From the picturesque Kalamafka, one of the most beautiful villages of Mountainous Crete, Smari comes to us. This is an excellent quality pine honey that keeps its quality at a high level as it is a completely natural product. Its color is darker than thyme and varies with the season. What is produced in spring is lighter and clearer than what is produced in autumn.
Its crystallization takes place quite slowly due to the low natural content of glucose in pine honey. More specifically, it crystallizes after 24 months.
It is multi-award winning and not unfair. The whole process of its small, family production is guided by love and respect.
Its aroma and taste are special. It has a rich texture while due to the low concentration of sugars, it is not considered very sweet.
Finally, the peculiarity of the soil of Ierapetra, which is characterized by endemic vegetation, contributes to the production of an amazing honey and in terms of nutrients.
NUTRITIONAL COMPONENTS OF PINE HONEY
Pine honey has many antioxidants thus protecting our cells from free radical damage. It is also antimicrobial and acts as a shield of our body from pathogenic organisms. Furthermore, research is studying its effective treatment anemia and his diabetes due to the consumption of honeys that have a dark color. Finally, Greek pine honey has a high content of trace elements such as calcium and magnesium, classifying it into a product with high nutritional value.
HISTORY "FROM GOLD" BEHIND THE PRODUCT
In Ancient Greece, love for honey has been captured with passion and emotion. Hippocrates, the father of Medicine, praises the beneficial effect of "wine honey" on the human body. Pythagoras finds with surprise that honey makes us feel less tired , while Democritus writes about longevity excluding miraculous honey!
As far as Cretan beekeeping is concerned, Crete was born with honey! The first bees are found in the Minoan era, about 4,000 years ago. During the excavations at Phaistos, clay hives were discovered from the time of the palaces dating to around 3,400 BC. Chronologically, it is long before the Homeric Age, that is, the Neolithic! At the same time, the famous gold jewel of Knossos, where two bees are holding a honeycomb, came to light again after thousands of years.
From Glafkos, the son of Minos and Crete, who drowned in a jar full of honey, chasing a mouse and resurrected by the seer Polydos with the help of a magic herb, many things have happened to this day. Many years have passed, many food products have entered our lives. And without a doubt, many traditional, eating habits of the years are shaken. But one thing is for sure: the gift of the intelligent bee will always be considered the nectar not only of the gods but also of humans!