Raw Honey, or Cooked honey?
Raw Honey is honey in its natural state that has not had external heat applied. Honey in the comb is raw. Honey that has been extracted in a centrifugal force honey comb extractor is raw honey. Honey that has been extracted and allowed to strain through cheese cloth is still raw honey. Now comes the fine line of raw honey verses cooked honey! As a beekeeper, how hot can he heat the honey so that it will flow easily and he/she can bottle the honey and still maintain that it is RAW HONEY?
There is no agency, organization or governing body that certifies the parameters honey must meet in order to be called raw honey. The National Honey Board only defines “Raw Honey”: “as it exists in the beehive or as obtained by extraction, settling or straining without adding heat.” We concur! Honey that is extracted or stored at or below the ambient highest temperature of an operating beehive can be sold as “RAW HONEY”! The highest inside hive temperature known surviving, operating, honey gathering colony was 118 degrees Fahrenheit . The raw honey produced from this hive had viable enzymes and nutrients available for assimilation. Therefore if the honey being harvested, extracted and stored does not exceed 118 degrees it is still raw honey! Honey is pasteurized at 140 degrees F. So somewhere in the 22 degree spread the honey goes from being very good for you as raw honey to that of just another cooked food and a commercial packed honey. The proof is in the hive. If the inside of the hive raises above 118 degrees F. the wax will melt! Nature’s done button…
Ask for raw honey from your beekeeper. It takes 50% more effort to produce raw honey, but its worth it!
raw honey
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