What‘s the difference between raw and regular honey?
There are several differences in quality and benefits between raw and regular honey, mainly because they are processed differently. The beekeepers only filter the raw honey before it’s bottled, while the regular honey is filtered and pasteurized. Although there are no official studies on how pasteurization and other processing methods change the vitamin and antioxidant level in honey, several studies show that processing other food destroys most of the enzymes, vitamins, and antioxidants. It’s also important to know that organic honey it’s not the same as raw honey as it may have undergone pasteurization. If you are looking for honey that contains bee pollen, propolis, and all the other natural components, make sure that the label on the honey jar states “raw.”
Raw honey - definition, and benefits
Raw honey is only filtered to remove tiny bits of the debris before it’s bottled. Raw honey is not pasteurized, and because of that, it keeps most of the nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, and antioxidants that it naturally contains. Raw honey has more color and texture variation and looks a bit cloudy due to honeycomb debris that is too tiny to be filtered. The color and composition of raw honey vary depending on what flowers the bees pollinated.
It’s also important to eat honey from a local beekeeper because it has pollen from the flowers that grow in the environment you live in. This makes less probably to experience an allergic reaction to the honey.
Raw honey contains valuable ingredients:
- bee pollen and propolis
- vitamin B, C, and E
- minerals and enzymes
- amino acids and polyphenols
Regular honey - definition and benefits
Regular honey is pasteurized honey. The pasteurization improves the honey’s appearance, making it look clear and smooth, kills yeast cells, and increases its shelf-life. Some beekeepers believe that pasteurization reduces vitamins, enzymes, and antioxidants because it exposes the honey to high temperatures. Most regular honey does not contain bee pollen because of pasteurization and ultrafiltration. Some regular honey products contain added sugar or sweeteners, such as corn or brown rice syrup.