Why Raw Honey?

Raw honey is only strained before it's bottled, which means it retains the beneficial nutrients and antioxidants that it naturally contains. Conversely, regular honey may undergo a variety of processing, which may remove beneficial nutrients like pollen and reduce its level of antioxidants

Real versus Processed

Raw honey is best described as honey as it exists in the beehive. It is known as Natural Honey.

It is made by extracting honey from the honeycombs of the hive and pouring it over a screen to separate the honey from impurities like beeswax and dead bees.

Once strained, raw honey is bottled and ready to be enjoyed.

On the other hand, the production of regular honey involves several more steps before it is bottled — such as pasteurization and filtration.

Manufactures use asteurization that destroys the yeast found in honey by applying high heat. This helps extend the shelf life. Commercial honeys are additionally processed by undergoing ultrafiltration. This process further refines it to make it more transparent and smooth, but it can also remove beneficial nutrients like pollen, enzymes and antioxidants .

Manufacturers may add sugar or sweeteners to honey to reduce costs.

Most Supermarket Honey is NOT Raw

Raw Honey Is More Nutritious

Raw honey contains a wide variety of nutrients.

It has approximately 22 amino acids, 31 different minerals and a wide range of vitamins and enzymes.

What’s most impressive about raw honey is that it contains nearly 30 types of bioactive plant compounds. These are called polyphenols, and they act as antioxidants.

Studies have linked these antioxidants with impressive health benefits, including reduced inflammation and a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers .

For example, one study compared the antioxidants in raw and processed honey from a local market. They found that the raw honey contained up to 4.3 times more antioxidants than the processed variety.

Most Regular Honey Doesn’t Contain Any Pollen

Bees travel from flower to flower collecting nectar and pollen.

The nectar and pollen are taken back to the beehive, where they are packed into the honeycomb and eventually become a food source for the bees .

Bee pollen is surprisingly nutritious and contains over 250 substances, including vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids, micronutrients and antioxidants .

In fact, the German Ministry of Health recognizes bee pollen as a medicine .

Bee pollen has been linked to many impressive health benefits. Studies have found that it may fight inflammation and improve liver function. It also has properties that may help fight against heart disease and stroke .

One study analyzed 60 samples of commercial honey brands in the US and discovered that over 75% of all samples contained no pollen.