Most of the honey we buy from the stores, the honey that most of us eat, is heated at high temperatures. Raw honey, which has a milkier appearance with big chunks of white, looks much different. Although the appearance of raw honey is less appealing than highly processed honey...it is MUCH better for you! Why??? That chunky white stuff is bee pollen! Okay, so what is bee pollen and why is it so good for you? Bee pollen is the mixture of the male seed of the plants and the digestive enzymes of the bee. It is full of amino acids, protein, vitamins, minerals, is anti-viral, and anti-bacterial. There is also something called propolis in raw honey. This is what the bees use to seal cracks in the hive. The propolis has many phytonutrients, some of which may have cancer-preventing qualities!!! You can only imagine what happens when you heat these phytonutrients...they are mostly destroyed.
Some of you out there may have raw honey and you may believe that it is honey that has "gone bad". That is what I thought when I saw mine...this thick white layer on the top and the honey was rock hard. So, I called the lady I purchased it from and she told me how to make my raw honey usable. First of all, she told me that the top layer that was so completely grotesque to me was the bee pollen...then she gave me directions for making my honey usable. Turn your oven to medium-low and bring water to that temperature…you should just barely be able to stand putting your finger in the water. Put the entire container of honey in the water. The heated water should come up to about ¾ of the container of the honey. Let it sit until the water cools. Repeat until honey is liquid and stir in the bee pollen. YUMMY!
FYI: For my breads, I use normal, store-bought honey because my bread is baked and most of the qualities of the honey are destroyed by heat. Raw honey is a bit more expensive, so I save that for when I can use it without heating...sandwiches, toast, etc.
Here is where I got my honey and it is FABULOUS!!!
Bryant Honey, Inc.
Don Bryant and Bob Bryant, 111 Ta Bi Drive, Worland, WY 82401
307-347-2526, 347-8805 fax, e-mail dbryant@trib.com
Some of you out there may have raw honey and you may believe that it is honey that has "gone bad". That is what I thought when I saw mine...this thick white layer on the top and the honey was rock hard. So, I called the lady I purchased it from and she told me how to make my raw honey usable. First of all, she told me that the top layer that was so completely grotesque to me was the bee pollen...then she gave me directions for making my honey usable. Turn your oven to medium-low and bring water to that temperature…you should just barely be able to stand putting your finger in the water. Put the entire container of honey in the water. The heated water should come up to about ¾ of the container of the honey. Let it sit until the water cools. Repeat until honey is liquid and stir in the bee pollen. YUMMY!
FYI: For my breads, I use normal, store-bought honey because my bread is baked and most of the qualities of the honey are destroyed by heat. Raw honey is a bit more expensive, so I save that for when I can use it without heating...sandwiches, toast, etc.
Here is where I got my honey and it is FABULOUS!!!
Bryant Honey, Inc.
Don Bryant and Bob Bryant, 111 Ta Bi Drive, Worland, WY 82401
307-347-2526, 347-8805 fax, e-mail dbryant@trib.com
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