Oohhh honey, honey
Have you heard that eating honey is unsustainable? Couldn't be more wrong! As long as you're getting good quality (see our tips below), eating honey is good for bees, the planet and your health! Plus it's delicious. Mmmm.honey...
Why buying honey is good for the bees?
Buying honey is actually really good for bees. Today, the natural environment is so degraded and so hostile to bees that they can (almost) no longer survive without beekeepers! Beekeepers look after the bees, place the hive in a strategic location, protect them from the cold, and guard against predators and parasites. And this is only possible on one condition: that consumers keep buying honey so that beekeepers can earn a living. While the loss of honey sales does not mean the end of bees, the purchase of honey, especially from sustainable suppliers, contributes to keeping healthy populations of bees that can efficiently pollinate our environment. Moreover, there is absolutely no evidence that keeping domestic honey bees negatively impacts wild bees.
Why buying honey is good for the planet?
Bees are essential for life! They are essential pollinating insects: by foraging on flowers, they carry pollen and fertilise the surrounding plants. This helps maintain natural plant reproduction and therefore the food chain. Indeed, releasing farmed bees into fields of local plants not only creates incredible honey flavours, but also contributes to plant pollination [1], which is beneficial for all local wildlife.
The health and proliferation of bees is directly linked to the quality of ecosystems. Environmental degradation, pollution, and excessive use of pesticides can be evident through a decline in local beehives. Bees are therefore sentinels of a healthy environment.
Finally, producing honey doesn't require setting aside land to grow a specific crop, like cane sugar or corn syrup. This means honey can have a lower carbon footprint than alternatives.
Why buying honey is good for you?
The healing properties of honey have been known for centuries, and confirmed by modern science. Honey has many important properties:
Antibacterial and antifungal
Honey can inhibit the growth of bacteria and fungi and prevent their proliferation. A drop of honey on a wound, for example, can prevent an infection. Honey can also be a strong ally against acne.
Anti inflammatory
People who suffer from seasonal allergies or inflammatory problems, for example, can benefit from a daily dose of honey in their diet.
Antioxidants
The antioxidants in honey promote healing and cell regeneration [2] against free radicals that contribute to the ageing process and the development of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease.
In addition, honey has long been used to treat sore throats, coughs, wounds, or to relieve pain caused by illness.
How to choose your honey?
Not all honey is created equal! When shopping for honey, beware of bad quality products and imitations.
Honey is the third most faked food in the world! One lawyer involved in honey fraud lawsuits found that 70% of the honeys he tested were bad or diluted with cheap sugar [3]. You can't always trust the label. Even a product that claims to be 100% honey could be illegally adulterated.
So what can you do? Look for local, sustainable beekeepers. You can find local honey for sale at many farmers markets, flea markets or neighbourhood suppliers. Or search online for local honey suppliers in your area!
Bees have never been as threatened as they are today. This is all the more deplorable given that they are essential for pollination and guarantee a healthy ecosystem. One way to help is to buy good quality, responsibly produced local honey. It's good for you, good for the planet, and good for bees!
[1] Warkentin, S. The Amazing Benefits of Local Honey. Available at https://www.tomsofmaine.com/good-matters/natural-products/the-amazing-benefits-of-local-honey.
[2] Goldman, R. (15 November 2019). The Top 6 Raw Honey Benefits. Available at https://www.healthline.com/health/food-nutrition/top-raw-honey-benefits#antioxidants.
[3] Love, S. (6 March 2020). Your Fancy Honey Might Not Actually Be Honey. Available at https://www.vice.com/en/article/884kq4/your-fancy-honey-might-not-actually-be-honey.