My Natural Health Blog

Let us begin to appreciate the very industrious Honey Bee for providing us with an amazing food, infact one of the most perfect foods available in the world: Raw honey. There are many health benefits you can derive from having honey in your diet, especially raw honey.

Honey in its raw, unprocessed state, is one of the most perfect foods in nature, and in addition to many essential nutrients, one ounce of raw honey comprises about 18 amino acids, 20 vitamins, and 16 minerals, as well being rich in phenolic acids, flavonoids and phytonutrients. 

Raw honey has antibacterial, antifungal, and antiviral properties to name a few, and the health benefits from ingesting it are indeed significant. 

Most processed honey is sparkling clear and free from wax and other forms of debris, but the processing of raw honey to achieve this often destroys a lot of the good vitamins and enzymes. Heating or pastuerisation is the main factor responsible for this. Processed honey however still retains some benefit and should not be overlooked.

However it is still obvious that raw honey has a significant health advantage over processed. Its' many unaltered enzymes and nutirents are always readily available to nourish and heal the body. Why then do you think raw honey is processed even though it has more minerals and vitamins when compared to processed honey?

Let us take a quick look at what processing entails. There are three main steps to processing on a commercial scale. 

·        1. Filtering:

Filtering cleans up the appearance of raw honey by removing debris after the extraction process. (eg dead bees, wax, clumps of pollen, and other visible particles) It also will remove some micronutrients, and a fine filter will remove all residual grains of pollen as well. (this will lessen the immune boosting properties of honey.) 

·        2. Heating:

This is the process of pastuerising the honey using high heat to remove naturally occuring  bacteria, microrganisims and yeast.  (This is where many of the wonderful health giving properties of the raw honey are destroyed.) This process also helps keep the honey in a liquid state longer and prolongs crystallisation from occuring. In saying this, there are some processed honeys which are carefully treated at a lower temperature so as to retain valuable qualities and nutrients.

·        3. Blending:

This involves mixing or blending honey from two or many different sources, ensuring a particular brand of honey looks and tastes the same. The honeys' unique flavours may be lost during this process. 

Commercial processing of honey may reassure some consumers of consistency in quality and appearance. Processed honey is often the preferred choice for individuals who have compromised immune systems as the honey has been pasteurised.

There are still some vitamins and  minerals left in the honey after it has been processed. High heat processing of raw honey damages the enzymes which the bees leave behind during the conversion of nectar into honey. These enzymes play a valuable part in raw honey and its health giving benefits

Honey consists mostly of fructose - approximately 38-39%, glucose - approximately 31% and water 17-18%. It also contains trace amounts of other carbohydrates, as well as all of the powerful nutrients listed above. The seasons and the plants/flowers that bees collect nectar and pollen from will determine the unique flavour and appearance of each honey. With pure honey this can differ greatly and it's a real treat to be able to select your favourite flavour -eg: Manuka, Beech, Clover etc... People who eat only blended honeys may be led to believe all honey tastes the same! 

In conclusion, processing of honey may reduce some of its' amazing benefits, but it means the honey is free from impurities, while raw or minimally processed honey is full of wonderful health giving properties! Some blended honey may contain corn syrup as well, so remember - pure honey is always best where possible!

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