What is the difference between raw honey and the bought honey that we usually serve up at the dinner table with our meals?.
Most of the honey that we buy has been processed on its journey from its raw state in the beehive to its refined state on our dinner table. Regrettably, most of the refined honey that we eat today has lost many of its healthful properties such as vitamins, enzymes and minerals, due to the pasteurization process.
So what exactly is this process? Honey is harvested from the beehive in its natural ‘raw’ state in wax honeycombs. The raw honey is then separated from the wax combs and pasteurized (heated) to kill harmful bacteria. The honey is heated to temperatures of between 120 and 150 degrees Fahrenheit.
This not only kills any bacteria within the honey but also reduces the honey to a more viscous fluid that allows it to be strained and filtered to remove impurities and substances such as bits of wax or pollen. The end product is the clear, golden liquid that we see on our supermarket shelves.
However, many people claim that important nutrients and health properties of honey are lost during this process. These people advocate that eating raw honey is far more beneficial to good health as it contains bee pollen which is thought to contain strong healing properties and prevent disease.
How do you ascertain the difference between raw honey and refined (processed) honey?
There are quite a few ways to determine whether the honey on your dinner table is raw honey (straight from the beehive and unprocessed in any way) or whether it has been pasteurized and filtered.
First of all, take a look at the honey in the jar at arm’s length. Note the color of the honey. Also note whether it is clear or opaque. Raw honey is a very light yellow in color, and is far more opaque or cloudy than processed honey.
Check the honey to see whether it contains a “crust” on the surface which looks something like brown pellets. This substance is healthful propolis. Raw honey will display a crust of propolis on top.
Raw honey will also display minute particulates which is actually bee pollen. The final test is the taste: raw honey is noticeably creamier in taste as opposed to refined honey which has a sharper and crisper flavor.