Raw Honey is an intensely sweet yellow–orange viscous carbohydrate liquid produced by bees from flower nectar.
Plant Description
History
Various Types of Honey & Their Unique Characteristics
Mechanism of Action
Additional Information
Key Actions
Usable Parts
Directions of Preparation
Recommended Dosage
• Raw Honey contain:
• Concentrated source of the Monosaccharides and Sucrose (glucose and fructose).
• Raw Honey is excellent in Sugars.
• Raw Honey is very good in Energy, Carbohydrate.
• Bee Pollen and Propolis, which are both two very positive health additions.
• Minerals (such as Zinc, Copper, Magnesium, Potassium, Calcium and Manganese),
• High levels of B-complex Vitamins and Vitamin C,
• Hydrogen peroxide,
• There are 64 calories in a tablespoon of the raw honey, but no fat or Cholesterol.
• Raw Honey (Raw, Unfiltered) is a real food and Raw Honey doesn’t spoil (at about 18-19% Water and with a pH of 3-4, the Raw Honey is very stable and can last for centuries).
Expert Advice:
* Do not overheat Raw Honey, as this will alter its medicinal properties.
Health Benefits of Raw Honey
Anti-Aging
• Foods rich in complex Carbohydrates (largely) stimulates the production of growth Hormone and two (2) anabolic Hormones (insulin and insulin like growth factor 1 [IGF-1]), which are a key Anti-Aging Hormones. IGF-1 is involved in cellular recovery and rejuvenation.
• Chestnut Honey high anti-oxidants content, helps to makes the Skin look younger and prevents Anti-Aging feature (such as wrinkles caused by aging).
Foods & Bones
Cancer & Tumor Prevention
• Raw Honey contain wonderful anti-oxidants compounds (such as Flavonoids and Phenolic) which help reduce the risk of some Cancers and heart disease.
• Its a Superfood and give it anti-metastatic properties that can Fight tumors and Cancer.
• It contain pinocembrin (a Flavonoid which supports enzyme activity), and many studies have shown that pinocembrin induces apoptosis (programmed cell death) of many types of Cancer cells.
• Alfalfa Honey active components are also known to bind well with carcinogens in the body and colon, thus promoting their expulsion from the body before they can do any more damage.
Foods & Cancer
Cardiovascular System
• Foods rich in Carbohydrate foods may lower blood pressure and improve serum Lipids. They reduce fasting plasma Cholesterol which is associated with reduced risk of heart disease.
Foods & Cardiovascular System
Diabetes
• Natural Raw Honey increases insulin and decreases hyperglycemia, thus actually lowers plasma glucose (blood sugar), C-reactive Protein (a measure of inflammation) and homocysteine (a risk factor for heart disease) in both healthy and diabetic subjects. Consumption of Raw Honey (in combination with Cinnamon) can reduce the risk of developing Diabetes and help aid in its treatment.
Note:
* Pasteurized and processed Raw Honey has fewer nutrients as many of the phytonutrients and enzymes that are found in Raw Honey are destroyed by pasteurization and high heat processing.
* The harder the Raw Honey, the better as the strength of crystallization (hardness) determines the level of live-state nutrients and heat-sensitive enzymes.
* Raw Honey is still sugar, so proceed with caution if you’ve got blood sugar issues.
Foods & Diabetes
Digestive System
• Raw Honey has been known to help prevent GERD (Gastroesophageal Reflux ) and soothe acid Reflux and Heartburn. It can help reduce symptoms associated with acid Reflux and it can aid in healing the esophagus.
• Soluble Fiber Carbohydrates help in delaying gastric emptying and slowing the transit of food through the upper GI tract. They slow the absorption of nutrients from the small intestine.
• Alfalfa Honey density and composition enables it to form a protective layer over inflammed mucous membranes it comes into contact with, allowing them to heal and regenerate, helping improve various conditions. Alfalfa Honey can help soothe an irritated stomach lining, thus useful for Gastritis. It has a natural Prebiotic effect, nourishing the good bacteria (such as bifidobacterium bifidum, bifidobacterium Infantsis, bifidobacterium breve, bifidobacterium lonGum and bifidobacterium adolescentis) in our Digestive tract and thus promoting Digestive health.
• Dandelion Honey is taken on an empty stomach, it help calm Digestive upset (such as discomfort caused by Gastritis and stimulate appetite), but its effects are believed to be mild.
Foods & Digestive System
Energy
• Raw Honey has been called the perfect running fuel (University of Memphis, Exercise and Sports Nutrition Laboratory).
• It provides an easily absorbed supply of Energy in The Liver in the form of glycogen, making it ideal for energetic morning starts and as a pre-exercise and post-exercise Energy source (a Raw Honey for both fueling and recovery).
• The glucose and fructose hit the bloodstream quickly, which gives the boost you need to get moving.
• Carbohydrates are the primary Energy source of the body as it is converted to glucose (necessary for production of ATP- the Energy source).
• Acacia Honey is a great energizing food, recommended for children or anyone recovering from illness, exhaustion or a Stressful period.
• Asphodel Honey is great for fatigue and Hypoglycemia, and has tonic, energizing effects primarily thanks to its content of natural sugars, but also to its nutritional value.
Foods & Energy
Immune System
• Raw Honey contain several members of the disease-fighting anti-oxidant Flavonoids (such flavanones, flavones, flavonols, pinocembrin, pinostrobin and chrysin) known for their anti-oxidant activity and are important for human health.
• It also contain Phenolic compounds (gallic acid, chrysin, elegiac acid, p-Coumaric acid, syringic acid, ferulic acid, and Caffeic Acid) which all contribute to the healing of the cells of the body.
• All Raw Honey is anti-bacterial, because the bees add an enzyme that makes hydrogen peroxide (Peter Molan, University of Waikato in New Zealand).
• Raw Honey may stimulate antibody production during primary and secondary immune responses (Journal of Medicinal Food). It contain royalisin (an anti-bacterial Protein) and melatonin which also boosts immunity and helps rebuild tissue during periods of rest.
