Honey offers a healthier alternative to sugar. With a lower glycemic index, it causes slower rises in blood sugar, helping avoid spikes and crashes. Honey contains trace amounts of essential vitamins and minerals, like vitamin C, calcium, iron, magnesium, and potassium, which are absent in refined sugar. Rich in antioxidants and natural antimicrobial properties, honey has been used for centuries as a wound healer, creating a protective barrier against infection. Unlike refined sugar, honey is less processed, retaining its nutrient value. Honey also brings complexity and depth to beverages, along with a richer body and viscosity. Yum!

As one of nature’s most remarkable foods, honey comes from an equally remarkable creature: the honeybee. Honeybees live in highly organized colonies, almost like a single organism. They use a ‘waggle dance’ to communicate, directing hive members to ideal nectar or pollen sources. Bees collect nectar and store it in a specialized “honey stomach” where enzymes break down the nectar into simple sugars. Once back at the hive, bees pass the nectar to others, who process it further. This repeated transfer breaks down complex sugars, converting the nectar into honey. To make honey shelf-stable, bees lower its water content by fanning their wings to evaporate moisture. When the honey reaches the right consistency, they seal the comb with beeswax, preserving it. Honey’s low water content, high sugar concentration, and natural acidity make it inhospitable to bacteria and fungi, allowing it to last indefinitely—even archaeologists have found honey in ancient Egyptian tombs.

Supporting bees and honey production is critical for agriculture and our food system. Bees pollinate about one-third of all the food crops we consume, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Without bees, we’d see a drastic reduction in the diversity of our food supply. At Honey, we source high-quality, minimally processed honey from local beekeepers, directly supporting bee care and hive health. Thank you, SweetTooth Farms in Berthoud, CO!

— Jocasta