Raw honey could help reduce blood sugar and cholesterol levels, study finds

[citrus]

This was published a few months back and just to say that Tauseef Khan is a friend of mine, beekeeper and moved to Canada a while back but is a honey researcher for a living.

Anyway good to know that honey is so good for you and always a good selling point

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/raw-honey-blood-sugar-cholesterol-reduce-study-b1043763.html
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionr...oi/10.1093/nutrit/nuac086/6827512?login=false
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ar...lood-sugar-and-cholesterol-levels-study-finds

 

[Ian123]

Can he tell us what RAW honey is

 

[fian]

Can he tell us what RAW honey is

Honey that has NOT undergone a thermal process to improve its best conservation (such as the elimination of spores or bacteria). Generally this thermal process raises the temperature to more than 70°C in a similar way to dairy pasteurization.

 

[Erichalfbee]

Honey that has NOT undergone a thermal process to improve its best conservation (such as the elimination of spores or bacteria). Generally this thermal process raises the temperature to more than 70°C in a similar way to dairy pasteurization.

Ian’s question is tongue in cheek
I’m afraid it’s not as simple as that
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threa...e-unheated-non-pressure-filtered-honey.51968/

 

[fian]

Ian’s question is tongue in cheek
I’m afraid it’s not as simple as that
https://beekeepingforum.co.uk/threa...e-unheated-non-pressure-filtered-honey.51968/

In the EU this is quite clear. The Spanish regulation that transcribes the European regulation establishes 2 categories.
1.Flower honey. Here inside it is distinguished depending on the process.
a. Honeycomb
b. Honey with pieces of honeycomb.
c.Drained honey.
d. Centrifuged honey.
e.Pressed honey (Temperature below 45°c).
f. Filtered honey (without pollen particles).
2. Honey for industrial use.
a.Those with strange taste/smell.
b. Overheated.
One of the parameters to identify overheating is the HMF level, which should not be higher than 40 mg/Kg.
Any value higher than that would imply classifying the honey as industrial use.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In the EU this is quite clear

We are not in the EU

 

[Wilco]

In the EU this is quite clear. The Spanish regulation that transcribes the European regulation establishes 2 categories.
1.Flower honey. Here inside it is distinguished depending on the process.
a. Honeycomb
b. Honey with pieces of honeycomb.
c.Drained honey.
d. Centrifuged honey.
e.Pressed honey (Temperature below 45°c).
f. Filtered honey (without pollen particles).
2. Honey for industrial use.
a.Those with strange taste/smell.
b. Overheated.
One of the parameters to identify overheating is the HMF level, which should not be higher than 40 mg/Kg.
Any value higher than that would imply classifying the honey as industrial use.

Here we go again...

UK legislation is very similar, the only type of honey in that list to which raw would not apply is a subset of the industrial (Baker's honey in the UK), thus 'raw' is a completely irrelevant descriptor. It serves some for marketing but has no legal basis.

 

[Wilco]

This was published a few months back and just to say that Tauseef Khan is a friend of mine, beekeeper and moved to Canada a while back but is a honey researcher for a living.

Anyway good to know that honey is so good for you and always a good selling point

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/health/raw-honey-blood-sugar-cholesterol-reduce-study-b1043763.html
https://academic.oup.com/nutritionr...oi/10.1093/nutrit/nuac086/6827512?login=false
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/ar...lood-sugar-and-cholesterol-levels-study-finds

Funnily enough, earlier today I was thinking I need to find a paper investigating if those concepts regarding 'free sugar' and honey were valid. Thanks for saving me some effort!

 

[JamezF]

I know it's winter and all, but didn't we do this story a couple of weeks back?

James

 

[fian]

We are not in the EU

You were in the EU, and I don't know if you have modified the honey legislation, in any case I think that the HMF limit is quite significant in this matter.

 

[fian]

Here we go again...

UK legislation is very similar, the only type of honey in that list to which raw would not apply is a subset of the industrial (Baker's honey in the UK), thus 'raw' is a completely irrelevant descriptor. It serves some for marketing but has no legal basis.

It has been asked, I have answered that it is what is marketed as honey according to the legislation and also what in the literature is understood as raw honey.
The HMF limit is very clear, I don't know if it's the same in the UK.
Regardless of the labels, I think that we beekeepers should be clear about the different qualities of our product.

 

[Wilco]

It has been asked, I have answered that it is what is marketed as honey according to the legislation and also what in the literature is understood as raw honey.
The HMF limit is very clear, I don't know if it's the same in the UK.
Regardless of the labels, I think that we beekeepers should be clear about the different qualities of our product.

