Clover honey: 5 benefits and the difference between it and regular honey
Have you ever heard of clover honey? Is it manufactured as its name suggests? Get acquainted with us through the following paragraphs about what clover honey is, its various health benefits and the nutritional value in it, in addition to the most prominent differences between it and regular honey, and many other information.
What is clover honey?
It is honey that bees make by collecting nectar from clover flowers. There are approximately 300 species of clover plants, and these species grow in subtropical and temperate regions around the world. Clover honey is one of the most popular types of honey available in many markets.
The nutritional value of clover honey
Clover honey contains vitamins and minerals, some of which are available in small quantities, as follows:
- Vitamin C.
- calcium.
- Iron.
- magnesium.
- potassium.
- zinc.
A tablespoon of clover honey contains the following:
- 64 calories.
- 0 grams of protein.
- 17 grams of carbohydrates.
- 0 grams of fat.
- 0 grams of fiber.
- 16 grams of sugar.
Benefits of clover honey
Although clover honey does not contain many minerals and vitamins, it does contain a lot of antioxidants, which offer many health benefits. Below are the potential health benefits of clover honey:
1- Improve blood pressure
Clover honey contains a lot of flavanols, which are antioxidants that can help regulate blood pressure, which in turn helps protect overall heart health. The antioxidant also helps improve blood flow, transport oxygen and nutrients throughout the body, and helps relax and widen blood vessels, which reduces high blood pressure.
2- Reducing harmful cholesterol
High cholesterol levels may increase the risk of heart disease, and clover honey does not contain any cholesterol, and it also helps in lowering the level of bad or harmful LDL cholesterol and maintaining cholesterol levels in a normal state.
Also, the antioxidants present in this honey can help neutralize harmful free radicals, which reduces the oxidation process and the incidence of heart disease, diabetes, and others.
3- Soothe the cough
Types of honey, including clover honey, contain antibacterial properties, which are among the properties that are found in cough medicines, so honey can help soothe a sore throat and reduce coughing, and it also helps kill harmful microbes.
4- Eliminate bacteria
Clover flower honey contains components that produce hydrogen peroxide, which helps kill bacteria and prevent infection and inflammation. It can also be effective as a topical antibacterial, which is applied to some wounds, such as foot ulcers.
5- Maintaining brain health
Clover flower honey contains phenolic acid, which can help protect and promote brain health, as some studies indicate that antioxidants can help with some brain diseases and disorders such as depression, epilepsy, Parkinson’s disease and Huntington’s disease.
Clover honey damage
Despite the aforementioned potential health benefits, some studies indicate that clover flower honey contains a large amount of sugar, and eating this honey in large quantities can have a negative effect and may cause the following damages:
Therefore, it is recommended to eat this type of honey or any other type of honey in moderation, and to eat it with caution, especially for diabetics.
The difference between clover honey and regular honey
The most important difference between clover flower honey and regular honey is the source of the nectar. There are also some other differences, which we present to you in the following points:
- the color: The color of clover flower honey is medium yellow, while regular honey is dark orange in most cases.
- Odor: Clover flower honey smells like flowers, while regular honey has a sugary or sweet smell, but sometimes it can be difficult to distinguish between them.
- Taste: Clover flower honey has a mild, mild taste and a distinctive sweet aftertaste, while regular honey tastes very strong and sweet on the palate.
- texture: Clover flower honey tends to crystallize quickly (become thick) as a result of its high glucose sugar content, while regular honey does not tend to crystallize as a result of the pasteurization process that happens to most types of usual honey. Regular honey has a very soft texture.