What Is Raw Honey?
Raw honey is considered to be honey that is in its most natural form, as it would exist in a beehive. It contains many beneficial properties that processed honey, unfortunately, does not, such as bee propolis, bee pollen and many needed antioxidants. In essence, raw honey has not undergone any heating or chemical processing to refine it.
The harvesting of raw honey entails the extraction of it from the honeycomb, after which a cloth or form of mesh splits the actual honey from any wax or dead bees. The raw honey is then strained and can be consumed for its many benefits in its untouched, natural form.
The Benefits Of Raw Honey
When left as nature intended, raw honey presents an impressive list of health and medical benefits such as:
- Antibacterial and antimicrobial properties
- High in vitamins and minerals
- High antioxidant value
- Anti-inflammatory
- Wound-healing properties
- Antiviral and antifungal properties
- Aids brain health and overall immune system functioning
- Aids in digestion also helps with coughs and sore throats
Pure & Raw honey – Is There A Difference?
When it comes to honey, the terms ‘pure’ and ‘raw’ can be thrown around quite a bit due to inaccurate labelling and false claims from brands.
Knowing what each entails and what to look out for is important. There is a difference between pure honey and raw honey which comes down to some minor details to consider.
Pure honey entails that the honey has no added ingredients such as corn syrup or any other artificial sweeteners. However, pure honey means that it has been pasteurised as opposed to raw honey. Raw honey, on the other hand, means that the honey has come directly from the hive and has not been interfered with at all. Raw honey can be filtered or unfiltered depending on the brand of choice; however, this also comes down to the consumer’s personal preference.
Regular honey, which may be bought in any grocery store, is typically pasteurised and can contain added sugars more often than not. If you are looking for pure or raw honey, it is best to shop at a trusted health store that outsources certified brands of pure and raw honey to ensure you get the real deal.
How To Tell If Honey Is Raw
To start, we need to understand why honey is pasteurised in the first place. The honey found in the average commercial grocery store has, more likely than not, been pasteurised. The purpose of honey undergoing this process is to allow the extreme heat to prolong the shelf life whilst also improving the honey’s texture, colour and appearance. Furthermore, pasteurisation removes any crystallisation in the honey and kills off any organisms, such as yeast. Unfortunately, the majority of the health benefits of honey fall away when it is taken out of its raw, untampered natural state.
What To Check For
In terms of checking if honey is raw, firstly, check out the label carefully before buying it. As much as terms such as ‘natural’, ‘organic’ and ‘pure’ are more reliable, they need further confirmation whether the honey is genuinely 100% unpasteurised and raw.
The next consideration is the physical appearance of the honey. Raw honey is murkier or cloudier than conventional honey and is very sticky and notably thick. Depending on the makeup and storage, raw honey can also crystalise, which is perfectly normal. It also caramelises very quickly upon exposure to heat and forms a lump when submerged in water.
Our Provider Of Choice
Plan Bee Honey
Plan Bee is a small local business involved with local communities in Mpumalanga, Limpopo and Gauteng. As a brand, they are all about natural honey, putting passion into their produce.
They aim to provide real honey that is socially responsible and allows for the continent and people of Africa to benefit. Their mission aligns with their product perfectly as Plan Bee teaches the skills required to help grow small sustainable beekeeping businesses.
We currently stock Plan Bee honeycomb and Plan Bee pure raw African honey. All their honey is 100% pure, non-pasteurised and non-irradiated, exactly as it should be.
Worth The Buzz
Raw honey is undoubtedly one of the best additions we can introduce into our diets to naturally boost our immunity daily. Being a great alternative to refined sugar overall, it acts as a natural sweetener with benefits and not just as a source of empty calories.
With its long list of benefits as well as its mineral and nutritional profile, honey is a superfood compound when in its natural form. Discover the full range of raw honey that we stock from our trusted providers.
