What causes honey to crystallize?

Honey is made of natural sugars: primarily fructose and glucose (monosaccharides), along with smaller amounts of sucrose (a disaccharide) and other complex sugars like oligosaccharides and disaccharides. These sugars are broken down from the nectar of flowers by enzymes from bees.

Honey crystallizes naturally because glucose has lower solubility than fructose which causes it to precipitate out of solution over time, forming crystals. Key factors accelerating crystallization include:

• High glucose-to-fructose ratio (this varies by floral source)
• Presence of nucleation sites (pollen grains, wax particles, or dust)
• Storage temperature (50-59°F)
• Low moisture content

Crystallization occurs in pure, raw honey and does not mean it has spoiled.