Yes, hence the provision in law for the use of 'Baker's/Industrial' as a descriptor. The use of 'raw' is marketing bluster and, as a scientist who keeps bees, it makes me raise eyebrows when other scientists use it.

Those using 'raw' for honey sales are trying to make their own honey stand out relative to others including other beekeepers not using that descriptor. It's can be very disingenuous as many who use 'raw' will heat their honey above hive temperature to make it stay runny- in my view, if you must use 'raw' then that should mean it's never been heated above the normal hive temperature range.

Those using words such as 'local', whilst also not a descriptor in law IIRC, are only trying to differentiate theirs from mass produced stuff generally found in supermarkets and aren't putting down other beekeepers' honey.

Once the supermarkets start using 'raw' (and they can and will) those producers using it and their market will need to find another word to make it stand out. Because of the way supermarket supply chains work, descriptors like 'local' are more resilient against this.

 

[fian]

This is how this year's honey (August 2022) is as of today. No crystallization, I turned the jar upside down for better viewing, the top air is due to the jar not being filled to the brim. And if someone asks without jars of 1 kg.

Now the big question.
Will the beekeeper be willing to undergo external analysis and label his honey as "industrial" if the HMF content exceeds the legal limit?
We can also discuss whether honey has become cheddarized and how to reverse it.
"Chedarized". "Authentic Red Cheedar" in the Sommerset area (unless you're in the wrong place) but "red cheese" bars of different qualities, origins and of course prices have proliferated all over the world.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

Hmm cheesey honey
I somehow think I put the wrong mushrooms on my bacon this morning

 

[fian]

In Spain this is the one that is usually seen as the original chedar.
http://www.collierscheese.com/

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

In Spain this is the one that is usually seen as the original chedar.
http://www.collierscheese.com/

well it's not the 'original'
It's mass produced in a factory in Wales. A decent cooking cheddar, but that's about it

 

[JamezF]

I'm not even sure they produce decent cheddar in Cheddar any more. . Last time I was there it all seemed very touristy.

James

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm not even sure they produce decent cheddar in Cheddar any more. . Last time I was there it all seemed very touristy.

James

a few good cheese makers in the area though, I can highly recommend |Montgomery's of North Cadbury - some Somerset cheese makers store their cheeses in the cheddar caves for ripening

 

[citrus]

I know it's winter and all, but didn't we do this story a couple of weeks back?

James

yeah i had a look on the search on the forum for key words but didnt get any few hits so apologies for the spam ...just wanted to share that i know the author so if any of you folks wanted an intro for research let me know

 

[pargyle]

Yes, hence the provision in law for the use of 'Baker's/Industrial' as a descriptor. The use of 'raw' is marketing bluster and, as a scientist who keeps bees, it makes me raise eyebrows when other scientists use it.

Those using 'raw' for honey sales are trying to make their own honey stand out relative to others including other beekeepers not using that descriptor. It's can be very disingenuous as many who use 'raw' will heat their honey above hive temperature to make it stay runny- in my view, if you must use 'raw' then that should mean it's never been heated above the normal hive temperature range.

Those using words such as 'local', whilst also not a descriptor in law IIRC, are only trying to differentiate theirs from mass produced stuff generally found in supermarkets and aren't putting down other beekeepers' honey.

Once the supermarkets start using 'raw' (and they can and will) those producers using it and their market will need to find another word to make it stand out. Because of the way supermarket supply chains work, descriptors like 'local' are more resilient against this.

You should do some consumer testing and ask your customers what they are looking for in honey they purchase from you ...

I did it a few years ago and the two words that were most used were raw and local .... It matters not what you perceive as advantageous marketing .. it is what your customers perceive and look for in a product that is important.

I was involved in sales and marketing throughout most of my working life - and loads of product launches. The worst selling products were always those where the marketing department decided what the consumer wanted and which got though to sales without any consumer testing. I can give you many examples of products that failed miserably during my time working at Faberge where the marketing department got lost in their own assessment and when they hit the shelves the customers didn't agree...

https://www.parfumo.net/Perfumes/Faberge/Turbo_After_Shave
They tested this one on MEN ... got very favourable results ... but failed to recognise that the vast majority of men's fragrance, at the time, were purchase by WOMEN for men ... when they finally got round to consumer testing on women - they found that their perception of the product was 'that it had connotations of motor oil and dirty hands'. The packaging was seen as dull and too masculine. Didn't last long ...discontinued and sold off at ridiculous prices ...

FIrst rule of marketing = don't fall into the trap of thinking you know what your customer is seeking without actually asking them.