What is raw honey and how is it different from regular honey?

Raw honey is extracted from the hive and strained without heating above 118°F (48°C) or pasteurizing. Regular honey is pasteurized at 150–170°F, which kills beneficial enzymes, reduces antioxidant content, and destroys natural yeasts. Raw honey retains all its pollen, propolis, and 200+ bioactive compounds.

Does honey expire or go bad?

Honey is one of the only foods that never truly expires when stored properly. Its low moisture content (below 18%), acidic pH (3.2–4.5), and natural hydrogen peroxide production inhibit bacterial growth. Archaeologists have found 3,000-year-old honey in Egyptian tombs — analysis confirmed retained characteristic sugar composition and antimicrobial properties. Crystallization is normal and does not mean honey has gone bad.

How many types of honey are there?

There are over 300 distinct honey varieties worldwide, classified primarily by floral source. Common types include clover, wildflower, manuka, buckwheat, acacia, and orange blossom. Each variety has a unique flavor profile, color, and nutritional composition determined by the nectar source.

Is honey healthier than sugar?

Honey contains antioxidants, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals that table sugar lacks entirely. A 2022 meta-analysis of 18 clinical trials found honey lowered fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, and triglycerides compared to sugar. However, honey is still a concentrated sweetener at 64 calories per tablespoon and should be consumed in moderation.

How can you tell if honey is real or fake?

Look for "True Source Certified" or single-origin labeling. Real honey crystallizes over time (fake honey often stays liquid indefinitely), has a complex aroma matching its floral source, and lists only "honey" as an ingredient. Lab testing (C4 sugar analysis, NMR profiling) is the only reliable way to detect adulteration — home tests like the water or thumb test are unreliable.

Can you give honey to babies?

Never give honey to infants under 12 months old. Honey can contain Clostridium botulinum spores that cause infant botulism — a rare but potentially fatal illness. After age 1, a child's digestive system is mature enough to handle these spores safely. This applies to all forms of honey, including cooked and baked goods containing honey.

Honey Open Data

Free, structured dataset of 210+ honey varieties from 16 countries. Download as CSV or JSON for research, apps, data journalism, or education.

Download CSV Download JSON

210+

Honey Varieties

Countries

Floral Sources

Data Fields

What's in the Dataset?

Each record represents a unique honey variety with 12 attributes covering identification, origin, sensory characteristics, pricing, and quality certifications.

Field	Type	Description
name	string	Full variety name (e.g., "Pure Clover Honey - USA")
floral_source	string	Primary nectar source — one of 17 categories (Clover, Wildflower, Manuka, etc.)
type	string	Processing type — Raw, Filtered, Pasteurized, Creamed, Comb, Infused, or Organic
origin	string	Country of origin (USA, New Zealand, Australia, etc.)
region	string	Sub-region within the country (e.g., "Midwest", "North Dakota", "Waikato")
flavor_profiles	string	Comma-separated tasting notes (sweet, floral, fruity, earthy, bold, spicy, mild, complex)
brand	string	Producer or brand name
price_min_usd	number	Lowest observed retail price in USD
price_max_usd	number	Highest observed retail price in USD
certifications	string	Quality certifications (USDA Organic, Non-GMO, True Source, UMF ratings)
umf_rating	integer	Unique Manuka Factor rating (Manuka honey only, null otherwise)
mgo_rating	integer	Methylglyoxal concentration in mg/kg (Manuka honey only, null otherwise)

License

This dataset is released under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) license.

You are free to share and adapt this data for any purpose, including commercial use, as long as you provide attribution to Raw Honey Guide.

How to Cite

APA

Raw Honey Guide. (2026). Honey Varieties Open Dataset. https://rawhoneyguide.com/open-data

BibTeX

@misc{rawhoneyguide2026,
  title={Honey Varieties Open Dataset},
  author={Raw Honey Guide},
  year={2026},
  url={https://rawhoneyguide.com/open-data}
}

Who Uses This Data?

Researchers

Study honey pricing, regional production patterns, and flavor chemistry correlations.

App Developers

Build recipe apps, nutrition trackers, or food pairing tools with real honey data.

Data Journalists

Analyze the honey market — price trends, certification adoption, origin diversity.

Educators

Teach data science, agriculture, or food science with a real-world dataset.

Food Bloggers

Reference accurate variety data for recipe posts and honey reviews.

Beekeepers

Compare varieties by region and floral source to understand market positioning.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often is the honey dataset updated?▼

The dataset is updated whenever new varieties are added to Raw Honey Guide. The database currently contains 210+ varieties and grows as we discover and verify new honeys from around the world.

Can I use this data in my app or research paper?▼

Yes. The dataset is released under CC BY 4.0. You can use it for any purpose — commercial apps, academic research, data journalism, recipe databases — as long as you credit Raw Honey Guide as the source.

What format should I choose — CSV or JSON?▼

CSV is best for spreadsheet analysis in Excel, Google Sheets, or R. JSON is best for developers building apps or APIs. Both contain the same 12 fields and 210+ records.

Are the prices accurate and up to date?▼

Prices reflect typical retail ranges observed at the time each variety was added. They are approximate guides, not real-time market prices. Actual prices vary by retailer, season, and availability.

Do you have an API for real-time access?▼

Not yet, but it is on our roadmap. For now, the downloadable files are the best way to access the data. If you need API access for a specific project, contact us and we can discuss options.

Explore the data on our site

Browse All Varieties Learn About Honey Terroir Map