Description

Description

What is regular honey?

Regular, or pasteurized honey, is clear and smooth. The pasteurization process improves the honey’s appearance, increases its shelf-life, and kills yeast cells that can affect the taste of the honey.

 

However, some people believe that pasteurization reduces the number of antioxidants and nutrients in the honey.

 

How do they differ?

Raw honey is naturally cloudier than regular honey due to honeycomb debris that is too small to be filtered out.

 

Raw honey tends to have more variation in color and texture than regular honey. The color of raw honey may change depending on what flowers the bees pollinated.

 

While no large studies have confirmed that raw honey is more nutritious than regular honey, some small studies suggest that raw honey may offer extra health benefits.

Benefits

Studies show that raw honey contains a variety of beneficial ingredients.

 

Raw honey contains specific components that can offer health benefits. Pasteurization and other processes may remove or reduce some of these elements, which include:

 

bee pollen, which has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties

bee propolis, a glue-like substance that helps keep the hive together

certain vitamins and minerals

enzymes

amino acids

antioxidants

There is a lack of controlled studies comparing pasteurized and raw honey. However, some sources report that pasteurized honey contains few — if any — of the health benefits of raw honey. Because pasteurization exposes the honey to high temperatures, it may destroy or remove honey’s natural properties.

 

This means that raw honey may offer more powerful health benefits, in terms of healing wounds and fighting infections, than regular honey.

 

Many studies have found that raw honey has health benefits. Usually, these benefits come from natural ingredients that regular honey may not contain.

 

The following sections discuss these ingredients.

 

Raw honey contains bee pollen

Pasteurization of honey removes bee pollen.

 

A 2015 review studyTrusted Source about the benefits of bee pollen reports that it has:

 

antioxidant properties

anti-inflammatory effects

antibacterial and antifungal action

pain-relieving properties

These properties make bee pollen a useful addition to honey and can contribute to honey’s natural ability to heal wounds and kill bacteria.

 

Bee pollen also contains amino acids, vitamins A and C, and small amounts of nutrients including calcium, magnesium, and sodium.

 

Raw honey contains bee propolis

Bee propolis is the sticky substance that bees use to build their hives and hold the structures together. This glue-like substance not only helps the bees, but some scientists believe that it is healthful for humans as well.

 

A review study from 2017Trusted Source reports that bee propolis, found in raw honey, may have:

 

anti-inflammatory effects

anti-cancer and antiulcer action

antifungal effects

Bee propolis also contains B vitamins, vitamins C and E, magnesium, potassium, and beneficial enzymes.

 

Pasteurization may destroy antioxidants

Some people believe that pasteurization removes some of the healthful antioxidants in honey.

 

There are no official studies on how pasteurization changes antioxidant levels in honey, but studies show that heating processes decrease the antioxidant level in other foods.

 

Raw honey contains flavonoids and phenolic acids that have antioxidant properties. Antioxidants reduce oxidative stress in the body. Research has linked oxidative stress to many chronic health conditions, including cancers.

 

Studies suggest that the antioxidants in honey may have anti-cancer effects against different types of tumors.

 

The types of antioxidants found in raw honey vary depending on the kind of flowers that the bees pollinated.

 

Regular honey may contain sugars or additives

Some regular honey products contain added sweeteners, such as high fructose corn syrup.

 

Studies show that some products labeled as “honey” may not be 100 percent real honey, but contain sweeteners, such as brown rice syrup.

 

Raw honey does not contain any ingredients other than the honey from the beehive.

 

Is raw honey organic?

Not all raw honey is organic. Organic honey may still have undergone processing and pasteurization.

 

Some types of organic honey have labels with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) organic seal. This means that the farm that produced the honey follows the USDA’s organic guidelines.

 

Therefore, if a person is looking for honey that contains bee pollen and other beneficial ingredients, they will need to make sure that the label states “raw.”

It is safe for people to consume both raw and regular honey, though it is a good idea to avoid types of honey that contain added sugars.

 

Both raw and regular honey may contain tiny amounts of a bacteria known as Clostridium botulinum. This bacteria can cause botulism, which is a rare form of food poisoning.

 

Honey is safe for most people over 12 months of age. However, infants 12 months of age and younger should notTrusted Source eat any honey, including raw and regular honey. A baby’s digestive tract has not yet developed enough to fight off the bacteria.

 

In rare cases, people who have a severe pollen allergy may react to raw honey, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunology. People who have severe pollen allergies should speak with a doctor or allergist before eating or using raw honey.

 

People who are allergic to bee pollen should also avoid raw honey and other bee products.

 

How to find raw honey

To find raw honey, look for products that say “raw” on the label. Products labeled as “organic” or “pure” may not necessarily be raw.

 

The appearance of the honey product can help a person work out whether it is raw. Regular honey looks very clear and smooth, while raw honey tends to have a mixture of colors and a cloudy or creamy appearance.