• Raw Honey contain Bee Pollen, which is known to ward off Infections, provide natural Allergies relief and boost overall immunity. Raw Honey acts like a natural vaccine (Dr. Matthew Brennecke, Rocky Mountain Wellness Center in Fort Collins).
• Clover Honey contain hydrogen peroxide (a natural anti-bacterial agent found in most varieties of raw honey), which helps the Immune System combat foreign agents and potential Infections throughout the body). It has a number of powerful Polyphenolic anti-oxidants which can help to reduce chronic diseases in the body by preventing oxidative Stress and the negative effects of free radicals.
• Manuka Honey is rich in methylglyoxal (a rare compound that has excellent Anti-Microbial properties).
• Pine Honey boasts antiseptic properties and Anti-Microbial effects, where glucose oxidase (an enzyme from bees), the acidic pH and the low moisture content plays major roles. Bees secrete glucose oxidase which helps synthesize hydrogen peroxide (a natural disinfectant and immune modulating molecule) from glucose. Hydrogen peroxide (a natural anti-bacterial agent) is used to call on white blood cells to repair cell damage and Fight bacteria, viruses and other harmful agents. The acidic pH of Pine Honey (4.6 – 4.8) further contributes to its Anti-Microbial effects. The low moisture content inhibits bacteria growth, adding to the antibacterial action. Its pollen particles also has proven boosting effects on the Immune System and has an acidic pH and low moisture content that utterly discourage bacteria growth.
Foods & Immune System
Infections
• Raw Honey is one of the oldest traditional medicines and considered to be important in the treatment of several human ailments.
• The belief that Raw Honey is a nutrient, a drug and an ointment has long been accepted, thus apitherapy has been developed in recent years, offering treatments based on Raw Honey and other bee products against many diseases (including bacterial Infections).
• Its also known to produce an enzyme that in turn produces a form of hydrogen peroxide, which prohibits the growth of bacteria.
• Its consumption improve overall and individual symptoms of Allergic rhinitis (an allergic response that causes itchy, watery Eyes, sneezing and other similar symptoms).
• Its a natural anti-bacterial with Wound-healing effects.
• Raw honey-infused bandages reacts with the body’s Fluids to make hydrogen peroxide, creating an inhospitable environment for bacteria.
• For the treatment of Burns and Wounds, Raw Honey is typically applied directly to the problem area.
• Herpes patients will be relieved to hear that Raw Honey can help with symptoms of herpes because if applied on sores, it draws Fluid away from them.
• It may reduce the size, pain and odour of problematic Skin ulcers (effectively treating various types of ulcers as well).
• Acacia Honey (or raw honey in general) boasts strong natural antiseptic and Anti-Microbial properties as it contain hydrogen peroxide (a powerful natural disinfectant). Hydrogen peroxide is synthesized with the help of catalase (an enzyme from pollen) and glucose oxidase (an enzyme produced by bees), which synthesize hydrogen peroxide from glucose. Acacia Honey is also as a natural antiseptic because of its acidity, having a low pH of around 3.5.
• Lavender Honey has particularly strong anti-fungal effect against the Candida krusei fungus.
• Manuka Honey is also rich in enzymes (such as glucose oxidase) which has the ability to convert compounds of glucose to hydrogen peroxide and thereby reduce the affinity for Infections. Its a broad spectrum anti-bacterial which has the ability to even heal Wounds that are caused on legs (ulceration), due to Anti-Biotic-resistant bacteria. It also inhibit Varicella-zoster virus which is responsible for highly disturbing conditions (such as chickenpox and Shingles).
Foods & Infections
Intestine
• Raw Honey may help in the treatment of intestinal disorders (such as ulcers and bacterial gastro-enteritis).
• Pine Honey is a rich source of oligosaccharides (natural sugar-based compounds and a component of Dietary Fiber with Digestive benefits, due to its Probiotic action, supporting healthy gut flora).
Foods & Intestine
Metabolism
• Carbohydrates help support normal Thyroid Hormone and overall metabolic function, allowing us to burn more calories throughout the day.
Foods & Metabolism
Musculoskeletal System
• Carbohydrate foods facilitate increase in strength and muscle mass. They are helpful in improving athletic performance.
• Chestnut Honey rich B-complex Vitamins, Vitamin C, Minerals and Iron, helps to strengthens the muscles and Bones, increases blood circulation. Its rich anti-oxidants are good for Arthritis diseases which cause inflammation in joints.
Foods & Musculoskeletal System
Reproductive Health
• Raw Honey increases sex drive and regular consumption can give the libido the boost it deserves.
• It can help give people more arousal in the bedroom as a natural aphrodisiac.
• For men, Raw Honey helps men produce more testosterone.
• For women, it helps with estrogen levels.
Foods & Reproductive Health
Respiratory System
• Raw Honey is effective in treating Coughs (just like over-the-counter commercial Cough Syrups) as it can reduce mucus secretion and Coughs.
• Its just as effective common ingredients found in over-the counter Cough medicines (such as diphenhydramine and dextromethorphan).
• The Raw Honey coats the throat and keeps it calm by soothing the nerve endings that protect the throat.
• Acacia Honey inhibits the growth of bacteria, due to its acidity, hence the reason why eating raw honey helps treat Respiratory Infections in which there is considerable bacterial load in the throat.
Foods & Respiratory System
Skin Health
• Raw Honey works so well with scalp issues because of its anti-fungal, Anti-Inflammatory, and anti-bacterial properties. It has long been used as an anti-bacterial salve for treating cuts and Wounds.
• The scalp will get back to its healthy condition when a diluted solution of Raw Honey and Water is applied to the scalp and left for a few hours, over time.
• Its a natural treatment that may give the relief and helps with Eczema (a Skin condition that involves the Skin‘s outer layer becoming inflamed, probably a bit dry and flaky, and in some Patches may look like little scales).
• Raw Honey has been used to help heal Wounds (when applied directly) and also good in treating ulcers, sores and Infections. It successfully treats Wounds infected with methicillin resistant bacteria and it provides a protective coating to create a moist atmosphere.
• Bees make defensin-1 (a Protein that they add to the Raw Honey), which could one day be used to treat Burns and Skin Infections and to develop new drugs that could combat Anti-Biotic-resistant Infections.
