Raw Honey vs Regular Honey - is there Really a Difference?

 

A question we are often asked is raw honey vs regular honey; what’s the difference? This article will identify the differences between pure raw honey and processed (regular) honey.

What is Raw Honey vs Regular Honey?

The Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) defines honey as: “the natural sweet substance produced by honey bees from nectar of blossoms, which bees transform themselves within the beehive into honey.” 

Raw honey is generally described as: “honey as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat.”

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Here are 7 Main Differences Between Raw Honey vs Regular Honey.

1. Raw Honey has Minimal Processing

Raw honey (like our AB’s Honey) undergoes minimal processing. A light straining is all that’s required to remove larger particles such as wax, leaves, and non-honey debris. This gentle treatment allows the honey to retain all of its micronutrients, natural enzymes and goodness, just as the bees prefer it.

Regular commercially-produced honey often undergoes intense processing, including pasteurisation and ultrafiltration. Ultrafiltration slows down the rate of crystallisation (a natural occurrence that is a sign of pure honey) and increases shelf life.

2. Raw Honey is Not Heat Treated

Regular honey is pasteurised, which means the honey is heated to very high temperatures, which destroys much of the goodness found in honey.

Raw honey, only if required, may undergo gentle low-temperature warming – no hotter than a warm summer’s day – that allows it to flow for bottling.

3. Regular Honey is not Always Honey (I can’t believe it’s not honey!)

In simple terms, raw honey is extracted from the beehive, strained and poured straight into the bottle – so what you get is just as it was collected from the hives.

Regular honey is often heavily processed and may have sugars, (including corn and glucose syrups) added to increase the volume of honey, reduce its cost and extend its shelf-life. A recent investigation into commercial honey in Australia revealed that almost 50% of the honey tested was adulterated, and 12 of the 28 samples tested were not 100 per cent pure honey.

4. Raw Honey has Pollen Making it Cloudy

Raw honey has a more cloudly appearance as it contains some pollen, honeycomb and other natural goodies.

Bee pollen is collected along with nectar by honey bees. While we often focus on honey, bee pollen has been shown to be highly nutritious, containing over 250 substances, including vitamins, amino acids, essential fatty acids, micronutrients and antioxidants. Bee pollen is recognised as medicine by the German Federal Ministry of Health and has been linked to remarkable health benefits, including reducing inflammation

Unfortunately regular honey may have no pollen at all. Pasteurisation and other processing methods like ultrafiltration used in regular, commercially produced honey may remove any traces of bee pollen. A study conducted in 2011 showed that over 75% of commercial honey in the USA – which included a lot of cheaply imported honey – contained no pollen at all.

AB’s Honey sells only Australian honey from real Australian beekeepers.

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5. Allergy Benefits

Due to the presence of pollen seasonal allergies may be helped by local raw honey. 

6. Antibacterial Benefits

All honey has antibacterial properties, primarily due to its natural components like hydrogen peroxide, low water activity, and high sugar content, which create an inhospitable environment for bacteria.

Raw honey tends to retain more of it’s natural antibacterial compounds compared to heavily processed or heated honey. In particular Manuka Honey has higher levels of methylglyoxal (MGO) which have been shown to have antibacterial properties. The MGO level of Manuka Honey is used to rate it’s strength.

7. Raw Honey Is More Nutritious

Raw honey has been shown to contain “several physiologically important amino acids, including all nine essential amino acids and all nonessential amino acids except for glutamine and asparagine”. In addition, 31 different minerals were detected, “including all of the major minerals, such as calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, sodium, chlorine, and magnesium.” 

Many studies link these antioxidants with health benefits, including reduced inflammation and a lower risk of heart disease and certain cancers. Commercially produced honey, i.e. honey that is heavily processed and filtered, removes beneficial nutrients like pollen, enzymes and antioxidants.

Now that you know the difference between raw vs regular honey, we encourage you to try Australia’s best raw honey – AB’s Honey.