 

Raw honey is widely available in stores and at farmers’ markets. People can also choose between brands of raw honey online.

 

Raw honey may crystallize more quickly than regular honey. Placing the jar of honey in a pot of hot water There are many different types of honey, each with their own characteristics, and some people may find it confusing to work out their differences.

 

Common types of honey and their properties are as follows:

 

Raw honey — comes straight from the hive and is available in filtered or unfiltered forms.

Regular honey — pasteurized and may contain added sugars.

Pure honey — pasteurized but contains no added ingredients.

Manuka honey — made by bees that feed on the manuka bush. It may have additional health benefits.

Forest honey — made by bees that take honeydew from trees instead of nectar from flowers. It is often darker than other kinds of honey.

Acacia honey — made by bees that feed from the flowers of the black locust tree. It is often lighter than other types of honey.

Summary

There are no definitive studies that confirm whether raw honey is better for a person’s health than regular or pasteurized honey. However, experts have found several possible health benefits linked to some of the ingredients in raw honey, including pollen and bee propolis,

 

Pasteurization may damage or destroy antioxidants and other beneficial elements in honey. The process of pasteurizing honey can make honey smoother and more aesthetically appealing, but it may also reduce its health benefits.

 

Because raw honey contains the original natural ingredients without processing, it may be the better choice for people who use honey for health reasons.will melt the crystals and turn it liquid again. Be careful not to overheat the honey, as this may destroy some of its nutrients.

 

Raw vs. Pure vs. Natural

Not all honey is equal. All honey comes from the same place, but labels stating the honey is raw, pure or natural can get pretty confusing. Ever stood there looking at “natural honey”, “pure honey”, “creamy honey”, “real honey”, “raw honey” on the honey jars and just scratched your head?

Too many questions? Not sure which honey to buy?

 

So, what is the difference between natural, pure or raw honey?

And what does it matter? All honey is natural, isn’t it?

Honey can be pure without being raw. Raw honey is typically pure and natural, but pure and natural honeys aren’t always raw.

Well, that helps, not!

 

Natural Honey

The term natural implies that the honey you’re buying doesn’t include any added colour, artificial flavour, or synthetic substance, but it is probably processed.

 

Pure Honey

With pure honey, no additional ingredients, such as sugar, corn syrup, or artificial or natural flavouring have been added. Pure honey can also be clover, bush, manuka or pohutakawa honey, depending where the bees have got their nectar from. That’s straightforward enough. The confusion begins when pure honey is sold as containing pollen and active enzymes, which it may well do. But pure honey is not raw, unfiltered honey unless it categorically states that on the label.

Honey is best eaten raw and unprocessed.

 

Raw honey is unfiltered, unheated, unpasteurised and packed with good-for-you antioxidants, vitamins, anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. With raw honey, as with many foods, any form of heating is avoided to ensure all the natural vitamins and living enzymes and other nutritional elements are preserved.

 

Most honeys, including pure and natural ones, are treated to prevent fermentation and to preserve it in a liquid state to prevent crystallisation.

 

Collected straight from the honey extractor, the honey from Manuka Corner is totally unheated, unpasteurised, unprocessed honey.

 

The issue? Whether the honey you buy has been heated.

 

The solution. Get raw honey directly from credible sources, like Manuka Corner.

 

In summary:

Natural means no artificial additives.

Pure means no additives whatsoever (even natural ones).

Raw means no additives or processing: neither heated nor filtered.

That’s why raw honey is special and the best. Check out our raw NZ manuka honey, it’s got to be good for you!

RAW VS. PURE VS. ORGANIC VS. UNFILTERED – HOW TO READ HONEY LABELS

Posted by Philip Grad on January 31, 2020

 

When choosing honey you have likely come across labels that use words like “raw,” “pure,” “organic,” and “unfiltered” – but you may be left asking what exactly the difference is. In many cases honey can be more than one of these things, but they each mean something different, and knowing which is which helps you choose the healthiest honey. To make it easier to understand the different kinds of honey, we explain the generally accepted definitions for each kind of honey:

 

Pure Honey: A “pure honey” label means that you are getting 100% honey, without any other ingredients (such as corn syrup, which is sometimes added to industrial honey to reduce costs). However “pure” honey alone doesn’t always tell you much about the varietal or how the honey is produced, so it’s good to look for more information to make sure you’re getting all the benefits you can from honey when it’s produced in the most bee- and environment-friendly way.

 

Raw Honey: The difference between raw honey and pure honey is that in addition to being pure, “raw” honey has not been heated to the point of pasteurization (no higher than 118°F). The benefit of not heating honey is that the naturally-occurring enzymes, vitamins and minerals are preserved and you get the full benefits of them from eating raw honey. Many beekeepers who produce raw honey are also aware that how they care for the bees and handle the honey has a big impact on the honey you eat, so it’s a good bet that raw honey is good for the bees too and the process has been handled with care. If you have the choice between raw honey vs regular honey, raw honey is a better choice for health, taste, bees and the environment.

