To produce it, bees draw up nectar from flowers, transform it using their own substances, deposit it in the honeycomb and leave it to mature. In practice, once collected, the nectar is stored in the bee's collection organ, where it is mixed with enzymes secreted by the salivary glands, before being transported to the hive. There, the bee regurgitates the nectar into the mouths of other bees, who continue passing it amongst themselves, adding new enzymes. When it is ready, it is packed into the cells of the honeycomb and sealed with a wax cap that isolates it from the outside. The beekeeper's harvest begins when the frames are laden with honey. At this point the honey is extracted from the honeycomb, filtered and stored in settling tanks until the wax and propolis rise to the surface and the honey can be drawn off from the clear bottom.

Compared to sugar, honey wins on many fronts: while the former is made up of sucrose alone, the latter contains a great many different substances, such as fructose, glucose, maltose, organic acids, vitamins, trace elements, enzymes, hormonal phytostimulins and aromatic compounds. Its composition makes it a superfood — energising because it can be absorbed immediately without digestion, but above all rich in precious vital substances. Already used in antiquity as a medicine for both internal and external use, honey has distinguished itself in the eyes of researchers for an endless range of therapeutic virtues: it is anti-anaemic, antimicrobial, an intestinal disinfectant, a general rebalancer of the body, anti-infective, an antacid for the stomach, antibiotic and a digestive tonic. It inhibits dangerous germs such as streptococcus and staphylococcus. It is antipyretic, sedative, a regulator of psychic tone and of the functioning of the female sexual organs, a cough suppressant and a relaxant. It helps the liver to neutralise alcohol, chemical additives and nicotine. And if it is of good quality, it even helps prevent tooth decay.

But which is the best honey? We asked Livio Colombari, beekeeper at the organic farm Chelidonia in Montevecchia (LC). "On the label there is no wording that specifies the superior quality of a honey. In reality, however, it is possible to make a good purchase by following a few simple rules: the first is to check the origin of the product, which must be Italian. If the honey is obtained from a blend of EU or non-EU raw materials, it is more likely to contain antibiotic residues, because in many countries treatment with these drugs is permitted. In Italy it is prohibited by law. Furthermore, if the honey we intend to buy is also organic, we protect ourselves from the possible presence of chemical substances — in particular residues of acaricides, which are used in conventional beekeeping. Third point: always bear in mind that the crystallisation of honey is a natural process. It indicates that a honey is genuine, that it has not been subjected to thermal preservation treatments.

It should be said that honeys rich in fructose (acacia, chestnut, honeydew) tend to remain liquid for longer, while those rich in glucose (dandelion, lime, rhododendron, strawberry tree, thistle) tend to crystallise more quickly. But all honeys tend to crystallise if they have not been pasteurised. The pasteurisation process, which is detrimental to both the organoleptic and nutritional qualities of honey, is carried out in dedicated facilities by subjecting the processed honey to heating at fairly high temperatures (around 75°C). Unlike what happens with the vast majority of other products intended for human consumption, in the case of honey pasteurisation is not carried out to meet hygiene, health and/or preservation requirements, but rather to satisfy commercial needs — such as being able to offer a liquid honey for as long as possible, standardising the flavour, and so on. Crystallised honey is also easier to handle, as it does not drip, and more pleasant to eat, since it tastes less sweet and fresher on the palate; it can be returned to a liquid state by warming it in a bain-marie at a temperature below 40°C. From a nutritional standpoint, the finest honey is honeydew honey, obtained from the secretions produced by plants under attack from parasites. This is already-processed sap, extremely rich in mineral salts and low in sodium."

The taste, colour and flavour of honey change depending on which flowers the bees forage on. The same is true of its health-giving virtues: if the plants from which the flowers come have medicinal properties, these are added to honey's general properties, making it even more "targeted" with regard to different ailments.

Acacia

Intestinal regulator. Works well against throat irritations. Mild floral fragrance. Delicate flavour. Pairs well with blue-veined cheeses.

Chestnut

Promotes blood circulation. Intense, floral, balsamic fragrance. Strong flavour with a bitter aftertaste. Pairs well with strongly flavoured cheeses.

Orange

Nervous sedative. Useful in cases of insomnia and palpitations. Fragrance: characteristic of orange blossom, fresh and penetrating. Delicate, slightly acidic flavour. Recommended with medium-aged cheeses.

Eucalyptus

General antiseptic for the respiratory and urinary tracts. Pungent fragrance. Malty, persistently aromatic flavour.

Lime

Antispasmodic, nervous sedative, calming. Intense fragrance. Very persistently balsamic flavour.

Lavender

General antiseptic and anti-inflammatory. Intense, aromatic, fresh fragrance. Fine, slightly vegetal flavour.

Thyme

General antiseptic, indicated for infectious diseases of the respiratory, digestive and urinary tracts. Strong, slightly mentholated fragrance.

Rosemary

Indicated for hepatic and biliary insufficiency. Mild fragrance characteristic of the source flowers. Delicate, slightly aromatic flavour.

Heather

General antiseptic for the urinary tract and diuretic. Anti-anaemic, fortifying. Intense floral fragrance and flavour.

Dandelion

Diuretic, purifying, hepatoprotective. Strong floral fragrance. Pairs well with medium-aged sheep's milk cheeses.