We found out whether honey becomes harmful if you add it to hot tea
There is an opinion that it is strictly forbidden to add honey to hot tea or heat it at all.
Allegedly, when heated, this healthy product becomes carcinogenic.
Let's figure out whether this statement is true.
Can you add honey to hot tea
Yes, honey does not turn into poison when heated, this is nothing more than a myth.
This myth originates from ancient Ayurvedic treatises.
They say that when heated above 40 degrees, honey becomes toxic.
In addition, in 2010, scientists from India published the results of a study on rats.
Researchers have found that when honey is heated, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is formed.
This substance is indeed a carcinogen. But for it to be dangerous to humans, and not to rats, its concentration must be many times higher than it actually is.
By the way, confectionery products, jams and preserves contain much more HMF than honey.
It is also believed that heat treatment causes honey to lose its beneficial properties. This is true, but only partially.
The antioxidants and enzymes contained in honey do not like heating, but heat treatment does not harm the antimicrobial substances defensins.
