Not all honey is created equal
When you walk down the honey aisle of any supermarket, you'll find an overwhelming range of different options, from budget squeezy bottles to premium local honey. However, not all honey is equal. Understanding the difference between raw and processed honey can help you make an informed choice about what ends up on your toast.
What is raw honey?
Raw honey is honey that has been extracted from the hive and minimally processed before being jarred. It is typically strained to remove pieces of wax and other natural debris but is not heavily filtered or subjected to high temperatures.
As a result, raw honey retains many of the characteristics that make each harvest unique, including its natural flavour, aroma, colour and texture.
At Buzz & Bloom, our honey is harvested from our hives dotted around North Yorkshire, it is then lightly strained and jarred with minimal intervention.
What is processed honey?
Most supermarket honey undergoes additional processing before it reaches the shelf. This often includes heating the honey to make it easier to handle, filter and bottle on a large scale. Fine filtration removes pollen and other natural particles, creating a clear, uniform product that remains liquid for longer.
Processing isn't necessarily harmful, but it can remove some of the natural characteristics that make honey unique.
Why does raw honey crystallise?
One of the most common questions beekeepers hear is: "Why has my honey gone solid?"
Crystallisation is a completely natural process and often a sign that your honey is minimally processed. Different floral sources crystallise at different rates, with some honeys remaining runny for months and others setting much more quickly.
If your honey crystallises, simply place the jar in warm water and stir gently until it softens, or place in the oven on a low heat.
The importance of provenance
When buying honey, it's worth paying attention to where it comes from. Some low-cost supermarket products are blended from honey sourced from multiple countries around the world. In 2023, an EU-wide investigation found that 46% of imported honey samples tested were considered suspicious for potential adulteration with added sugar syrups. While this does not mean all imported honey is affected, it highlights the importance of provenance and transparency when choosing honey.
Choosing honey from a local beekeeper gives you confidence in exactly where your honey comes from and how it has been produced.
Why we choose raw honey
For us, honey should reflect the landscape, flowers and seasons that produced it.
Our bees forage across North Yorkshire, collecting nectar from blossom, hedgerows, wildflowers and heather. By keeping processing to a minimum, we preserve the natural character of each harvest and allow those flavours to shine through.
Every jar of Buzz & Bloom honey is:
• Raw and unfiltered.
• Harvested from our own hives sited across North Yorkshire.
• Never blended with imported honey.
• 100% honey - completely free from additives, preservatives and syrups.
Both raw and processed honey have their place, but if you're looking for a product that reflects its origins and retains its pure, natural character, raw honey is hard to beat.