Hello,
I have often heard that honey is not suitable for cooking or baking because it is supposedly harmful after being heated. How true is this, please? I understand that heating results in the loss of nutrients, but is it really harmful?
Thank you.
Honey contains a wide range of substances whose structure changes at different temperatures. Enzymes are deactivated at temperatures around 40°C, while antibacterial components are mostly deactivated between 60-80°C. Baking involves significantly higher temperatures, and as such, this method is not entirely suitable for preserving the nutritional value of honey. However, the duration of exposure to high temperatures also matters - it is generally accepted that a brief heating does not compromise the quality of honey. If it happens that you burn a food item containing honey, potentially carcinogenic substances are naturally formed (in the honey as well as in the honey-sweetened food).
Themes: Honey
Questions answered by
Mgr. Martin Jelinek
Lecturer and author of the educational system
Nutrition educator, lecturer, and author of the educational system and the ZOF learning application.
Mgr. Martin Jelínek has been systematically involved in nutrition education since 1999. He is the founder of ATAC, the educational company behind NutriCourses, and the author of an educational system focused on nutrition, healthy lifestyle, and the practical application of nutrition knowledge.
He graduated from the Faculty of Science at Masaryk University in Brno. Throughout his professional career, he has combined nutrition, education, and the practical application of acquired knowledge. His educational system also includes the ZOF (Zone of Optimal Functioning) learning application, where students turn theory into practical work with meal plans.
In 2007, he launched the first intake of a six-month course focused on the education of nutrition advisors. Over time, this course became the foundation for the further development of the educational system and a range of specialised courses.