Raw Honey 101

What is Raw Honey?

Raw honey is one of nature’s purest foods and is far more than your daily dose of sweet. Raw honey has been around for centuries and is one natural food that will never go bad. It’s been eaten out of the tombs of Egypt! Raw honey is incredibly stable due to the fact that it’s a sugar that contains very little moisture and is acidic. In other words, bacteria and microorganisms that cause spoilage will not live long inside of raw honey. It will last forever. To delay the natural crystallization of raw honey, keep it stored in a warm place, in a sealed container. Larger amounts of raw honey can be froze for later use and can be brought back to the liquid state by placing the container in warm water.

Raw honey is impressive. It contains 22 amino acids, 27 minerals and 5,000 enzymes. Minerals include iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and selenium. Vitamins found in honey include vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid and niacin. The antioxidant properties in the honey help neutralize free radicals in the body while helping grow healthy bacteria in the digestive tract. One tablespoon of raw honey has less impact on glycemic load than a single banana! So if you want to sweeten a smoothie up, try raw honey instead of a banana. As well, raw honey does not cause a sugar spike and elevated insulin levels like white sugar. Keep in mind that these are benefits of raw honey and not pasteurized honey. Honey that has been pasteurized loses the health benefits that it once had in its raw form. The darker the honey, the richer the flavour and higher the nutritional benefits.

Where To Buy

Local farmer’s market
Local health food store
Directly from the beekeeping farm

Health Benefits

Natural energy source
Antioxidant powerhouse
Counters pollen allergies
Weight management
Natural cough syrup
Sleep promoter
Heals wounds

How To Use

Never cook with raw honey - instead, drizzle it over any desired food. To maintain as many of the nutrients and natural properties in honey you need to keep it away from heat. This includes storing it away from any heat source.

Raw Honey VS Commercial Honey

Raw honey is a crude form of honey immediately taken out of the honeycombs in a beehive. This most natural form of honey commonly contains bee pollen and propolis, which enhance health benefits. Raw honey cannot be heated above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, which is the temperature of the beehive.

Commercial honey is often heavily processed and may even have been chemically refined. Excessive heat destroys the honey’s natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Filtering and processing eliminate many of the beneficial nutrients, including pollen and propolis. If the honey is sparkling clear then it has been heated - so avoid the golden, syrupy consistency and look for a more opaque, raw organic honey.

Commercial honey is filled with additives and can be sourced from bees that are treated with antibiotics and the hives are made of non-organic materials. The hives may contain pests and are cleaned with non-organic substances.

Raw Honey

Most crude and natural form of honey
Unfiltered, unpasteurized, and pure product that is made by bees from the nectar of a flower
Contains bee pollen and propolis, which enhance health benefits
Free from additives

Commercial Honey

Likely chemically refined
Heavily processed, filtered, pasteurized and may have additives
Filtering and processing destroys and eliminates the beneficial nutrients like pollen and propolis
Excessively heated, destroying natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals
Likely sourced from bees treated with antibiotics and come from non-organic hives