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 that was still edible. 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.

Interactive World Map

Honey Terroir Map

Just like wine, honey has terroir -- the unique character imparted by the land where it's made. Explore how geography, climate, and flora shape honey flavors across the globe.

Diverse global honey terroir landscapes from lavender fields to manuka bushland with golden beehives

12 Regions15+ Varieties6 Continents

What is Honey Terroir?

Terroir (French for "land") describes how a region's environment affects the flavor of what it produces. For honey, this means the specific wildflowers, trees, and plants that bees forage on, combined with soil composition, rainfall patterns, altitude, and temperature. A jar of Greek thyme honey tastes fundamentally different from Argentine wildflower honey -- even if both are made by the same species of bee -- because the nectar sources and environment are completely different.

Click a Region to Explore

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Explore a Region

Click any dot on the map to discover the unique honeys and flavor profiles of that region.

12 regions to explore

Honey Regions of the World

Explore Honey From Around the World

Browse our collection of over 200 honey varieties from every corner of the globe. Filter by origin, floral source, and flavor profile.