Buckwheat Honey | Benefits of Buckwheat Honey
Buckwheat Honey is a local honey with pronounced flavors.
It is difficult to find because the cultivation of buckwheat honey is still too little developed in France.
Let’s discover this unique honey!
Where is buckwheat honey produced?
To produce buckwheat honey, bees collect nectar from buckwheat, a flowering plant, also called buckwheat.
Buckwheat is a flower that was traditionally grown in Brittany.
In the 1900s, more than 750,000 hectares of buckwheat were cultivated in France, compared to around 30,000 hectares in 2020.
Despite this significant drop, Brittany remains the leading French region producing buckwheat. As a result, a large part of buckwheat honey is produced by beekeepers with hives in Brittany .
In recent years, farmers have become more interested in growing buckwheat. France imports more than 70% of buckwheat to satisfy national demand. French farmers have the cards in hand to promote their production locally.
Brittany, Pays de la Loire, Creuse and the Center are regions favorable to the production of buckwheat. It is therefore easier for beekeepers to find buckwheat fields in these regions to place their hives there.
The rarity of buckwheat honey
Buckwheat honey remains a rare honey . A rare honey for different reasons.
First of all, the quantities of honey harvested per hive remain quite low.
The buckwheat flower produces nectar, foraged by bees, under precise atmospheric conditions. The outside temperature should be between 18 and 25 degrees with a humidity level of around 100%.
Generally, the quantities of buckwheat harvested per hive are less important than harvests of all-flower, lavender or chestnut honey.
Despite the renewed interest in growing buckwheat, there are still too few farmers growing it. Its cultivation and agronomic conditions are demanding.
On the one hand, it brings a lot of advantages . It is a plant that grows on poor soils, requiring little water and few inputs. It is often used for crop rotations since it limits the growth of weeds and fixes nitrogen.
On the other hand, this culture faces a major drawback . Its grains do not ripen uniformly, which can lead to significant losses during harvest. This is often seen as a brake by farmers.
With few cultivated areas in France, the number of hives arranged next to buckwheat fields remains marginal.
By adding the factor of low honey yield per hive, buckwheat honey can be characterized as a rare honey. It is produced by few beekeepers and in small quantities. It will be even more difficult to find organic buckwheat honey.
Its taste and characteristics
Buckwheat honey, thick and creamy in consistency , is both powerful and subtle .
It is a fragrant honey with character. Its woody notes will not leave your taste buds indifferent.
Its flavor is all in balance . It lies between acid and sweet.
As for its crystallization , it is rather slow and fine. It is a honey that keeps very well. Like all other honeys, it should be kept at room temperature.
The benefits of buckwheat honey
With a relatively low glycemic index and antibacterial and healing properties, buckwheat honey has many virtues .
According to several studies, it would even pass in front of Manuka honey for its many benefits.
In 2018, a study conducted by the University of Agriculture of Huazhong (1) showed that the antibacterial properties of buckwheat honey are comparable to those of Manuka honey .
Indeed, buckwheat honey contains more Iron, Zinc and Manganese than Manuka honey and as many minerals. Add to that its very high antioxidant content, buckwheat honey is a precious elixir .
How to use buckwheat honey in cooking?
In the kitchen, buckwheat honey can be used in many preparations .
It goes perfectly with game (pigeon, duck, venison, lamb), red meat and foie gras. When making a sauce, adding a few spoonfuls of buckwheat honey will bring great flavors to your dish.
Gingerbread fans will appreciate using buckwheat honey in their recipe. Its flavors will be slightly more pronounced than a gingerbread made with all-flower honey.
For a totally Breton recipe , taste this succulent honey on a sweet/salty galette or on a pancake. The combination of buckwheat galette, fresh goat cheese, walnut kernels and buckwheat honey is to die for!
When the desire to cook is absent , buckwheat honey goes very well with yoghurts, cottage cheese and cottage cheese.
Even if it remains difficult to find, consider consuming buckwheat comb honey . It is a unique taste experience.
If you are more on notes of lightness , fruits such as melon, peach, mirabelle plum or apples go well with this type of honey. For a slightly sweeter touch, place a few drops of buckwheat honey on a nice scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Whether you are salty or sweet, buckwheat honey offers you the opportunity to make real taste discoveries. Try it, you will enjoy it!
The brown gold of beekeepers
If Manuka honey is the white gold of New Zealand beekeepers, Buckwheat honey can be considered the brown gold of French beekeepers.
It is a honey that is not only delicious but also has many health benefits. Several studies have demonstrated its virtues.
For the moment, its production is still limited due to the small area cultivated in France and its low yields of honey per hive.
Nevertheless, several French beekeepers produce buckwheat honey. The Honey Platform allows you to find it easily and quickly .
Take the time to taste this French brown gold.
It is a delicious local honey with multiple virtues.
Where can I find buckwheat honey?
You can find buckwheat honey on the Honey Platform.