• Simply apply Raw Honey and it will help disinfect the Wound from some serious bacteria like MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ).
• It contain humectants (moisturizes the Skin and have the ability to kill the bacteria that is causing Acne).
• Cherry Blossom Honey is a wonderful natural remedy for various Skin issues, when applied regularly, it can help unclog pores from impurities and clear sebum, taking away the source of food of acne-causing bacteria and thus help reduce Acne breakouts and minimize the effects of the condition.
• Chestnut Honey is a wonderful natural remedy for various Skin issues, when applied regularly, it can help unclog pores from impurities and clear sebum, taking away the source of food of acne-causing bacteria and thus help reduce Acne breakouts and minimize the effects of the condition. It can help with sensitive Skin, dermatitis and Eczema and exert Anti-Aging benefits. Its anti-bacterial effect is good for Acne (when applied as a face mask by mixing with Oat flour) and also reduces Skin exfoliation.
• Lavender Honey (but not Lavender Essential Oil) can promote Wound healing.
Foods & Skin Health
The Brain & Nervous System
• Raw Honey promotes good sleep, by restocking The Liver‘s glycogen supply and preventing the brain from triggering a crisis search for fuel (a condition that can wake you up). It boosts memory, help prevent cellular damage and loss within the brain and helps the brain absorb Calcium, which helps with memory as well.
• Foods rich in complex Carbohydrates contribute to better release of neurotransmitter serotonin which ensure a restful sleep, improved mood. Diets that are low in Carbohydrates is a hindrance to synthesizing serotonin thus leading to Insomnia and mood swings.
• It fosters the release of melatonin in the brain by creating a small spike in insulin levels, which stimulates the release of Tryptophan (Tryptophan converts to serotonin, which is then converted to melatonin) in the brain.
• Lavender Honey has the highest levels of Tyrosine (among many varieties of Honeys). The body uses Tyrosine to make neurotransmitters that may help prevent or treat certain conditions involving the brain.
Foods & Nervous System
Weight Management
• Raw Honey can activate Hormones that suppress the appetite (University of Wyoming). Raw Honey may lower serum triglycerides and replacing sugar with Raw Honey can actually help prevent packing on extra pounds and also lower blood sugar (San Diego State University).
Foods & Weight Management
Women Health
• Raw Honey Flavonoids helps keep candida albicans (the cause of Yeast Infection) at bay in a majority of women who try Raw Honey as a home remedy. It also helps with estrogen levels.
• Alfalfa Honey content makes it very effective in minimizing the symptoms and pain associated with menstruation in women, due to its estrogenic properties. Alfalfa has Isoflavones and Coumarins which have estrogenic activity, thus proving useful in treating problems relating to menstruation and Menopause.
Foods & Women Health
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) of Honey
The Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)
(per 100g) of
Honey
Healthy Magics of Raw Honey & Cinnamon
Healthy Magics of Raw Honey & Cinnamon
It is found that a mix of Raw Honey and Cinnamon cures most diseases. Raw Honey is produced in most of the countries of the world.
1) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Heart Diseases
• Make a paste of Raw Honey and Cinnamon powder, put it on toast instead of jelly and jam and eat it regularly for Breakfast.
Benefits:
• It reduces the Cholesterol and could potentially save one from heart attack or keep it miles away from the next occurence.
• Regular use of the mixture strengthens The Heartbeat and various nursing homes have treated patients successfully with it.
• Raw Honey and Cinnamon revitalize The Arteries and the veins (as one ages The Arteries and veins lose their flexibility and get clogged).
2) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Arthritis
• Arthritis patients can benefit by taking 1 cup of hot Water with 2 tablespoons of Raw Honey and 1 small teaspoon of Cinnamon powder.
Benefits:
• When taken daily even chronic Arthritis can be cured. Within a week, practically patients are totally relieved of pain and within a month, most all the patients who can not walk or move around because of Arthritis now can start to walk without pain.
4) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Cholesterol
• 2 tablespoons of Raw Honey and 3 teaspoons of Cinnamon powder mixed in about 455g of tea Water given to a Cholesterol patient is found to reduce the level of Cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours.
Benefits:
• When taken 3 times a day, any chronic Cholesterol-could be cured.
• Pure Raw Honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of Cholesterol.
7) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Gas
• According to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that when Raw Honey is taken with Cinnamon powder The Stomach is relieved of gas.
8) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Immune System
• Scientists have found that Raw Honey has various Vitamins and Iron in large amounts.
Benefits:
• Daily use of Raw Honey and Cinnamon powder strengthens the Immune System and protects the body from bacterial and viral attacks.
• Constant use of Raw Honey strengthens the white blood corpuscles (where DNA is contained) to Fight bacterial and viral diseases.
10) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Influenza
• A scientist in Spain has proved that Raw Honey contains a natural ingredient which kills the Influenzagerms and saves the patient from Colds (Flu).
11) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Longevity/Aging
• Use 4 teaspoons of Raw Honey, 1 teaspoon of Cinnamon powder and 3 cups of boiling Water to make a tea. Drink 1/4 cup, 3-4 times a day.
Benefits:
• tea made with Raw Honey and Cinnamon powder, when taken regularly, arrests the ravages of old age.
• It keeps the Skin fresh and soft and arrests old age.
• Life spans increase and even a 100 year old will start performing the chores of a 20-year-old.
12) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Raspy or Sore Throat
• When throat has a tickle or is raspy, take 1 tablespoon of Raw Honey and sip until gone. Repeat every 3 hours until throat is without symptoms.
14) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Skin Infections
• Applying Raw Honey and Cinnamon powder in equal parts on the affected parts cures Eczema, ringworm and all types of Skin Infections.
15) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Weight Loss
• Daily in the morning 1 hour and 30 minutes before Breakfast and on an empty stomach, and at night before sleeping, drink Raw Honey and Cinnamon powder boiled in one cup of Water.
Benefits:
• When taken regularly, it reduces the weight of even the most obese person.
• Drinking this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body even though the person may eat a high calorie diet.
