in which it is produced. In spring, it is clear, and without a pronounced aroma or taste. In late summer, however, it is dark, with a strong smell and taste. Its consistency is granular, and its crystallisation takes place in November.
This variety of honey is recommended for coughs, colds and ulcers.
Lime honey
This honey is characterised by a reddish-yellow colour and by a very aromatic smell, as well as by an intense taste. It has a doughy consistency, often with a coarse crystallisation. It is an excellent sedative and is effective against insomnia, especially if it is used as a sweetener in a bed-time drink.
Sunflower honey
The cultivation of sunflowers is concentrated around the River Oglio.
It is a reddish yellow, with a gentle aroma and a weak, slightly grassy flavour. It is widely used as a sweetener in confectionery and in the food industry and it helps to relieve colds and flu.
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