Ancient Greeks used honey from the very old times. Aristaios is the most ancient person in apiculture. According to the myth when he was born, was raised up eating nectar and ambrosia which made him immortal. This story proves the exist of apiculture in ancient Greece.
In Crete, during the excavations in Phaistos, were found inscriptions of Minoan age. There was a phrase in one of them <<Πάσι Θεοίς Μέλι>> which means « we offer to all the gods honey». These words were written in Linear B at 14o century B.C and has been translated from the British architect Michael Ventris at 1952.
Furthermore, in Odyssey, is mentioned a milk and honey combination. Lastly, the Aristotel’s collection is another proof that apiculture was an important sector in ancient Greece.
It is widely accepted that the sugar of honey absorbed immediately by the body , that’s why is a quickly energy source. It includes trace elements that contribute to metabolism, it has antiseptic capacity and is a stimulant that increase the heart beat.
Honey is also a medicine for stomach ulcer, it has high content in choline which cures constipation and it helps the good function of human body.
Greek honey outweighs the other types of honey with its incredible flavor and aroma. This is due to the Greek sun, to the land and to the uniqueness of Greek plant life. Only in Greece there are 1.300 endemic plants, an extremely excellent variety of herms and trees, that offers honey a unique quality and taste.
Honey is kept in a sealed package for years. We have to store it in a cool place, away from warm and sun. As the years passing, it can undergo some physical changes. It could Crystallizes, changes color and had more intense flavor. However, there aren’t any nutritional changes. Crystallization, is a normal phenomenon, is proving that the honey is pure without any processing and it has to do with the plant origin of honey. This is why they do not crystallized all of them neither at the same time. It depends on which main plant is used for honey synthesis. Honey can obtain a liquid form with medium warming without losing any of its biological properties.
Types of Greek honey:
- Thimari: intense aroma, extremely tasteful.
- Peuko: not sweet enough, full of trace elements, proteins and amino acids.
- Elato: A honey with excellent flavor.
- Reiki: Has a very pleasant fragrance, taste and fully nutritional.
- Portokalia: light color, excellent aroma and flavor.
- Eukaliptos: a honey ideal for colds.