What is raw honey?
Raw honey is unfiltered, natural honey. Raw honey is honey as it exists in the beehive. It is made by extracting honey from the honeycombs and then pouring it over a mesh to separate out the impurities, such as beeswax and dead bees.
Once strained, raw honey is bottled and ready to be enjoyed.
Honey that lasts and lasts (until it’s gone)
Because of the different compounds it contains, namely a specific enzyme found in the stomach of the bees which suppresses the growth of harmful bacteria, honey can last almost indefinitely, as long as its exposure to humidity is limited.
Health benefits of raw honey
Most of the health benefits of honey can be attributed to its antioxidants and enzymes. Unprocessed, raw honey contains nearly 30 types of bioactive plant compounds. These polyphenols act as healing antioxidants and have been linked to impressive health benefits, including reduced inflammation and a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers.
Raw honey contains amazing micronutrients, key vitamins and minerals, including vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, niacin, zinc, iron, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and selenium. Honey also contains a total of 22 amino acids and around 5,000 enzymes.
Raw honey contains bee pollen and propolis: a “bee glue” that honey bees collect from tree buds. Propolis has antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Bee pollen is surprisingly nutritious and contains vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids, micronutrients and antioxidants. Bee pollen has been linked to many impressive health benefits and the German Federal Ministry of Health recognises bee pollen as a medicine in itself.
The processing of honey
Why choose raw honey? Because raw honey contains a wide variety of nutrients, whereas processed honey may not.
A lot of the honey available today is processed. Processed honey is quite different from raw honey due to the filtering it goes through, stripping it of many of its natural health benefits. Pasteurisation, a process of applying high heat, makes honey smoother and more liquid. It also destroys the yeast found in honey by.
Filtration, which takes out air bubbles and other bits so the honey stays as a clear liquid for longer and is more aesthetically appealing to many consumers, further removes many beneficial nutrients like pollen, propolis, enzymes and antioxidants.
Essentially, raw honey is more nutritious than ultra-filtered, processed, pasteurised honey. It is extracted from the beehive, strained and poured straight into the jar, bypassing commercial processing methods, which can also include the adding sugar or sweeteners by some unscrupulous honey manufacturers.
What are the main differences between raw and regular honey?
Honey has been linked to some impressive health benefits. However, these health benefits are mostly related to raw honey, because it is higher in antioxidants and other beneficial components.
Why choose raw honey?
If you want to be sure to get all the health benefits, then you should choose raw honey. While commercial honeys are by no means bad, when it comes to choosing a honey, your best bet is to go raw; that way you know exactly what you are putting into your body.
How do I know if I’m buying raw honey?
Raw honey is found in both liquid and creamed form. If you buy liquid raw honey, it may crystallise or solidify over time. The colour of raw honey will vary from various shades of yellow to brown or even white. This is due to the type of flowers the bees have been feeding from. Raw honey may opaque, milky or even clear. For most of us, it is not possible to tell whether a honey is raw based on colour, taste or form alone.
Unless you see the term raw on a honey label, you can assume that it’s been processed. So, only buy honey that is clearly labelled ‘raw honey”. To ensure you are eating unadulterated, real honey and to support the local beekeepers, buy 100% New Zealand raw honey. We ship worldwide. We pride ourselves on producing quality raw honey and truly believe our raw manuka honey is the best in the world.
Check out our raw NZ manuka honey. It’s lovely, pure honey!
PREMIUM RAW MANUKA HONEY
