Frequently Asked Questions
We love to discuss bees and honey with our customers, and here are answers to some of the questions we hear most frequently from customers.
Is local honey better than store-bought honey?
Honey from a local beekeeper is better for a number of reasons. In addition to supporting your local economy and small businesses, it is important to know your local beekeeper so that you can verify the authenticity of the honey. Locally produced honey is usually bottled and sold as a raw honey product straight from the hive, retaining the exquisite flavor profile and medicinal properties that people have coveted for thousands of years. In contrast, most of the honey found in grocery stores has been imported, and regulations require imported honey be pasteurized, ruining the inherent beneficial qualities of the honey, and there have been reports that some imported honey has been adultered with other sweeteners.
How close is considered local honey?
Honey is considered to be local when it is produced within the same environmental region where the bees forage from primarily the same varieties of plants. For example, in North Carolina, honey from all over the Piedmont region is typically derived from the same types of nectar sources. If you are unsure, you can consider honey produced within 50 miles to be local.
What does local honey do for your body?
In addition to its use as a natural sweetener, honey is used as an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial agent. People commonly use honey orally to treat coughs and topically to treat burns and promote wound healing. [Mayo Clinic]
Is manuka honey better than local honey?
Manuka honey is a monofloral varietal honey made from the manuka bush or tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium), which is found in New Zealand and Australia. While all raw honey has antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties, manuka honey has been FDA approved for wound healing, in part due to its relatively low pH, [Cleveland Clinic] although some research suggests that raw wildflower honey may be just as potent. [Antibiotics]
How much local honey should you take daily?
One spoonful of honey a day may have several benefits. Honey has been used for seasonal allergies, post-exercise muscle and glycogen recovery, improving fasting blood sugar levels in Type 2 diabetics, and for soothing a sore throat, among other nutritional values. However, honey is still a form of sugar and daily intake should be moderate. [MedicineNet]