Which honey is best?
Deliciously sweet and loaded with antioxidants, honey is a substance that bees produce after gathering nectar from flowers. Humans have been collecting honey for thousands of years, using the thick liquid as a versatile sweetener or an herbal treatment for coughs.
Honey sounds like a simple purchase at first, but you may be surprised by the countless varieties that exist and the many health benefits it offers. If you want a delicious honey that’s minimally processed and certified organic, Wedderspoon Raw Organic Manuka Honey is the top pick.
What to know before you buy honey
Health benefits of honey
Honey has a long history of use in traditional medicine and home remedies. Although it’s still a calorie-rich sweetener that should be eaten in moderation, it has a number of benefits that have been verified by scientific studies.
Honey, particularly varieties that are dark in color, is naturally rich in antioxidants, molecules that fight off harmful free radicals that could lead to heart disease and certain cancers. Studies shared by the National Institutes of Health have shown that honey contains anti-inflammatory properties and have also confirmed its effectiveness as a natural cough suppressant.
Types of honey
Although they taste similar, no two varieties of honey are exactly alike. In the United States alone, there are over 300 varieties of honey available for purchase, each with their own unique taste and nutritional value. When shopping for honey, you’ll probably come across at least a few of the following varieties.
Clover: The classic variety commonly found on grocery store shelves, clover honey has a light color and mild taste. Wildflower: This is a polyfloral type of honey, which means the bees took nectar from a number of separate wildflower species. The look and flavor of this honey can vary depending on the season and the region, but it’s often used as a cough suppressant. Manuka: Native to Australia and New Zealand, Manuka is a rich, dark honey with a somewhat earthy taste. It’s famous for its antibacterial and antiviral properties and is used as a natural treatment for everything from gum disease to irritable bowel syndrome. Tupelo: Another popular variety, this honey comes from the nectar of the tupelo tree, which is native to the southern United States. It has a very light appearance and floral taste. People who brew mead, a type of honey wine, often use this variety. Dandelion: Technically not real honey, dandelion honey is derived from dandelion flowers without the involvement of honeybees. It tastes very similar to traditional honey but it’s suitable for vegans to enjoy.What to look for in quality honey
Raw honey
When shopping for honey, you’ll probably come across terms such as raw and unpasteurized. This typically means that the honey was taken straight from the hive to the jar, with very little processing involved. Pasteurization is the process of heating honey to slow crystallization and destroy any impurities, but it often reduces the health benefits in the process. Most raw honey is natural, unfiltered and unpasteurized, thereby retaining all of its nutritional value.
Container
Most honey is sold in plastic or glass containers. Some purists avoid plastic because they think it could affect the taste of the honey. Plastic is also not an eco-friendly material. On the other hand, glass is breakable and some plastic containers of honey can be squeezed to make pouring easier.
How much you can expect to spend on honey
Clover honey is usually around $5 to $15, while rarer varieties such as Manuka and tupelo can be $20 or more. In most cases, expect to spend around $0.20 to $2 per ounce.
Honey FAQ
Does adding honey to hot beverages reduce the health benefits?
A. Adding boiling water to honey can definitely affect the benefits, so consider letting your beverage cool down a little before mixing honey into it.
Do vegans eat honey?
A. While it always depends on the person, many people who follow a vegan lifestyle don’t eat honey because of the commercial farming of bees.
Should I throw out crystallized honey?
A. If it isn’t eaten quickly enough, honey eventually begins to crystallize. Honey never expires, however, so you can easily reverse the process by submerging the container in warm water until the crystals soften and dissolve.
What is the best honey to buy?
Top honey
Wedderspoon Raw Organic Manuka Honey
What you need to know: This popular New Zealand honey is unpasteurized and organic.
What you’ll love: Made by bees who feed on wild Manuka blossoms, this raw honey is delicious, rich and certified organic by the United States Department of Agriculture. Manuka honey is known for containing prebiotics for improved gut health and loads of antioxidants.
What you should consider: Some users wished it came in a glass jar instead of a plastic one.
Top honey for the money
Nature Nate’s 100% Pure, Raw and Unfiltered Honey
What you need to know: This affordable raw honey comes in a large container that makes pouring easy.
What you’ll love: The raw honey is natural and unfiltered, and the convenient squeeze bottle prevents any mess when drizzling. The company has been around since 1972 and has won awards for its honey.
What you should consider: Although it’s marketed as raw, this honey is gently heated and may lose some of its health benefits through that process.
Worth checking out
Oneroot 100% Canadian Wildflower Honey
What you need to know: If you’re looking for something a little different, this raw, unfiltered honey has a creamy consistency and a unique taste.
What you’ll love: This pure honey is unfiltered, unheated and sourced from the wildflower fields of Canada. Naturally smooth, it’s creamy and easy to spread with a lighter mouthfeel than traditional honey.
What you should consider: Some people simply don’t enjoy the taste and consistency of white honey.
Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.
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