16) Raw Honey & Cinnamon on Fatigue
• When 1/2 a tablespoon of Raw Honey taken in a glass of Water and sprinkled with Cinnamon powder, is taken daily after brushing and in the afternoon at about 3:00 P.M.
Benefits:
• Recent studies have shown that the sugar content of Raw Honey is more helpful rather than being detrimental to the strength of the body.
• Senior citizens who take Raw Honey and Cinnamon powder in equal parts are more alert and flexible.
• When taken daily, the Vitality of the body increases within a week (Dr. Milton, a researcher).
The Varieties of Honey
Acacia Honey
Scientific Name: Robinia pseudoacacia (Fabaceae)
Common Names: black locust
Acacia Honey is made from the pollen of the flowers of the black locust tree (false acacia). Acacia Honey is one the best types of raw honey, due to the fact that it’s the least allergenic of all raw honey types and its ability to crystalize very slowly.
Acacia flowers have been shown to produce less pollen than other types of flowers that bees produce raw honey from. It has a mildly sweet, slightly floral flavour that does not alter the taste of beverages it is added to.
Acacia Honey Details
• Black locust tree is an invasive specie having Fern-like leaves, meaning they are compound leaves that grow in pairs along a thin green stem and end with one leaflet at the top of the stem. Black locust trees grow well in full sun.
• Young leaflets are a light, bright green, while mature leaflets are dark green, slightly paler underneath.
• The tree and leaves are covered in thorns shaped like elongated triangles and can appear both on the bark and at the base of the leaf (before the leaflets begin).
• The species blossoms in May-June and produces gorgeous clusters of small, white (sometimes golden, pink or purple) flowers, very similar in apPearance to bean flowers.
Alfalfa Honey
Scientific Name: Medicago sativa (Fabaceae)
Common Names: lucerne honey
Alfalfa Honey is a variety of raw honey made from the nectar and pollen of medicago sativa flowers. Alfalfa seed sprouts and Alfalfa Honey are exclusively destined for human consumption. Alfalfa Honey crystallizes faster because of its higher glucose content. Raw honey types with a higher content of fructose (such as Acacia Honey) crystallizes slower.
Apple Blossom Honey
Scientific Name: Pyrus malus, Pirus malus (Rosaceae)
Apple Blossom Honey is generally a very light-colored raw honey, more exactly a clear, light golden brown colour, having a moderate taste intensity and stands out with its Fruity aroma and delicately sweet aftertaste reminiscent of apples. Its a monofloral variety of raw honey made from the flower nectar and pollen of Apple blossoms. Technically, most of the nectar that goes into making it comes from Apple flowers and only a small percentage from other flowering plant species.
Precaution:
* If the label of your Apple Blossom Honey says polyfloral, it actually means that it is not really Apple Blossom Honey.
Asphodel Honey
Scientific Name: Asphodelus spp. (Asphodelaceae)
Asphodel Honey is a monofloral variety of raw honey made from the nectar and pollen of asphodel flowers. It is an artisanal raw honey produced primarily from asphodel species native to the Mediterranean region. Honey bees collect the nectar and the pollen of asphodel flowers, and mix them with there self secreted special enzymes, thus producing raw honey.
Asphodel Species
Buckwheat Honey
Scientific Name: Fagopyrum esculentum (Polygonaceae)
Buckwheat (sometimes called beechWheat) is neither a grass nor Wheat, but a fruit related to Rhubarb. Buckwheat is a variety of raw honey with a deep, dark brown colourt ranging from a dark Copper to a darker purple colour, and a taste to match its unusual colour (a medium-sweet, Blackstrap Molasses taste with a malty, earthy, slightly spicy flavour). Its made from the nectar and the pollen of Buckwheat flowers.
• Buckwheat Honey is high in mineral content and anti-oxidant compounds.
Note:
* Heating Buckwheat Honey (pasteurization) destroys the all of the pollen, live enzymes, propolis, Vitamins, Amino Acids, anti-oxidants, Minerals, and aromatics.
* Its seeds look like small beech nuts and are also used or making gluten free flour.
* It isn’t produced in the same large quantities as raw honey varieties like Clover because of it’s shorter flowering season, as well as the fact that the plant’s small flowers lead to a smaller yield of nectar and raw honey.
Expert Advice on Dosage:
* For sore throats and Colds, take raw honey alone (or mix it in with a warm herbal tea).
* To treat a child with a cold, one dose of raw honey in the following amounts is recommended:
Children ages (2-5yrs): 2.5 mL
Children ages (6-11yrs): 5 mL
Children ages (12-18yrs): 10 mL
Cherry Blossom Honey
Scientific Name: Prunus spp. (Rosaceae)
Cherry Blossom Honey is a monofloral variety of raw honey made from the nectar and pollen of Wild Cherry flowers belonging to the sweet Wild Cherry species. Cherry Blossom Honey variety may range from a light amber colour to rich golden hues and dark amber with reddish reflexes.
The raw honey is known to crystallize somewhat slowly (but faster than acacia, Eucalyptus, Chestnut and Pine Nut raw honey) and become paler as a result. It has mild fragrance reminiscent of Wild Cherry flowers and bears a floral, Wild Cherry smell. The variety has a distinctive Fruity, but sweet-tangy, warm taste with Wild Cherry notes.
• Cherry blossom honey contain potent anti-oxidants (such as Quercetin, Kaempferol, luteolin, galangin, naringenin, etc.).
Chestnut Honey
Scientific Name: Castanea spp. (Fagaceae)
Chestnut Honey is a floral raw honey made primarily from the flower nectar of several Chestnut species. It is a stronger raw honey, with a particular flavour and a certain bitterness to it.
Most people prefer dark raw honey such as Chestnut Honey for various reasons such as a higher anti-oxidant content, a superior nutritional profile, particularly higher mineral content, unique aroma, bitter aftertaste or relatively high pollen content, pollen being considered a natural Immuno-Modulator.
Honey Producing Chestnut Species
Chestnut Honey can be produced primarily from the flower nectar of the:
• Sweet Chestnut,
• American Chestnut (castanea dentata),
• Dwarf Chestnut or allegheny chinkapin (castanea pumila),
• Chinese Chestnut (castanea mollissima),
• Japanese or Korean Chestnut (castanea crenata)
• and several other species.