 

Organic Honey: Organic honey is produced from the pollen of organically grown plants, and without chemical miticides to treat the bees. Buying organic honey ensures that you avoid contact with pesticides that may be sprayed on or near the plants visited by honeybees. Of course, bees usually fly up to 2 miles from the hive looking for flowers, which means that all the flowers within this 2-mile radius must be certified organic in order for the honey to truly be organic. As you would expect this can be difficult to control, but an Organic certification is a good way you can be sure the apiary is taking care to ensure it. It’s also important to remember that honey labeled “organic” is not necessarily raw or minimally processed unless labelled as such. Much of the certified organic honey available in the United States is imported in large quantities from Brazil or other foreign countries and undergoes pasteurization and heavy filtration. Look for both raw and organic on the label.

 

Unfiltered Honey: “Filtering” honey means processing the honey to remove very small particles, often even as small as the pollen. Filtering honey is not the same as straining honey, which is commonly done to remove bee parts and other large debris prior to jarring while still retaining the pollen and other beneficial qualities of honey. With filtration, honey is also often heated to become more liquid in order to make the filtering process easier, meaning that the honey is no longer raw. Therefore, unfiltered honey is not necessarily raw unless labelled so, but it will be closer to its state straight from the hive than honey that has been filtered. Choosing raw unfiltered honey ensures the most properties have been preserved.

 

Knowing what these words mean will help you choose the best honey for you and for the environment. Unfortunately there is little regulation on honey labelling, so it can be difficult to know for sure by these claims on labels alone. To make sure you get exactly what you’re looking for, the best thing is to look for small, artisanal or honey producers who are transparent about their production processes. Try visiting your local farmers market, checking natural foods shops, or visiting grocery stores that carry a good variety of honey.

 

You can also find high quality pure, raw, unfiltered and organic honey online at bigislandbees.com/collections/all-products. We produce three unique varietals on the Big Island of Hawaii, where we carefully tend to our own hives without the use of artificial feeds or chemical miticides. This care is then preserved by a slow and deliberate packing operation without the use of heat or filtration.

Three times a year, our bees are moved to indulge in the nectar of a single type of flower blooming in a unique ecosystem on the remote Island of Hawaii. The pristine and rare geography of the island provide a favorable environment for floral fidelity, which results in remarkably pure and intense flavors unique to Hawaii.

 

THE CONSISTENT QUALITY OF OUR HONEY

Not all honey is created equal. Even the terminology used to label honey is unreliable because there are few standards set by the USDA. We care where our own food comes from and how it was produced, therefore we want to help our customers know exactly what is in the jar.

 

WE PACK ONLY THE HONEY FROM OUR OWN HIVES

We are a family operation selling only the honey our bees produce. We do not sell honey from third party producers under our label and are therefore responsible both for the care of our bees and the methods by which we produce our honey.

 

Every jar is filled with pure, raw, unfiltered Hawaiian honey that comes straight from our hives on the Big Island of Hawaii.

 

ORGANICALLY PRODUCED, SLOW PACKED

We adhere to the principles of the slow food movement and believe that foods should be produced carefully and savored. But above all, we believe that nature’s purest foods are also the healthiest and most flavorful. Pesticide and herbicide residues in non-organic honey can taint the flavor and commercially processed methods of packing honey remove and destroy the pollen, enzymes and other compounds that give raw honey its taste and beneficial properties.

 

We produce all our honey artisanally and organically without the use of artificial feeds, chemical miticides, heat, or filtration and only use organic compounds to care for our bees.

 

Our ‘Ohi’a Lehua and Wilelaiki honey varietals are certified organic by the International Certification Services, Inc.

 

ECO-FRIENDLY

We pack our honey in glass jars to preserve the flavor and integrity of the raw honey and then ship them to you with environmentally sensitive packaging, specifically engineered to fit snugly around each jar. Our customers are universally delighted that we put the same care and effort into packaging the honey as we do to produce it.

OUR VARIETALS

We produce three unique, single-floral honey varietals. Each variety comes from a single source of nectar visited by the bees at various locations on the island at different times of year. The distinct properties of each flower are what gives each honey variety a unique flavor.

 

<h3>LEHUA HONEY</h3>

LEHUA HONEY

One of the world’s rarest honeys, organic Ohi’a Lehua honey (also known as Lehua honey) is found only in Hawaii, and is produced in late spring and early summer from Lehua blossoms in the Ohi’a forests of Mauna Loa. It is a white, crystallized honey, with a naturally thick, spreadable texture, and a delicate, understated floral flavor. Ideal for tea drinkers, since it doesn’t mask the taste of the tea, it is also excellent for spreading on toast, mixing with nut butters, and scooping directly from the jar!

 

Our Lehua honey is certified organic and bears the USDA organic logo on the label.