Are All Honeys Created Equal?

Honey is Honey, right? Wrong!

Have you every wondered if there is a difference between raw honey and honey found in supermarkets and big box stores?

Raw Honey
Raw honey is honey in its original form, produced by bees. Its nectar from flower blossoms, which the bees take back to the hive and do some processing. When honey is taken straight from the hive, strained to remove debris and bottled, it contains healthy nutrients including amino acids, minerals, vitamins, enzymes and pollen. Besides the sweet natural taste, raw honey contains nearly 30 types of bioactive plant compounds which act as antioxidants.

Supermarket Honey
“Supermarket honey,” often found in large plastic honey bear bottles and squeeze bottles, is pasteurized and this destroys the yeast and antioxidants naturally found in honey. One of the reasons for pasteurization is to delay crystallization of honey. Crystallization is normal in raw honey.

Some commercial honeys are additionally processed by undergoing ultrafiltration. This process gives it a more transparent, smooth “honey color” that people are used to. However, ultrafiltration can also remove beneficial nutrients like pollen, enzymes and antioxidants. Supermarket honeys tend not to have as much flavor as raw honey because the processing filters out much of the pollen which is the main factor that contributes to the taste of honey.

Honeys in America
Did you know that 70% of the honey consumed in the United States is imported from other countries? Often, supermarket honeys are a blend of honeys from various foreign markets such as China, Mexico, Chile, Argentina. Additionally, loopholes in international regulations mean that honey can be watered down or improperly harvested. Cheaper, supermarket honey, often highly processed and sourced from multiple countries, make it nutritionally inferior.

Honey Laundering
Adding anything to honey without labeling it is known as “honey laundering” and it is a federal crime. Studies have shown that honey sourced from some foreign countries have corn syrup, rice syrup, malt sweeteners or unrefined sugar added to it. Factories in China even advertise sugar syrup for sale to be mixed with honey, which, it claims in marketing material, can beat the most common tests used by food safety watchdogs.

Bee Aware!
So, what’s the best way to protect yourself from being deceived when it comes to buying honey? Ask questions, read labels carefully and always purchase from a trusted source.

Kailua Honey
The honey we sell is all produced in Hawaii. The four raw varieties that we carry are Hawaiian Wildflower, ‘Ohia Lehua, Macadamia Blossom and the rare, Kiawe. Book a honey tasting experience to learn more about Hawaiian honey and what makes it so special.

Sweet Deal
Subscribe to our newsletter for a sweet deals on our artisan honey and other Kailua Honey products. 

*Do not feed honey to infants under one year of age.