* Avoid the use of Horse Chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum) which is Poisonous.
Clover Honey
Scientific Name: Trifolium spp. (Fabaceae)
Clover Honey is a monofloral variety (made predominantly from Clover flower nectar and pollen) of raw honey made from the flower nectar and pollen of Clover flowers. It is a light-coloured raw honey with a pleasant and mildly sweet taste and a fast crystallization time.
It has a whitish, clear yellow to a more pronounced amber colour and a good-tasting raw honey with a delicate flavour profile and a lingering sweetness. It has a decidedly sweet and flowery aroma and a persistent sweet aftertaste.
Dandelion Honey
Scientific Name: Taraxacum officinale (Asteraceae)
Dandelion Honey is a monofloral variety made from the flower nectar and pollen of Dandelion flowers. The purest Dandelion Honey has a bright golden-yellow colour or a darker amber (brownish yellow) colour. Generally, it is preferable to get a lighter-colored one.
Dandelion Honey Details
• Dandelion Honey most widespread species of the flower are common Dandelion (taraxacum officinale) and the red-seed Dandelion or the rock Dandelion (taraxacum laevigatum).
• It has a strong woody, herbal, German Chamomile or Dandelion-like, slightly vinegary notes taste.
• It has a fast crystallization time and begins forming small crystals in a matter of months following harvest.
• It is a strong flavoured raw honey with anti-bacterial, Anti-Inflammatory, anti-oxidant and mild Diuretic and Prebiotic properties.
Eucalyptus Honey
Scientific Name: Eucalyptus globulus (Myrtaceae)
Eucalyptus Honey is a variety of raw honey made from the flower nectar of Eucalyptus blossoms.
Its raw honey has a medium dark colour with a deep, saturated orange brown pigment. The darker the colour, the more pronounced its reddish reflexes. Freshly produced raw honey is liquid, but will crystallize shortly and take on a dull colour.
Its raw honey has a soft texture and is quite aromatic. It has a medium-strong taste intensity and a flavour profile that combines warm, earthy tones with a damp, woody, caramel, slightly mentholated, faintly tart taste and moderate sweetness.
Note:
* The biggest producer of Eucalyptus Honey is Australia, where the largest populations of the tree species exist.
* Avoid eating alot of Eucalyptus Honey as cineol/eucalyptol (a compound that accounts for most of the aromatic profile of Eucalyptus Essential Oil ), has toxic effects when used in high amounts. However, its considered safe for consumption because such aromatic compounds are present in faint amounts, not nearly enough to make a difference.
Hawthorn Honey
Scientific Name: Crataegus monogyna, Crataegus oxyacantha (Rosaceae)
Hawthorn is a large deciduous, thorny tree with small leaves, white flowers, and red berries, growing to 26 ft (8 m) in the family Rosaceae, native to temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere in Europe, Asia and North America.
Hawthorn Honey variety is made from the nectar and pollen of Hawthorn flowers that bloom around May, having a rich, dark amber colour, often with a greenish tint, but may lose some of its pigment as it crystallizes, turning a lighter golden colour.
It has a delicate, light, sweet-floral aroma and a rich taste profile, reminiscent of the nectar of the flowers, but with a nutty aftertaste. The nutty aftertaste is said to be a result of the presence of propolis, which is used to seal off beehives and their raw honey. It also has a dense consistency.
Hawthorn Honey Details
• In the Hawthorn flower the nectar is secreted by the receptacle or base and is half concealed.
In cold or dull weather the inner stamens remain curved inwards but open out in sunshine exposing the nectar more fully.
• Hawthorn Honey is of very high quality.
It is usually a dark amber in colour, very thick and of an appetizing rich flavour.
Owing to its dark colour and density it has been mistaken for Heather raw honey.
It is not usually bright or sparkling and sometimes has a greenish tinge which detracts from its appearance.
• The pale whitish pollen of Hawthorn is freely collected by bees and is often found in raw honey.
Italian Sulla Honey
Scientific Name: Hedysarum coronarium (Fabaceae)
Common Names: french honeysuckle honey, italian sainfoin honey, spanish sainfoin honey, sulla clover honey, miele di sulla
Italian Sulla Honey is a monofloral raw honey made from the nectar and pollen of hedysarum coronarium flowers (a flowering plant originating in the Mediterranean region and currently cultivated throughout southern Italy, northern Africa and Spain for use as animal feed and for raw honey production).
Italian Sulla Honey Details
• Italian Sulla Honey is produced in the pristine highlands of Sicily, Calabria, the Abruzzo and Molise regions in southern Italy and Lucania or Basilicata, also in the south.
• Italian sulla (sainfoin, French Honeysuckle) raw honey variety is a very light, clear yellow, almost white in colour. It crystallizes fast after harvest, in a matter of months, and forms fine crystals with a duller, even whiter colour.
• Italian sulla (sainfoin, French Honeysuckle) raw honey variety has a delicate flavour, faint floral smell and a particularly sweet taste with subtle floral undertones. It has a thicker, slightly grainier texture from the beginning, due to crystals forming soon after the raw honey is harvested.
Italian Thistle Honey
Scientific Name: Carduus pycnocephalus (Asteraceae)
Common Names: cardoon honey
Italian Thistle Honey is a type of raw honey made from thistle plants native to the Mediterranean region. Thistle comprises a family of similar-looking flowering plants related to daisies and Sunflowers. It is a very fine variety of raw honey, highly appreciated for both its taste and health benefits.
Italian Thistle Honey Details
• Italian Thistle Honey is a particular variety made from the nectar and pollen of thistle species native to and present in the Mediterranean Basin.
• Italian Thistle Honey variety usually has a clear, light yellow colour and takes on a beige appearance when crystallized. Compared to Acacia Honey, this variety is quick to crystallize, indicating a higher content of glucose.
• Italian Thistle Honey has a sweet floral notes and a medium taste intensity. However, depending on the type of thistle nectar predominant in the raw honey, it may taste slightly earthy, leathery or Almondy or have an Anise-like aftertaste.
