Honey 101: Everything You Need to Know

Purchasing honey in the grocery store is confusing.

So many brands, so many varieties, some in jars, some in bears, and on and on.  And because honey is an expensive ingredient, being a savvy consumer is important so we don’t waste our money on a subpar product. Here’s what you need to know.

Most honey found in the grocery stores is made of imported honey that has been cooked and ultra filtered, creating a product that is devoid of any nutritional benefits and no healthier than most any other sweetener you can buy. The most important factors to look for when purchasing honey are that it’s raw and local. Why?  Because then you’ll know it hasn’t traveled very far between the hive and your table and has never been put through the kinds of processes that destroy everything nutritious about natural honey.

 Purchasing local, raw and unprocessed honey allows you to reap the benefits of its enzymes and natural pollen particles, which many believe helps alleviate seasonal allergies. Honey has been used for centuries as a remedy for countless ailments and its ability to soothe sore throats during cold season is widely known.  Studies have even shown that it is more effective at calming coughs than cough syrup (Shadkam).

 Many people aren't aware that cooking or baking honey kills its enzymes and it loses most of its nutritional power. So in a cooked recipe, opt for another unprocessed sweetener like maple syrup and save the expensive local honey for ways that are cold preparation in order to maximize its benefits. I love using honey as an ingredient in cold cooking preparations like salad dressings or as a drizzle in plain yogurt or on fruit. And please remember that the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until after a child turns one to introduce honey.

Shadkam MN, Mozaffari-Khosravi H, Mozayan MR. A comparison of the effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and diphenhydramine on nightly cough and sleep quality in children and their parents. J Altern Complement Med. 2010;16(7):787–93. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]