When you see recipes with honey, you may be wondering why just grabbing a plastic bag full of the stuff won't work as well. You may be wondering what the difference is and how to make sure you are choosing the right honey for the job. You may also be wondering how to find the right raw honey and labelling differences to look for. Here are some of the differences to look for and why you need to look for them.
Pasteurization
One of the key differences between regular and raw honey is how it is processed. Regular honey is pasteurized and filtered. This is done to prevent fermentation of the honey while it is sitting on the shelf waiting to be purchased or while it travels through different climates to the selling location. One way to tell if the honey you are buying has been put through this process is to simply look at it. If it is clear then it has gone through this process. Real raw honey has a milky like the colour and has small grains. These grains melt in hot water or hot liquid.
Check the Vitamins
One easy way to see if the raw honey you are buying is really raw is to check the nutrition label. The nutrition label will list what vitamins and nutrients, along with the percentages of each, are in the honey. If you don't see any, or if certain ones like Vitamin B, aren't listed then you know it isn't raw. Raw honey contains Vitamins A, C, D, E, and B-complex. Also look for something called amylase. This is an enzyme you will only find in raw honey. This helps with digestion and with stomach issues.
Antibacterial and Soothing
You can also test the honey by using it on sore throats and wounds. If it doesn't work, or only helps for a few minutes, then you know it isn't raw. Overall, raw honey will work for several hours on a sore throat and will help with wound healing. It is evident if it is working or just putting a sugary substance in the infected area.
By keeping these three differences in mind, and what to look for, you can make the right choice between regular and raw honey. You can also begin using raw honey for the benefits to your health and not just the taste.