Ivy Honey
Scientific Name: Hedera helix (Araliaceae)
is a monofloral variety made from the flower nectar and pollen of the common Ivy (or English Ivy). Ivy is an evergreen vine that climbs fences, houses, trees and even cliffs. It has a dissagreable taste and smell in the beginning, but the strong flavour and scent usually fade in a matter of months, leaving behind a pleasant-tasting and smelling raw honey.
Ivy Honey Details
• The common Ivy produces nectar-rich, small, yellow-green, umbrella-like flowers. has a medium dark amber colour (a brownish yellow), but as it granulates, it tends to lose its vivid pigment and takes on a paler colour (a milky-yellow with beige-whitish undertones).
• The creamed varieties have a milky-yellow colour and a softer texture than the naturally-crystallized raw honey which forms rougher crystals.
Lavender Honey
Scientific Name: Lavandula angustifolia (Lamiaceae)
Lavender Honey is a delicate, aromatic monofloral variety of raw honey made primarily from nectar raw honey bees collect from Lavender flowers (an aromatic plant in the Mint family that comprises several dozens of different varieties used primarily for the production of the fragrant Lavender oil).
The Most Common Lavender Species used to make Honey
• Lavandula angustifolia
• Lavandula stoechas
• Lavandula latifolia
• Lavandula intermedia
Lavender Honey Details
• Lavender Honey has a clear, very light yellow colour with rich golden undertones and a viscous texture. Its appearance is reminiscent of sunrays trapped in a jar.
• The raw honey crystallizes in a matter of months, where the process not only makes it solid, but also changes its colour, making it turn a paler yellow-beige colour.
• Lavender Honey has a delicately sweet and fragrant flavour and a warm taste with woody, floral notes and sometimes a citrus-earthy faint aftertaste.
Linden Honey
Scientific Name: Tilia spp. (Malvaceae)
Common Names: basswood honey, lime honey
Linden Honey is a variety of raw honey made from the flower nectar and pollen of Linden (or basswod) flowers (refers to about thirty tree species in the Tilia genus, all of which are nectar-producing).
Basswood raw honey is a light-coloured raw honey which has a beautiful light amber colour with rich greenish reflexes, but the colour changes as time passes, becoming a clear, pale yellow or a very light, whitish yellow. As it crystallizes, it takes on a paler, opaque, light yellow colour.
Linden Honey Details
• Linden (basswood) raw honey has a light, fragrant, pleasantly sweet, but with a barely perceptible bitter aftertaste and a slight astringency.
• Its flavour profile is rich (includes balsamic, menthol and Minty, hay or light woody notes).
• A fresh Linden Honey often begins to crystallize about 4 months after harvest. While at First it’s liquid, as it matures it takes on a thicker consistency.
Manuka Honey
Scientific Name: Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae)
Common Names: manuka myrtle, tea tree.
Manuka Honey (the queen of all honey) is a highly prized monofloral variety with an amazing anti-bacterial action and a wide variety of health benefits. It has a varying colour of light amber (light brownish yellow) colour with beige-cream undertones to a medium-amber (medium brownish yellow) with a pale brownish tone.
Manuka Honey has an intense, but unique and wonderfully pleasant flavour profile. It has a medium sweetness, lasting taste and a slight bitter aftertaste with a faint oily-nutty base and warm, herbal notes.
• Manuka Honey is unique, due to its methylglyoxal (an anti-bacterial agent with potent naturally-occurring Anti-Microbial of a far-reaching action) content.
Manuka Species Details
• Manuka Honey is a monofloral raw honey type made from the flower nectar and pollen of manuka (a shrub-like tree species, native to New Zealand and Australia). It produces beautiful five-petaled, rounded, white and pink-speckled flowers rich in nectar.
• Other tree species from the same family as manuka, notably Kanuka or White Tea tree (kunzea ericoides) and tantoon or Tea Tree (leptospermum polygalifolium) are an important source of nectar.
Orange Blossom Honey
Scientific Name: Citrus sinensis (Rutaceae)
Orange Blossom Honey is a variety of monofloral raw honey produced when bees collect nectar and pollen from Orange tree flowers and, possibly, other citrus species in bloom at the same time and located in the same region.
It may actually be a mix of raw honey made from multiple citrus species, but when Orange blossoms are the main source of the raw honey, the end product can be labelled as monofloral Orange Blossom Honey.
Orange Blossom Honey Details
• Orange Blossom Honey variety has a somewhat pale, light golden, almost whitish colour and a somewhat weak, but distinct citrussy smell and an overall fresh aroma. It tastes surprisingly sweet and has a delicate, slightly acidic flavour, with a taste reminiscent of Citrus Fruit.
• It tends to crystallize rapidly compared to other varieties like Acacia Honey or Pine Honey (Fir tree raw honey) which crystallize very slowly.
Pine Honey
Scientific Name: Pinus spp. (Pinaceae)
Common Names: fir tree honey, fir tree honeydew honey,
Pine Honey is a variety of honeydew raw honey made from the Honeydew collected from certain insect species that feed off Fir tree sap. The insects eat the sap and excrete a sticky, sugary liquid called Honeydew.
It has a distinct appearance and is generally medium to dark amber, with greenish and brownish highlights. The variety has a thick consistency, being particularly dense, a trait which contributes to its popularity. It has very little odour, except for a faded Resinous smell. It has a mild taste with moderate sweetness and a mildly Resinous, woody, warm flavour.
Pine Honey also contain Dietary Minerals (such as Potassium, Calcium, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Phosphorus, Sodium and Zinc).
Rapeseed Honey
Scientific Name: Brassica napus (Brassicaceae)
Common Names: canola honey,
Rapeseed Honey is a special variety of monofloral raw honey made from the flower nectar and pollen of rapeseed. Rapeseed is a crop grown primarily for oil production and is related to Mustard and Cabbage, from where it draws some of its more unusual properties. This particular variety has a few unique characteristics, such as a fast crystallization time and a sweet-Peppery flavour.
Rapeseed Honey Details
• It’s most renowned for its ulcer-treating properties.
