Honey Comparisons
Raw Honey vs. Commercial Honey
Raw Honey
Ø Crude form immediately taken out of the cells of
honey combs
Ø Commonly contains bee pollen and propolis, which
enhance health benefits
Ø Can also contain dead bees, legs, wings, and hunks
of wax and other impurities but is strained out before bottling
Ø Cannot be heated above 95 degrees F
Ø Is not filtered or pasteurized
Ø Free from any additives
Commercial Honey
Ø Heavily processed
Ø May be chemically refined
Ø Excessively heated, destroying natural enzymes,
vitamins, and minerals
Ø Can be sourced from bees treated with antibiotics
and come from inorganic hives
Ø Filtering and processing eliminates many of the
beneficial phytonutrients, including pollen and propolis
Ø May have additives
Raw Honey vs. Not Raw
Raw honey is a crude form of honey
immediately taken out of the cells of the honey combs within a bee hive. This
form of honey is far from pure. It commonly contains bee pollen and propolis,
which are both two very positive health additions. However, raw honey can also
possibly contain dead bees, legs, wings, hunks of beeswax and other impurities.
Don’t worry though — if any of these unwanted items get into the honey they’re
strained out before bottling.
Raw honey cannot be heated above 95
degrees Fahrenheit, which is the normal temperature of the bee hive. While it’s
OK to strain raw honey, it’s never filtered or pasteurized. It also cannot have
any other additives.
On the other hand, commercial honey
is often heavily processed and may even have been chemically refined. Excessive
heat destroys the natural enzymes, vitamins and minerals in honey. Filtering
and processing eliminate many of the beneficial phytonutrients, including
pollen and enzyme-rich propolis. The only way to achieve sparkling clear honey
is by heat, so avoid the golden, syrup-like honey in favor of opaque, organic
raw honey.
Non-raw honey or regular commercial
honey can be sourced from bees that are treated with antibiotics (such as
ciprofloxacin in China’s honey). They also may likely be given winter
nourishment in the form of sugar or a low-cost syrup. Hives are made of
non-organic materials, which can have pests and be cleaned with non-organic
substances. Honey that isn’t raw is pasteurized and filtered, and it can have
additives.
Research by the Palynology Research
Laboratory at Texas A&M University tested 60 honey products from
supermarkets and grocery stores and found that 76 percent contained no trace of
bee pollen, which is also loaded with health benefits. The Food and Drug
Administration maintains that any honey products that have been ultra-filtered,
as these have, are not actually honey and therefore the health benefits of
honey cannot be assumed. Some “honey” may even contain high fructose corn
syrup.
Organic Honey vs. Not Organic
Organic honey usually means raw
organic honey. Just like with raw honey, heating is not allowed above 95
degrees F. In order to be called organic, honey must follow good organic
management, according to each country’s set of standards and conditions.
Processing should also only be done by means of gravitational settling and
straining.
Raw Honey Nutrition Facts
Honey is one of nature’s purest
foods and is far more than just a natural sweetener. It’s a “functional food,”
which means it’s a natural food with health benefits. Raw honey nutrition is
impressive. Raw honey contains 22 amino acids, 27 minerals and 5,000 enzymes.
Minerals include iron, zinc, potassium, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium and
selenium. Vitamins found in honey include vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin,
pantothenic acid and niacin. In addition, the nutraceuticals contained in honey
help neutralize damaging free radical activity.
One tablespoon of honey contains 64
calories, yet it has a healthy glycemic load around 10 for one tablespoon,
which is a little less than a banana. Raw honey does not cause a sugar spike
and elevated insulin release like white sugar.
Although honey is an affordable
food, bees spend thousands of hours collecting pollen from around 2 million
flowers to make one pound of pure honey. Honey is typically about 18 percent
water, but the lower the water content, the better the quality of honey. Best
of all, honey does not need special storage or refrigeration — use it by the
spoonful straight from the jar.
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