HOW TO CHOOSE THE HEALTHIEST HONEY: MANUKA, RAW, ORGANIC, PURE, OR REAL HONEY
Honey is a delicious, natural sweetener with health benefits. It is rich in antioxidants, antibacterial, has healing properties, and is good for your digestive system. Honey is made by honeybees from flowers’ nectars and pollen. However, there are a few things you should know about commercial honey, and not all are good and created the same. Choosing the healthiest honey possible can be confusing, so in this article we will explain tips on identifying between manuka, raw, organic, pure or real honey and what you should ask the retailer before making your choice.
TIPS 1 : CHOOSE RAW HONEY
Pure or real honey is often filtered and heated, which damages many of its nutritional components. On the contrary, raw honey has not been heated, which ensures that its enzymes, antioxidants, and vitamins are all intact. Since it is unpasteurized and most of the pollen and propolis remains, which gives it its unique flavor and thick consistency. This makes raw honey a healthiest choice for you and family.
TIPS 2 : WHERE YOU BUY HONEY MATTERS
It is important to know the source of your food, where it comes from, and who made it. Eversince large corporations have gotten into the food industry, they have started using the cheapest ingredients or added artificial components to produce the most money for themselves. This is why it’s better to buy pure raw organic honey from local beekeepers that you trust to ensure its origin and purity.
TIPS 3: READ THE LABEL
There are a lot of labels on current honey products that may confuse you, and you may wonder which one you should pick. To help you decide, we explain each common term that most of honey producers use to define their product:
*Organic ~ Organic honey refers to honey products that come from beehives that are free of pesticides, antibiotics, and other chemicals. Second, the beekeeper must manage the hives in a way that promotes the health of the colony and the natural balance of the local environment. Finally, the beekeeper should use non-synthetic methods of beekeeping.
*Pure ~ Pure honey only contains honey and nothing else. Unlike raw honey, it is the kind of honey that goes through a heated and filtered process to remove pollen grains, air bubbles and all other fine particles. The filtering process will make the honey’s texture smoother and more liquid. However, due to the pasteurization process, pure honey will lose most of its healthy nutrients.
*Manuka ~ Manuka Health honey is honey made from the flowers of the Manuka bush, native to New Zealand and Australia. The nectar of the manuka bush is rich in methylglyoxal (MGO), an antibacterial agent. It is also known to have wound-healing properties.
THE TAKEAWAYS
If you’re looking for the healthiest go for Manuka honey. Second nomination goes for raw honey, since it didn’t go through a pasteurization process which can erase its nutritional contents. However, there is no such a thing as strict regulation on honey labelling, so it is harder to know which brand’s claim can be trusted. Due to this reason, it is best to shop in a local artisanal honey producer that is transparent about their production process. Alternatively, you can visit Honey City. It is an online authorized reseller for various trusted worldwide honey products. Complete choices of honey with reasonable price!
HOW TO INCORPORATE HONEY INTO YOUR DIET
Even though honey has some health benefits compared to sugar, eating too much of it can cause trouble to your overall health. Consume honey only in moderation, or no more than 1-2 tablespoons per day. You can dissolve it in mineral water or any drink, and you can also drizzle it over the top of plain yogurt to sweeten your taste palate.