• Rapeseed Honey has a very light and dull beige-yellow pigment. The colour can be described as a whitish yellow or a milky yellow. Since the raw honey can crystallize even before being harvested, it is not liquid, but soft-solid in texture. Rapeseed Honey crystallizes in 3-4 weeks.
• Rapeseed Honey smell of the raw honey is reminiscent of that of rapeseed flowers, somewhat oily and a medium taste intensity, with a moderately-low sweetness, but nevertheless sugary.
Rhododendron Honey
Scientific Name: Rhododendron spp. (Ericaceae)
Rhododendron Honey can be made from different species of rhododendron plant all over the world. Its has a distinct golden yellow colour with Orange reflexes. However, considering the wide variety of rhododendron species bees from around the world can take their nectar and pollen from, the raw honey may vary in colour. There are roughly over 1,000 different varieties of rhododendron plants found throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
• Its generally has a faint, sweet raw honey and herbal fragrance and a certain sweetness to it, but not very long-lasting, and a slight bitter aftertaste with Watermelon rind notes.
• Overall, Rhododendron Honey has a sweet, floral, herbal taste with a refreshing bitter aroma.
Rhododendron Species
• Common Pontic Rhododendron (Rhododendron ponticum) – with purple-violet flowers.
• Yellow Rhododendron (Rhododendron luteum) – potentially harmful (potentially unsafe).
Caution on Mad Honey Disease:
* Rhododendron Honey holds both beneficial health effects and health risks (such as mad raw honey disease), depending primarily on the plant species employed for raw honey production and on the amount of raw honey consumed.
* Restrict Rhododendron Honey consumption to not more than 3 teaspoons a day in order to avoid health risks.
* Certain Rhododendron Honey varieties consumption causes mad raw honey disease (the name given to intoxication caused by Rhododendron Honey), due to grayanotoxins content (the compounds responsible for these properties).
How does Rhododendron Honey intoxication occur?
• When you eat too much of the raw honey.
Signs and symptoms of mad raw honey disease:
1) Sudden, Excessive Perspiration.
2) Muscle weakness.
3) Abnormally low blood pressure.
4) Diarrhea (the raw honey can have Laxative properties).
5) Low heart rate (less than 60 heartbeats per minute).
6) Light-headedness, Dizziness, loss of balance.
7) Numbness, burning sensation or tingling in the Corners of the mouth or hands or feet.
8) In rare cases, ingesting significant amounts of the raw honey from certain varieties from Turkey can lead to heart attack.
Rosemary Honey
Scientific Name: Rosmarinus officinalis (Lamiaceae)
Real Rosemary Honey is a monofloral variety made from the flower nectar and pollen of Rosemary flowers belonging to the rosmarinus officinalis plant species. It also refers to different varieties of raw honey infused with Rosemary twigs for the purpose of adding a certain flavour to the raw honey.
Rosemary Honey Details
• Rosemary Honey is a very light-coloured raw honey, a clear, light yellow, almost whitish, very similar in appearance to Acacia Honey.
• Pure Rosemary Honey variety has a fine, moderately sweet taste, but not very persistent. Its aromatic profile includes mild floral and faint Fruity notes as well as herbal or vegetal aromas. There are also no traces of acidity or bitterness in its flavour profile. Overall, it’s a fine and Savory raw honey with a delicate sweet taste.
• The variety has a fast crystallization time and forms fine crystals. Crystallized Rosemary Honey has a granulated texture and an opaque colour.
Sainfoin Honey
Scientific Name:Onobrychis viciifolia (Fabaceae)
Common Names: lupinella honey
Sainfoin Honey is a type of monofloral raw honey made from the nectar and pollen of the common sainfoin flowers (a flowering plant in the legume or Beans family, similar to Clover and Alfalfa). Sainfoin Honey has a clear light amber colour. It has a medium crystallization time and tends to form finer crystals as it takes on a more solid form.
Sainfoin Honey Details
• Sainfoin Honey is a light raw honey with a pleasant, but not very intense sweetness and light floral notes. Overall, it doesn’t have a very particular flavor profile, which makes it a great natural sweetener for Green Teas and other beverages as it doesn’t change their taste. It isn’t a particularly thick raw honey either.
• Its flower nectar is the source of the famous Italian luSainfoinlla raw honey or miele di luSainfoinlla (a type of raw honey with significant anti-bacterial, anti-oxidant, Anti-Inflammatory and cough-supressing properties, Digestive benefits, anti-parasitic potential and soothing and energy-boosting action).
• Sainfoin Honey is not the same as Italian Sainfoin Honey (French Honeysuckle or sulla raw honey), although the similarity of their names may spark confusion.
Strawberry Tree Honey
Scientific Name: Arbutus unedo (Ericaceae)
Common Names: cane apple honey, arbuts honey, miele di corbezzolo,
Strawberry Tree Honey Honey is a monofloral raw honey made mostly from the nectar and pollen of the Strawberry tree blossoms. Strawberry Tree Honey Honey has a dark pigment (a dark amber colour, sometimes darker brown, sometimes with reddish reflexes), similar to forest raw honey. As it crystallizes, the colour tones down and becomes mellower (a sort of paler, one or two shades lighter brown).
Strawberry Tree Honey Details
• Strawberry Tree Honey Honey has a unique taste that you either love, or hate. The raw honey has a strong, pungent aroma and a mildly sweet taste at First, followed by a stronger, more persistent and overpowering bitterness, but with an unusual fineness to it. There is also a slight astringency to the raw honey in the end. The flavour profile is rich and includes rather strong malty, Coffee grounds or Cocoa Beans notes, but also a sort of burnt aroma or leathery notes.
• It’s not necessarily the most bitter raw honey, but its flavour profile is definitely strong, unexpected, different. If the raw honey is sweeter, for example, it may be because of a higher content of nectar from other plants.
• Strawberry Tree Honey Honey also has a dense consistency that gives it a certain creamy texture.
• What makes this variety of raw honey so popular is its unusual savour that combines sweetness and bitterness in a unique taste experience, but also its high anti-oxidant content.
