Honey- that delicious natural sweetener we apply to our tea when we’re sick, our toast in the morning and even some specialty desserts. It is the product we go to when allergy season is in full effect. But where is the best place to purchase honey and how do you know you’re getting a natural product?
First, how is honey made?
The oldest members of the hive, called the foragers, are responsible for locating and extracting pollen and nectar from nearby resources. The pollen, collected on the hind-legs of the bee, are used to feed the young while the nectar, collected through the proboscis (tongue-like structure) and temporarily stored in the honey stomach of a bee, turns into what we call 'honey.'
The forager will return back to the colony with nectar stored in its 'honey stomach.' It will then deposit the nectar into the honey stomach of another bee, and this will continue until the final bee regurgitates the processed nectar into a hexagonal cell of the hive to be stored. Each time, as the nectar enters a new honey stomach, enzymes are added to the mix to break down nectars’ complex sugar structure. This transfer from bee to bee continues until breakdown is complete. Once deposited into the honeycomb, the bees rapidly beat their wings, fanning the nectar in pursuit of evaporating excess water. Once satisfied, the bees will cap the honey with a thin wax coating and save it for a rainy day. With its low water levels and high sugar content honey creates the ideal environment to deter bacterial and fungal growth- making it an exceptionally storable food source for the colony.
What does this mean for you?
When a beekeeper has hives in your neighbourhood, the hive is collecting pollen and nectar from the flowers that surround you every day. If you have seasonal allergies, the flowers that surround you every day can sometimes be the allergen that is causing you problems. It’s commonly believed that consuming honey from a local beekeeper exposes you to small amounts of these allergens, potentially helping to build tolerance over time and easing allergy symptoms during peak seasons.
Why buy local honey?
There have been issues with imported honey being substituted with ingredients such as corn or rice syrup. The product you are purchasing, in that case, is not necessarily containing the health benefits we seek from whole products. By buying local and knowing the beekeeper, you can ask questions about the honey. How is the honey extracted? Where are your hives located? By understanding where your honey comes from and understanding the honey extracting process, you will have a closer connection to the food you consume and understand how few steps the hive to jar process should really be.
Lastly, by supporting your local beekeeper, you are supporting your neighbour. The hard work they dedicate to ensuring their hives are healthy and thriving, can be seen in their product. The flavours of honey should be unique. When you have a chance, try sampling different honey: blackberry, wildflower, fireweed, perhaps wildflower honey from two different locations. You should be able to note different tastes just like sampling a flight of beer. It is a chance to taste the flavours of your local community.