Raw honey is the purest form of honey. It is the honey that comes straight from the honey comb without heating, without pasteurization or any kind of processing. It is the healthiest choice amongst the various forms of honey as it has the most nutritional value and contains amylase, an enzyme concentrated in flower pollen which helps predigest starchy foods like breads.
Raw honey is relatively low in moisture content (14% to 18%) and has a high antioxidant level. It is characterized by fine textured crystals, looks milkier and contains particles and flecks made of bee pollen, honeycomb bits and propolis. The pollen that collects on the bees”””” legs as they move from plant to plant is only as healthful as the honey itself.
When raw honey is processed and heated, the benefits of the phytonutrients are largely eliminated. Most honeys found in the supermarket are not raw honey but “commercial” honey, which has been heated and filtered so that it looks cleaner and smoother, more appealing on the shelf, and easier to handle and faster to package. When honey is heated, its delicate aromas, yeast and enzymes which are responsible for activating vitamins and minerals in the body system are almost completely destroyed. Hence, “commercial” honey is not as nutritious as raw honey.