Sunflower Honey
Scientific Name: Helianthus annuus (Asteraceae)
Sunflower Honey is raw honey made from common Sunflower flowers (a flowering plant in the Daisy family grown extensively for its oil-rich seeds that are the source of the famous and quite healthy Sunflower oil). It generally has a bright yellow colour, but can range from a light yellow to golden and golden-orange. Even as it crystallizes it retains a bright yellow pigment, but also takes on a delicate beige undertone.
Sunflower Honey Details
• Sunflower Honey taste somehow oily and heavy (possibly due to its thicker consistency and the fact that it comes from an oilseed plant and thus retains certain elements from it that may influence its taste and smell). It has an in-persistent quite unique medium taste intensity, sugary and slighly heavy with a faint oily smell to it, but the lack of floral-Fruity flavours may have some people think less of it.
• An interesting characteristic of Sunflower Honey is its short crystallization time. The variety is estimated to begin crystallizing naturally as soon as 20 days or 2 months after it’s harvested and extracted.
Thistle Honey
Scientific Name: Cirsium spp. (Asteraceae)
Thistle Honey is a type of raw honey made from the nectar of a single variety of thistle or several closely related varieties (such as yellow star thistle, purple star thistle, cardoon/Italian Thistle Honey etc.) or a mix.
• Thistle is a term use to refer to part of the larger Daisy (or thistle family) and an entire family of similar-looking plants with prickly leaves and stems and cup-like purple, yellow or whitish flowerheads.
Thistle Honey Details
• Different varieties of thistle have differently coloured flowerheads, so do different Honeys have different colours relative to its source flowerhead.
• Thistles raw honey crystallizes rather fast, in a matter of months as a result of its higher glucose content. The lighter-coloured crystallized Honeys have a yellowish beige colour to them, while the darker-coloured crystallized ones have a dark yellow or Orange tint.
• Different varieties of Thistle Honey may have different flavour profiles. Overall, the lighter Thistle Honeys have a finer sweet taste, while the darker ones have a rich, grassy, spicy flavor, but with a medium taste intensity. The taste of different types of Thistle Honey include: sweet-floral or Fruity-floral, lasting sweetness, grassy or earthy odour, bitter leather or Almond notes, sharpness of taste.
Thyme Honey
Scientific Name: Thymus vulgaris (Lamiaceae)
Thyme Honey is a variety of monofloral raw honey made from the nectar and pollen of Thyme flowers, particularly the common Thyme species. It has a lighter amber colour, but depending on the species of Thyme predominant it may be darker-coloured as well.
Thyme Honey has a medium crystallization time, after a few months following harvest, and forms fine to medium crystals. Its highly aromatic, with a medium sweetness and a strong, lasting taste and smell. It has a rich flavour profile which includes spicy-pungent, Resinous, herbal notes. Overall, the flavour profile is complex, rich, aromatic, herbal and strong.
Common Thyme species:
• Common Thyme (Thymus vulgaris),
• Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum),
• Caraway Thyme (Thymus herba-barona).
Tree of Heaven Honey
Scientific Name: Ailanthus altissima (Simaroubaceae)
Tree-of-Heaven Honey is a monofloral raw honey variety made from the flower nectar and pollen of a species of the Tree of Heaven. The raw honey is a delicious variety with a sweet taste, but an initially bad odour which might discourage consumption at First. Its rare and produced in very small amounts because the tree species is regarded primarily as an invasive weed and its economic and ecological potential are disregarded.
Tree of Heaven Honey Details
• It flowers from April to June, depending on the region, and raw honey bees are one of the many insect species that feed on its flower nectar.
• Tree-of-Heaven Honey is amber-coloured (a translucent brownish yellow) and liquid, but crystallizes soon after harvest, in a matter of months, forming fine crystals that give it a pleasant texture.
• The crystallized raw honey takes on a lighter pigment with slight beige undertones and becomes opaque.
• Tree-of-Heaven Honey initially has an unpleasant scent (a characteristic passed on from the tree), somewhat reminiscent of Mushrooms, but with Fruity notes. fortunately, the bad smell and overall unpleasantness goes away with time and the raw honey becomes quite Savory, fine-tasting and simply improves its taste a lot.
• Tree-of-Heaven Honey has a medium-sweet taste and is slightly acidic. It bears unique flavour notes, the most prominent being that of muscat. Overall, it is a flavourful, savoury raw honey.
Tree of Heaven’s Invasive Nature
• The tree hinders the growth and discourages the development of other plants around it by secreting allelochemicals (a compounds that disrupt the growth of competing plants) and hinder the growth of surrounding plants.
• The tree is also fairly difficult to take out and, if cut, it grows more faster than before.
• The Tree of Heaven bark is potentially toxic to both animals and humans which is why preparations from it should be avoided, despite claims of therapeutic effects.
• The bark can cause contact dermatitis, while the flowers have allergenic potential and can cause Allergic rhinitis and even more serious allergic reactions.
• Ironically, although it is called the Tree of Heaven, the species has a rather foul scent that discourages proximity.
Ulmo Honey
Scientific Name: Eucryphia cordifolia (Cunoniaceae)
Ulmo Honey is a rare variety of monofloral raw honey made from the flower nectar and pollen of ulmo trees from the species eucryphia cordifolia, from Argentina and Chile. Ulmo trees of the species Eucryphia cordifolia are rare and limited to the South American Andes. Argentina and Chile currently have the biggest populations of the tree species.
Ulmo Honey Details
• A great majority of the raw honey is produced in Chile, where there are sufficient tree specimens to feed bee colonies and support raw honey production.
• Ulmo trees are in blossom from February until the end of April and generally produce four-petaled white flowers rich in a sweet and fragrant nectar that raw honey bees collect and use as sustenance and for raw honey production.
• Ulmo Honey generally has a light amber colour (a cloudy-milky yellow) and is opaque (a characteristic that is a direct result of its thick, creamy, curd-like consistency).
• Ulmo Honey is quite a fragrant, aromatic raw honey. It has an exquisite flavour profile, reminiscent of the sweet, fragrant ulmo flower nectar. It has a particularly sweet taste, strong floral notes and a slight Astringent, Minty-fresh aftertaste.
