Basic Honey Practice
Purchasing Honey
Buying Honey off the supermarket shelves may not be as straight forward as you think. There are a number of competing brands selling processed Honeys, often blended with corn syrups and added sugars.
It's important to read the labels on the containers to differentiate processed Honeys from 100% Raw Natural Honey. Pasteurized and overheated honey will have significantly less benefits than raw honey. The more raw and more natural the Honey, the better it is for you.
Honey can also be checked visually. Generally speaking the darker a honey is, the more nutritional benefits it contains. This is not true however for specialist mono-floral products such as Mānuka Honey, which fall under certain regulations in New Zealand and for export.
Look for the MG rating, MGO Rating or UMF Rating when purchasing high medicinal strength Honey.
An MG rating is one of many methods used to understand the medicinal strength of particular Honeys, such as Mānuka Honey and Kānuka Honey. Generally speaking, the larger the rating number, the higher the medicinal quality. MG testing is undertaken in laboratories to detect the presence of Methylglyoxal, the naturally occurring antibacterial organic compound that gives Mānuka honey it's amazing benefits.
Click here to learn more about MG Ratings and Conversion Charts.
All Helmsdale Hives 100% Raw New Zealand Honey is packaged in our certified packing facility, with every drop in each jar coming direct from the apiary (bee farm) it came from.
Storing Honey
Honey, in most cases, does not expire. It has an excellent shelf life attributed to its enzymes, anti-microbial and anti-bacterial elements. The strength of these properties increases in specialist Monofloral Honeys such as Mānuka.
Despite it's liquid state, Honey should also have little to no water content. It's best to keep Honey in a sealed container (to keep moisture out, and prevent fermentation) and store it in a cool, dry, dark area, such as the kitchen cupboard or pantry. Storing Honey in the fridge is also fine, however the lower temperatures will increase the rate of crystallization. Click here to learn more about crystallization.
Health Benefits
As many people know, Honey is a tasty spread on toast, breads, muffins, donuts and used in desserts and toppings. Cooking with Honey is a great way to add flavor to baking, breakfast cereals (toasted muesli & granola etc) meat glazing & marinades, stir fry, and much more. We recommend checking out cook books and searching online for Honey recipes & ideas that you may like.
However, it's important to remember, heating 100% Raw Honey above temperatures of 37°C will begin to deteriorate the natural health benefits and nutritional value, leaving only its sweet flavoring behind.
If you are using Honey for its medicinal benefits, it's best practice to ensure the Honey is not overheated or cooked. As a dietary supplement, a tea-spoon of 100% Raw Natural Honey, especially high MG Mānuka Honey, is best eaten raw each day, or used in remedies for Sore Throats, Colds & Flu symptoms.
Honey over warm toast is also a great way of including raw honey into your diet.
While Honey has amazing benefits, it isn't a miracle cure. If you are concerned about your health or suffering from illness, its best to consult with a medical practitioner. Honey and Raw Honey Comb (wax) may also have an effect on those super-sensitve to pollen or those who suffer from particular dietary allergies.
